The team from Le Donjon Domaine Saint Clair, France, led by Mr. Omar Abodib, came to Lebanon in December of 2020 to provide aid for the community after the August 4 explosion in Beirut.  They brought with them donations of kitchen and service equipment, which they generously offered to the Sagesse Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management and local NGOs including Arc en Ciel and the Green Community.

The 24-person team was welcomed by Dr. Tanios Kassis, the Dean of the Faculty.  Dr. Kassis conducted a faculty tour of the Sagesse Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management and explained the objectives of the SFTHM to the visitors.  The visit concluded with an on-site luncheon for the local NGOs which consisted of French delicacies.

The service team, led by Mr. Sassine Bitar, Mr. Georges Barakat, and Mr. Bchara Chebli, directed the first year students as they organized and worked their first event of the season.

Le Gastronomique ballroom, with physically distanced seating, was the site of the one-of-a-kind event in which Le Donjon chefs, with the support of SFTHM’s Chef Bechara Chmouny, prepared a six course meal consisting of French specialties, and in some cases, a touch of fusion.  

The first course consisted of gravlax de truite, Saint Jacques de Normandie fumee, sable brebis, magret de canard fume, and Ceviche de dorade with lebne and grenade with un cocktail a base d’Arack et de 30 & 40.  It was followed by foie gras de canard de la ferme des sapins a la Benedictine and chutney de fruits served with Maison Karam Noble Sweet 2015.  Freshly baked bread was also offered to the diners.

The third course was an oeuf parfait with moussaka served with Maison Karam Les Raretes Alberino 2019, while the main course of poisson de la criee de Beyrouth with houmous au beurre, citron confit, and huile vierge was matched with Maison Karam Corpus Christi 2016. 

To complete the afternoon, Camembert de Normandie a la truffle was followed by a tarte citron curcuma meringue and served with digestif la Benedictine.