A Potted History of the Bailliage National de Malte of the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs
Patronal Dinner at the Selmun Palace in December 2000 and a dinner at Ta Cenc in May 2001
The very first reference to the presence of the Chaine des Rotisseurs in Malta goes back to the 28th of November 1979 when a cocktail luncheon was held at the Hilton Hotel by a group of like-minded gastronomes to discuss the setting up of a local chapter.
The Malta Bailliage was officially formed during an induction ceremony held on the 11th of April 1980 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, with Mr Gino Micheli as the first Bailli Delegue. The ceremony was presided over by The Grand Chancelier of the Chaine, M. Jean Valby, who in 1950 had re-constituted the Confrerie. The Bailliage of Bavaria sponsored the entry of the local Bailliage into the Chaine.
The registered seat of the Bailliage was the Hilton International Hotel, St Julian’s and the first Council was composed of Mr Miceli, Bailli Delegue; Mr George Bryant, Auditor; Mr Anthony Buttigieg Depiro, Chancelier; Mr Patrick J Stubbs, Argentier; Mr Dieter Lehman, Conseilleur Culinaire; Dr Victor Mercieca, Charge de Presse; Mr Joseph Spiteri, Charge de Mission.
Mr Edmund Theuma, Administrative Secretary was co-opted to the Council shortly afterwards, followed by Mr Alfred Curmi to act as Conseiller Gastronomique.
On the 23rd June 1980 Dr Anton Buttigieg, President of Malta was presented with his conferment certificate at the President’s official residence, San Anton Palace by a delegation from the Bailliage headed by Mr Miceli. The President was nominated Bailli d’Honneur.
The first Diner Amical was held on the 24th of June 1980 at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard.
In its year of inception, the Bailliage membership stood at a healthy 62, of whom 27 were professional members and 4 were honorary members. The original annual membership fees were established at £M30 (€70) for professional members and £M 25 (€57) for non-professionals. Amongst the first professional member establishments were the Verdala Hotel, the Corinthia Hotel, La Dolce Vita restaurant, Saccone & Speed wine and spirit merchants, Madliena Cottage restaurant and Ramla Bay Hotel.
The Bailliage held its first Annual General Meeting at the Hilton Hotel on the 7th of November 1981. Amongst the members present was Dame Janatha Stubbs who is still an active member to this day.
A Conferment (Induction) ceremony was held on the 14th of May 1982 at the Hilton Hotel and on December 11th of the same year the first Patronal (St Nicholas) dinner was held at the Dragonara Palace Hotel.
A Nouvelle Cuisine dinner was held at the Hilton on the 24th of February 1984, and later that year, on the 24th of August, Gozo hosted its first Diner Amical at Auberge Napoleon then run by Maitre Rotisseur Amand P Veranneman.
Over the years, the Bailliage held three Rondes du Vins: the 1er at Wands, the successor to Saccone & Speed on the 17th May 1989, the 2eme at 20 South Street Valletta, the thenChancelier/ Argentier George R Bryant’s office on the 25th of October 1989 and the 3eme at Christopher’s restaurant Marsaxlokk in September 1992 on the occasion of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Malta.
Maitre Hotelier Thomas Noll hosted the first ever International Grand Chapitre at Selmun Palace Hotel on the 23rd April 1990.
Chapitre December 1993 at the Selmun Palace Hotel
Bailli Delegue Dr Joseph Attard
The second Bailli Delegue was Chev. Dr. Joseph Attard, who held the post until his resignation in 2006 when, after a period of declining fortunes the Bailliage was reorganised with Mr Colin A Best as Bailli Delegue and Chev. Charles A Gatt as Chancelier/Argentier. The Council was also composed of Chef Marc Besancon, Conseiller Culinaire, Mr Bernd Ritschel, Charge de Presse, Dr Joseph Xuereb , Conseiller Gastronomique, Dr John McDermott, Charge de Mission and Mr Michael Jump, Charge de Mission.
The current Bailli Delegue, Dr Joseph Xuereb, assumed office in May 2011. In October 2021 he was unanimously elected Membre du Conseil Magistral, Paris by the members of the Council.
In 2018, Malta joined several other member countries in founding a local branch in the Ordre Mondial Gourmets Degustateurs - OMGD, with Dr Ramiro Cali Corleo as its’ first Echanson.
Dr Joseph Xuereb
Bailli Délégué
Chapitre Golden Sands Hotel 2006
Bailli Delegue D'Italie Dr Roberto Zanghi presiding
Baili Delegue Colin Best
