A Table For Two

In today’s episode of One on One, Antoine Abou-Samra welcomes Ramzi Saade, Founder of Atica, Paris, France

Ramzi is the founder of Atica, an immersive restaurant opening soon in Paris. Atica creates multisensory gastronomic experiences by mixing cuisine, music, digital art, filmmaking, and perfumery to put forward a different culture of the world every season. Atica is the first restaurant in the world to have sold tables for its “experience” a year before the opening. New tickets will be soon made available for people on the website’s waitlist.

Prior to Atica, Ramzi led a dual career in hospitality (the Yin to develop the right brain) and engineering (the Yang to develop the left brain). On one hand, he worked as a server and a chef at avant-garde multi-cultural gastronomic restaurants in Canada and Denmark to bring smiles to people around the table. On the other hand, he managed architecture and construction projects, building hospitals, airports, museums, highways, and towers in Canada, Lebanon, and Qatar.

Ramzi holds an MBA from INSEAD, a Diplome de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu, a Master of Engineering from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Engineer from the American University of Beirut. Ramzi is a Lebanese Canadian living in Paris. When not in the kitchen or dining room, he is outdoors hiking, diving, skiing, foraging, fishing, to take in nature through the five senses.

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In today’s episode of One on One, Antoine Abou-Samra welcomes Akos Forczek, Founder and Chairman of Top Selection, the best fine wine merchant in the UK.

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Akos Forczek is a wine and spirits expert, entrepreneur and international businessman. He has extensive knowledge about the drinks industry and a proven track record in helping high-end clients and luxury brands improve their customer experience.  These clients include The Connaught, Dorchester, The Ritz, Harrods, Selfridges, Coutts & Co, Goldman Sachs, Freshfields, Alain Ducasse, Sketch, Helene Darroze, Hedonism, Annabels and many others.

He guided Top Selection to become the UK Sommelier Wine Awards’ 2018, 2019 and 2020 Fine Wine Merchant of the Year.  No other company has ever achieved such recognition. He has been advising Top Selection’s wine producers to improve the quality and presentation of their products. He’s been advising many high-net-worth individuals on their wine investments and educating them to improve their personal cellars to achieve an enhanced wine experience. He has also been actively directing, as shareholder and board member, wine companies in Sweden, Hungary and United States.

With more than 29 years of experienc in the wine, champagne and spirit business. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from INSEAD, a Law degree from ELTE University of Law, Hungary, a Masters in Entrepreneurship from HEC and an Economics and International Relations degree from Budapest University of Economics.

In today’s episode of One on One, Antoine Abou-Samra welcomes Minter Dial, thought leader and author of “You Lead”.

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Minter Dial is an international professional speaker, elevator and a multiple award-winning author. Dial's core career stint of 16 years was spent as a top executive at L’Oréal, where he was a member of the worldwide Executive Committee for the Professional Products Division, and previously MD of L'Oréal PPD Canada and MD Worldwide for Redken.

In today’s episode of One on One, Antoine Abou-Samra welcomes Alex Schrecengost, the Founder and CEO of  Virtual With Us and Culture With Us.

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Most recently, Alexandra led communications strategy, brand campaign initiatives, media relations, website development, and social media strategy as Head of Communications and Digital at fine wine marketing agency Wilson Daniels. Additionally, notable former clients include the Spanish wine regions of D.O. Ribera del Duero and D.O. Rueda, Nespresso, Stoli Vodka, Marchesi Antinori, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, and The Plaza Hotel.

Alexandra holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and a Masters of Public and Organizational Relations from Montclair State University. Alexandra serves on the beverage committee for The James Beard Foundation and the board of Self Help Africa. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and their twin boys, is a huge fan of tequila and tempranillo – and enjoys traveling, reading, and dancing in her free time.