Tito's former wine waiter and Monaco's representative

Appointed by his peers, the Croatian Branko Grizelj will represent the Principality for the 10th competition of the best wine waiter worldwide in Toronto. Here is the long career of a passionate person...

Branko Grizeli, the head wine waiter of the gastronomic restaurants , Le Pistouand L'Argentinwithin the 'Monte Carlo Grand Hôtel' has been getting ready to confront the best worldwide wine waiters since a few months. Chosen by his peers as the representative of the Principality, the one who was Tito's former wine waiter will participate to the competition of the best worldwide wine waiter, in Toronto, from September 29th to October 8th 2000. This competition, which takes place every three years gathers the best experts in wine and gastronomy of nearly thirty countries. Here is the story of his original career.'Jérusalem', Tito's favourite wineIn 1976, the young Branko Grizelj had to do his military service. He did it in the navy. But turn of events: a year after, the Army appointed him to serve as a wine waiter on the 'Caleb' (gull in Serbo-Croat), flagship of the Marshal Tito. Coincidence or deliberate choice? 'My father owned a vineyard in the region of Dubrovnik and when I was a child, I was passionate of the magic transformation of grapes into wine. My interest for wine isn't the only reason for my choice, since in 1970, I entered the hotel school and obtained a degree in Tourism and International Trade at Dubrovnik University. I guess that this qualification contributed a lot to my appointment as the wine waiter of the Marshall Tito'.The Marshall Tito, used to meet his interlocutors, Branko Grizej visited the Mediterranean: Malte, North Africa. He perfected his knowledge in oenology and he served connoisseurs. 'Tito received on his ship nearly all the Heads of State at the time. In other words, connoisseurs. He loved wines and a Slovene wine especially, which was called 'Jérusalem'. A name given because of the site of the vineyard which was, at the time, located on the path of the crusaders who were using it to travel to the Holy Land.If the Marshall gave greater importance to a great vintage typically Yugoslav, however, he remained loyal to a brand of cigars his friend Winston Churchill had advised him.In 1984, Branko left Yugoslavia to settle in France because he had just met a French woman. There again, he had to start from scratch. A famous wine waiter before, I was then a café owner. I had to prove one more time what I was capable to do. I kept on studying in order to get back my former wine waiter status. Moreover, I had to learn on Western Europe wines'. In 1990, Branko got back a position of wine waiter at Loews, now the Monte Carlo Grand Hôtel.A training worthy of the Olympic GamesMore passionate by great wines than ever, Branko decided to launch out into international contests. In 1993, I won in Paris 'the Porto wine contest'. Ranked first nationally, I ended second of Europe...after a Portuguese!'In 1999, the Principality joined the ASI(Association of International wine waiter's duties). He has been sounded out by the cellarmen and wine waiters to represent Monaco at the wine waiter's duties World Championships in Toronto.For nearly a year, Branko's preparation has no cause to be jealous of a top athlete who gets ready for the Olympic Games. I finish my service at about two in the morning. After a few hours sleep, I start studying in depth vines, wines, famous vineyards, as well as regulations. As soon as I have days-off, I go to the sites where prestigious wines are made'.Out of his job, Branko read many pages of books, encyclopaedias. He even has his own 'coach', the former wine waiter of the Loews, Charles Cuneo, who asks him surprise questions. In Yugoslavia, we have great wines that I knew everything about. Among the 'white wines', (the 'Grk', wine of Vis island in the Adriatic, but also the 'Posip', of the Pelgesac peninsula) and in the 'red wines', (the Castelet from the region of Split, the Blatinaof Mostar). However, I really had to work on European and worldwide wines. I also had to get closely interested in other alcohols, in the different qualities of tea, coffee and cigars'.It is the last step today. The contest will be spread on three days. On the first day, I will have to answer nearly sixty general written questions. The second day will be dedicated to a written analysis on the description of wines, followed by a service in a restaurant, a range of wine to go with the menu to choose, etc...On the third day, the four best examinees of the previous tests will be selected. This last test will consist in choosing the wine to suit with the menu, which will be imposed this time.'Branko is very confident concerning his chances to be selected among the four wine waiters. It will be a nice victory for Tito's former wine waiter...