Semi-finalists of UK sommelier of the year revealed

25th February 2010, 11:23am

The Academy of Food & Wine has announced the UK sommelier of the year 2010 semi-finalists.

The competition, sponsored by House of Champagne Piper-Heidsieck, seeks to find the best sommelier or wine waiter in the UK based on wine knowledge, serving skills, customer service skills and tasting ability. The UK Sommelier of the Year is widely recognised as being one of the industry's toughest competitions and has now been running for 30 years.

The following 15 sommeliers will go forward to the semi final, following the four regional finals held across the country this week [22 February]:

Garry Clark, sommelier, Chester Grosvenor, Chester
Remi Cousin, assistant head sommelier, The Fat Duck, Bray
Christopher Delalonde, sommelier, Sarment Wines, London
Sergio Dos Santos, head sommelier, Atlantic Hotel, Jersey
Bavand Foroughi, sommelier, Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, London W1
Yohann Jousselin, head sommelier, Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Jan Konetzki, assistant head sommelier, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London SW3
David Kubler, assistant sommelier, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxford
Erica Laler, sommelier, Texture, London W1
Phillippe Moranges, deputy head sommelier, Hakkasan, London W1
Mark Perlaki, head sommelier, Hotel du Vin et Bistro, Harrogate
Stephen Raducki, assistant sommelier, Le Pont de la Tour, London SE1
Laurent Richet, sommelier, Hotel TerraVina, Southampton
Clement Robert, head sommelier, Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Evershot
Magda Saleh, assistant sommelier, La Trompette, London W4

The semi finals will take place on 28 April at the new Westbury Gallery at the Westbury Mayfair hotel, London, from which the top three will qualify for the final being held the same afternoon.

In front of an audience of invited guests from the hospitality industry each finalist will complete a timed blind tasting, correct a series of mistakes on a wine list and participate in a pressurised restaurant role-playing scenario with difficult orders and demanding customers.

A final will see the three attempt the Champagne pour, where a magnum of Champagne Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut has to be completely emptied and evenly poured into 16 flutes without returning to any of the glasses.

The winner will also receive a trip to the House of Champagne Piper-Heidsieck in the heart of the Champagne region including a personal tasting with Chef de Caves Régis Camus.

This year's judging panel is headed by the Academy's technical director Gerard Basset MW, MS, alongside Matt Wilkin MS, Ronan Sayburn MS, and Ian Harris of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).

Related Articles:

• 24 Nov 2010 - Two master sommeliers recognised at the multi award-winning hotel
• 16 Nov 2010 - The search begins for UK Sommelier of the Year 2011
• 24 Aug 2010 - UK candidate for the European Sommelier of the year competition announced
• 29 Apr 2010 - UK sommelier of the year announced
• 10 Mar 2010 - Finalists revealed for UK Restaurant Manager of the Year
• 04 Nov 2009 - AFW hosts first ever whisky tutorial
• 12 May 2009 - Last call for entries for AFW challenge
• 24 Feb 2009 - AFW launches new competition
• 14 May 2008 - AFW warns against over-selling on wines
• 28 Nov 2007 - AFW launches new training initiative

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