Phillip Aleksansder Kroger HALLVIG Australia

Phillip Hallvig, 26, is Assistant Head Sommelier at Maison Bâtard in Melbourne. The restaurant is part of Lucas Restaurants, a hospitality group founded by Chris Lucas, known for its Australian-inspired, innovative, and shareable dining experiences. Uniquely Australian and curiously innovative, they redefine the boundaries of expectations and excite the senses. From 2015-2019 Phillip worked in the family restaurant, Spiseret Verdens Ende (English: World’s End Eatery) in Tjome, Norway. During the COVID restrictions he started studying wine. He moved to Australia and from 2022-2024 he was a Sommelier at Restaurant Society also part of the Lucas Group.

Henri VANBESELAERE Belgium

Henri Vanbeselaere, 21, is a passionate and experienced Sommelier in the fine dining sector, specializing in curating refined wine selections and delivering outstanding guest experiences. His expertise includes working with two Michelin 2-star restaurants (currently Restaurant Castor at Beveren-Leie, previously the Chateau Du Mylord at Ellezelles). During this time, he has been excited to discover hidden gems in the wine world. At the same time he is a freelance sommelier for private events and the owner of an emerging wine import company focused on introducing elegant, lesser-known wines to the gastronomic sector.

Grant BRONCONNIER Canada

Grant Bronconnier, 27, has completed his WSET Diploma in Wine and credits some of his success to mentor Bram Bolwijn, Experience Manager at Iconic Wines of British Columbia. Grant graduated in 2019 from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology with double diplomas in business and culinary arts. It was during his time there that he discovered his passion for wine. Following his education, he moved to the heart of the Okanagan Valley to begin working hospitality in the wine industry. The past three years have been spent at Tantalus Vineyards, where Grant has immersed himself in all things wine and viticulture.

Toke FIEDLER TERKILDSEN Denmark

Toke Fiedler Terkildsen, 23, is Sommelier at the Michelin 1-star Restaurant Domæne in Herning, Jutland. After school he studied to be a Sommelier at Vinakademiet (the Scandinavian Wine Academy). Before joining Restaurant Domæne, from 2021-2023 Toke was a trainee responsible for a sizeable wine cellar at Sallingsund Færgekro in Mors. Toke is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers (Europe), a Member of the Danish Sommelier Association and has participated in the Danish Copa Jerez XI Competition. He has a huge passion in learning about everything in the world of wine. When not pursuing wine, in his free time Toke is a Scouts Leader.

Johan Christer LINDSTRÖM Finland

Johan Lindström, 26, is Junior Sommelier at Restaurant Palace in Helsinki. He joined the service team of the Michelin 2-star establishment in 2023. Previously he spent six years at the equally reputed Restaurant Savoy. It was here that his interest in wines developed through encouragement by the restaurant’s Sommeliers. Johan was particularly taken by how he could combine the subjects that interested him the most, namely geography and history. He says that his career in the hospitality service industry was a complete coincidence. He did a lot of banquet work alongside his studies at high school which led him to realise the profession was exactly his thing!

Eric-Vincent SKROCH Germany

Vincent Skroch, 24, is Chef de Rang and Sommelier at the Michelin 1-star Restaurant The Lisbeth in Hamburg. Previously he served an apprenticeship as a hotel specialist from October 2021 to January 2024 at the Ameron Hotel in the heart of Hamburg's harbour city. Vincent then joined the Hotel Atlantic as a Demi-Chef de Rang before moving to The Lisbeth. For the past three years he has competed in Germany’s National Final of the Jeunes Sommeliers Competition, being placed Runner-up in 2023 and in Third Place in 2024 before winning in 2025 meaning that he is in Geneva to represent his National Bailliage.

Erazem OCVIRK Great Britain

Erazim Ocvirk, 28, a Slovenian national, is Assistant Head Sommelier at the famous Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterader, Scotland. He admits his passion is the wine industry. He became one of the youngest candidates for the WSET Diploma and has recently become became a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers (Europe). After studying at a prestigious wine academy in The Hague, Erazim gained experience at the Puerto Romano Hotel in Marbella (Spain). Since December 2023 he has been at Gleaneagles, the famous hotel and golf course in Scotland where he is responsible for selecting wines and advising on food for the hotel's six restaurants.

Noa EVEN Israel

Noah Even, 27, began her journey in the wine world in the Tel Aviv culinary scene in 2019. Starting as a curious member of the service brigade at Pastel she gradually focused on wine and spirits becoming the restaurant’s Sommelier. Five years on, since July 2024, she has been Head Sommelier at &Moshik, a Tel Aviv restaurant led by Michelin 2-star chef Moshik Roth. Her responsibilities encompass the extensive wine list and leading the wine and spirits department. Alongside her professional development, she gained a BA in Western History, during which she had the opportunity to combine academic and professional passions by researching the cultural role of wine in antiquity and the Renaissance.

