Star chef says he is ‘obsessed with selling wine’ and wants to diners to drink more, not lessFrench chef Alain Ducasse, an outspoken opponent of Dry January, has launched an initiative to entice patrons of his restaurants to drink more during the first month of the year, not less. “I like swimming against the tide,” he told AFP on Tuesday, announcing plans to proffer top bottles of Burgundy and Bordeaux at knockdown prices to encourage diners to order wine by the bottle rather than by the glass. Drink without drinking: four tipples to help you survive dry January | Fiona Beckett Read more“I’m obsessed with selling wine,” Ducasse said, adding that he was horrified to see customers in New York order iced tea with their lunch instead of wine. In France too, wine is becoming less of a staple during business lunches, prompting some restaurants to offer food-tea pairings. French winemakers too have also tried to torpedo the dry January campaign, which began in Britain a few years ago and has since gained devotees in other countries, including France.

Source: The Guardian January 14, 2020 23:54 UTC