Guilty pleasures: Yann Prigent

*Côtes du Rhône Wines is running the Guilty Pleasures festival all October – for more information click here

Yann Prigent is group head sommelier of the Bleeding Heart Group, a collection of London restaurants which include The Bleeding Heart Restaurant, The Bistro and gastropub The Tavern as well as sister restaurant and bistro The Don and wine shop St Swithins Wine Shippers. Prigent rejoined the group in July this year, having previously been the company’s beverage director for five years before joining Phil Howard’s new venture, Elystan Street. Prigent has previously worked as restaurant manager at The Dorchester and head sommelier at the Aqua restaurant group. Here he shares how he charms the Bleeding Heart chefs into giving him breakfast and why game birds are his guilty food pleasures.

1: What is your definition of a guilty pleasure?

As a great lover of food and an amateur cook, I love to walk around the kitchen in the morning and meet with all the chefs. I ask questions (some of which I know the answer to!) and secretly I’m hoping to have a bite or two of the food they are preparing.

2: What is your guilty pleasure wine from the Côtes du Rhône and why?

A great recent discovery for me was the Côtes du Rhône Villages “Cassagnes de la Nerthe” of Château de la Nerthe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is a beautifully made wine with a smooth finish, a great alternative to a Gigondas or a Châteauneuf.

3: What’s your guilty pleasure when you’re not working (this could be anything from binge watching love island to spending all day in your pyjamas)…

As much as I love lounging in pyjamas from time to time, my guilty pleasure is going out with my family on the weekends, which is a necessity for me! These activities include visiting new restaurants, or going to a museum. I also enjoy late afternoon pub visits with friends, I like to keep myself busy with my tribe.

4: And finally, what’s your guilty pleasure food?

Game birds to me is the most exquisite option and I can become pretty shaky towards the end of summer!

The Bleeding Heart Group is part if the Guilty Pleasures festival organised by Côtes du Rhône wines. Côtes du Rhône wines is running the Guilty Pleasures festival all October. For more information click here.