Valley Chefs Demonstrate How Not to Saber a Champagne Bottle

Looks as if a few notable Valley chefs may have benefited from our post last week on sabrage, the name given to the practice of opening a champagne bottle with a sword. Last month, during a benefit dinner at the home of Jamie Hormel (owner of the Wrigley Mansion, heir...

By Laura Hahnefeld

January 3, 2012

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Looks as if a few notable Valley chefs may have benefited from our post last week on sabrage, the name given to the practice of opening a champagne bottle with a sword.

Last month, during a benefit dinner at the home of Jamie Hormel (owner of the Wrigley Mansion, heir to the Hormel meat-packing empire, and girlfriend of chef Christopher Gross), five notable Valley chefs -- Christopher Gross (Christopher's Restaurant and Crush Lounge), Matt Carter (Zinc Bistro and The Mission), James Porter (Petite Maison and Big Earl's BBQ), restauranteur Aaron May, and celebu-chef Beau MacMillan (elements) -- attempted a bit of sabrage themselves, with highly amusing but less than stellar results.

Gross told me, "I've done this maybe a hundred times and never had a champagne blow up. Matt Carter's and mine blew. James [Porter] cheated and popped the cork by hand."

With the exception of a few bruised egos, no one was hurt during the sabrage.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook and Twitter.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.