Brandon REYNOSO Mexico

Brandon Reynoso, 26, is Sommelier at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in Los Cabos, a position he has held since September 2023. A lover of wine and service since he was 18, he has progressed from being an sales assistant in a wine store to being Sommelier at the Forbes 5-star Waldorf Astoria having previously been Sommelier at the luxurious Grand Solmar Lands End, also in Los Cabos. Brandon was Runner-up in the 2023 National Final in Mexico. The 2025 National Final which he won was the first time it had been held in Los Cabos.

Simon ZACHARIASSEN Norway

Simon Zachariassen, 26, is an experienced restaurant manager with a background from both the bar and service industry. He has worked his way up from bartender to leader combining a passion for service with a strong professional competence as a Sommelier. Simon is currently Restaurant Manager at Fish Me Fisketorget A/S in Bergen. Previously he was Restaurant Manager at Finnegaarden Hotell & Restauranter A/S also in Bergen. More than just a fish restaurant, Fish Me is a fishmonger, seafood restaurant, sushi, bakery and bar. In other words, the establishment is a holistic food concept that facilitates unforgettable dining experiences.

Gabriela ZIÓŁKOWSKA Poland

Gabriela Ziółkowska, 25, is a Junior Sommelier at Bottiglieria 1881 in Kraków, which is the only Michelin 2-star restaurant in Poland. She has been there since June 2024. Whilst classic wines have a well-deserved place on the Bottigliera wine list, the owners wish to promote wines from central Europe, including Poland. When creating wine pairings, the Sommeliers take into consideration natural cultivation methods. Something in which Gabriela is well versed given that she has a Masters in Viticulture and Oenology gained after a BSc in Gastronomy and Hotel Management at University in Warsaw.

Pedro ESCOTO Portugal

Pedro Escoto, 26, is Head Sommelier at the Michelin 1-star Restaurante Feitoria within Altis Belém Hotel & Spa, Lisbon. He has been there since April 2024. Previously he was at the Michelin 1-star Kabuki and the Michelin 2-star Alma. He ventured into the wine industry in 2019. Since then Pedro has never given up on investing in his education having now achieved his WSET Level 2 and is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers (Europe). He intends building on these qualifications to ensure he continues to grow professionally.

Iris JENSTERLE Slovenia

Iris Jensterle, 26, changed his career path after qualifying from Higher Education as an Electronic Communications Technician. Five years ago, he joined the Gault&Millau-listed Gostišče Tolc (Tolc Guesthouse & Restaurant) to train in restaurant service. During this time, he has developed as a Sommelier through the Sommelier Slovenije association and by gaining his WSET Level 3 certification. Tolc is an old homestead renovated into a culinary destination that has retained its homeliness and local character.

Ellen LINDEGREN Sweden

Ellen Lindegren, 24, thrives on self-improvement within the gastronomic world. At age 19, she decided to study as a Sommelier at Restaurangskolan after which she worked at two of Sweden's best Michelin starred restaurants. Ellen quickly fell in love with wine knowledge and participated in her first Junior Sommelier Competition the same year she graduated from Sommelier school. Because it went so well she has been pushing herself to compete ever since. In 2024, she was Sweden’s best female Sommelier having won that year’s Lily Bollinger Award Competition. Today, Ellen is the Sommelier at Gondolen, one of Stockholm's most historical restaurants.

Noah KURZIDIM VECCHIO Switzerland

Noha Kurzidim Vecchio, 27, has a dynamic and hands-on background in wine, having grown up immersed in his family’s business. His experience spans the full spectrum of operations giving him a well-rounded understanding of the trade. A holder of the WSET Level 2, Noha is deeply committed to professional growth and oenological expertise. His approach is both practical and inquisitive: he regularly engages in wine tastings to refine his palate and actively seeks out opportunities to deepen his knowledge through visits to vineyards and wineries. Motivated by a passion for quality and discovery, Noha combines traditional industry experience with a modern, curious mindset.

Osman ÜNLÜ Türkiye

Osman Ünlü, 27, won the 15th National Final of the Jeunes Sommeliers Competition thus earning him a place in the International Final in Geneva. Having studied English and French at University, his career to date has taken him from Williams Bay (Wisconsin, USA) to Lisbon (Portugal) before focusing on being a Sommelier at Lujo Hotel in Bodrum (Türkiye) for the summer season. After a spell as a Sales Manager with a textile company, Osman returned to his love of wine as a Sommelier for the 2024 summer season at the Vogue Hotel Supreme in Bodrum (Türkiye).

Jackson PUDLO United States of America

Jackson Pudlo, 25, is Sommelier at the Michelin 3-star Single Thread Farms, a restaurant in Healdsburg, California. He has always had a passion for travel and dining, as those are some of his fondest childhood memories, but he never imagined he would build a successful career in wine. When he was 22, Jackson became a full-time Sommelier at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Redwood City, just south of San Francisco, after passing his initial Sommelier certifications through the Court of Master Sommeliers (Americas). Since then, wine has grown into both a passion and an obsession. Jackson had competed twice before in the USA Competition - third time lucky therefore sees him in Geneva.