The winners

First
place
Competitor 2024

Albert WENDESTEN Sweden First place

Albert Wendesten, 27, is Wine Consultant at Restaurant Smak in Stockholm. Smak is a sleek eaterie turning out creative Nordic tapas matched with equally creative drinks. Prior to this he was Bar Manager at Knock Em Down in Vaxjo (2019-2021), Restaurant Manager/Sommelier at Vaxjo Saluhall (2021-2022) and Sommelier at Leijontornet in Stockholm. He is a member of the Swedish National Sommelier Team, known as "Swesomm".

Second
place
Competitor 2024

Mirco LIESK Germany Second place

Mirco Liesk, 24, is a Chef de Rang at Kinfelts Kitchen & Wine in Hamburg. It is the second restaurant of Michelin-star Chef Kirill Kinfelt situated in the heart of the HafenCity, just a stone's throw away from the Elbphilharmonie. Mirco trained at worked at Landhotel Burg in Spreewald, he then joined Cavalierhaus Branitz in Cottbus as a Chef de Rang before moving to Kinfelts in November 2023 where he works with Sommelier Maximilian Wilm, a former competitor and judge in the International Jeunes Sommeliers Competition.

Third
place
Competitor 2024

Yancheng LIU Great Britain Third place

Liu Yancheng, 26, holds the WSET Diploma, is a Certified Sommelier and a French Wine Scholar. He studied commercial law at Glasgow University and maritime law at Dalian (China) University, becoming a trainee lawyer at Allbright Law Offices in Shanghai. However, in 2022 he returned to Glasgow working as a Commis Chef at Shucks Seafood Restaurant & Bar. From July 2022-April 2023 he was a Junior Sommelier at Sketch London before taking up his current post of Assistant Head Sommelier at Maison Estelle, a private members club housed in a grand Georgian Grade I listed townhouse in London?s Mayfair.

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