Past Events & Winners

 

Ljubljana, Slovenia 2023

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2023

Lukasz GÓRSKI Poland First place

A member of the Polish Sommeliers Association since 2019, for almost two years now, Łukasz has been Sommelier at “Butchery and Wine” in Warsaw where food is a passion. The restaurant sticks to the principle that good meat is the meat they know. Under Łukasz’s guidance, in the wine list can be found almost 200 wines imported not only from large vineyards but also from small, less-known producers, the often being known personally. The list has won recognition from the Michelin Guide and the wine trade press. A credit to the Sommelier!

Second
place
Competitor 2023

Tobias TOFF Germany Second place

An Austrian national, Tobias has been Sommelier at Hotel Kronenschlösschen at Eltville since October 2022. He is also studying for a degree in International Wine Business at the Hochschule Geisenheim University. Germany's “best wine lists” organised by Star Wine Lists saw Tobias’ establishment jointly win the Best California Wine List with the accolade “A rare wine list with a great depth in back vintages and some amazing producers available at a fair price.”

Third
place
Competitor 2023

Gianmattia GIORDANO Australia Third place

Assistant Head Sommelier at Rockpool Bar and Grill Sydney where he has been since April 2021. Rockpool has one of the country’s finest wine vaults. Working at the esteemed Sydney steakhouse is the “Holy Grail” for many Sommeliers. To be promoted within its Sommelier ranks is a wine-lover’s dream. Rockpool encourages team members to undertake professional development and supports these endeavours. Italian-born Gianmattia said, “I want to develop my Sommelier career at Rockpool. I work with a very strong and talented team and I have the opportunity to work with one of the best wine lists in the world. One of the things Gianmattia enjoys most about working at Rockpool is “being able to learn every day something different about this vast world of wine. I enjoy taking care of our guests and guiding them with their wine choice. When your guest is happy about what they have been recommended, especially after long research, it is the best reward.”

Third
place
Competitor 2023

Eric PALMER United States of America Third place

Eric Palmer grew up near Philadelphia and got his first job when he was 14 at McDonalds. He worked a variety of jobs, but after “falling in love with wine” he decided to take the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Course followed by studying Beverage Management at The University of Massachusetts and an internship at Blantyre, a small Relais & Chateaux resort in New England. It was here he realized the possibility of wine as a career. In 2020 Eric moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to help open The Chastain restaurant. Under the mentorship of Beverage Manager Juan Cortes, Eric rose to the position of Assistant Sommelier and helped develop a programme that won a Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence”. In 2022 Eric joined Perrine’s Wine, an independent retail shop with two locations. An active member of Atlanta’s vibrant wine community, Eric participates in multiple tasting groups, works wine dinners and events throughout the city, and mentors those studying for the competitions and exams.

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Wiesbaden, Germany 2022

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2022

Elliot BJÖRKMANN Sweden First place

Elliot says that becoming a sommelier wasn’t always a given choice. He started as a runner at Erik´s Gondolen in Stockholm. His interest in wine was sparked when the Sommelier started an internal course for the junior waiters. She made him feel that wine was really fun and that studying wasn’t all bad. Next step was to go to Sommelier school. Unfortunately Gondolen closed but soon after he got a job at W by Wijnjas then moved to Studio Nian, its sister establishment, as Head Sommelier. He likes the philosophy there. Wine is for everyone. We share an unquenchable thirst for drinking the classics but should also enjoy everyday wines.

Second
place
Competitor 2022

Minjun KIM Korea Second place

After graduating from Dongguk University’s Hospitality Department, Minjun dreamed of becoming a Sommelier. He joined Jung Sik, the Michelin 2-star restaurant known as a new pioneer of Korean cuisine. As part of the service team, he developed his knowledge and competed in national competitions for two years gaining more experience. He then worked for a year as a Sommelier at the Michelin 1-star Soigné before rejoining Jung Sik as a Sommelier. He holds the French Wine Scholar credential, has reached WSET Level 3 and is on track for the next stage in his Court of Master Sommeliers certification.

Third
place
Competitor 2022

Freddie JOHNSON Great Britain Third place

Sommelier at The Fat Duck since September 2020, Freddie has had a lifelong passion for restaurants. He left school to train and work in high-end kitchens. Moved to the front of house and enrolled in an International Wine Business Degree course at Plumpton College. Graduating with a BA (Hons 1st Class) in 2019, he went on to pass the Level 4 WSET Diploma. After a summer stage in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, Freddie sought to embark on a career working in and around the high-end London on-trade. Following 12 months as Sommelier and Wine Buyer at Church Road in Barnes, he joined the famed Michelin 3-Star Fat Duck.

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Lyon, France 2021

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2021

Nikolai SVORTE Norway First place

Nikolai graduated from the Kulinarisk Akademi in 2018 and started his restaurant career at Bro in Ålesund. In 2019 he moved to Lindesnes to be a part of the sommelier team at Under. A year later he joined Speilsalen in Trondheim where he is now Head Sommelier. Speilsalen is the Britannia Hotel’s Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant. Alongside his work responsibilities Nikolai has invested time and effort into competitions and further studies. In 2021 he was third in the Norwegian Sommelier Championship. He is currently studying for the WSET Diploma in Wines.

Second
place
Competitor 2021

Dong-Yeon KO Korea Second place

After winning a Bronze Award in the 2014 Korean National Sommelier Competition, Dong-Yeon gained the confidence to pursue a career in Food and Beverage. As a result he joined Jungsik Seoul, the Michelin 1-star restaurant known for pioneering new Korean contemporary cuisine. He became a Certified Sommelier in 2019 and has since overcome the challenge of endless cancellations of competitions and exams due to COVID, notably graduating with a “Gold” diploma from the certification exam of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.

Third
place
Competitor 2021

Markron 'Mark' PATANA Great Britain Third place

Originally from Milan, Italy, Mark is Junior Sommelier at the Michelin 3-star CORE by Clare Smythe. A member of a close-knit team of five at CORE, Mark waxes lyrical about the joy of sommelier service. He has been at CORE for 18 months, following an internship at Le Gavroche as part of his Front of House course at the Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana in Colorno, Italy. Initially he trained as an accountant but when he was 20 decided that sitting at a computer surrounded by files was not for him. He wanted to do something dynamic, so he discovered hospitality.

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Lyon, France 2020

Final cancelled due to coronavirus

 

Seoul, Korea 2019

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2019

Matteo MONTONE Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2019

Jonathan EICHHOLZ United States of America Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2019

Andres ARAGON Australia Third place

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Mexico City, Mexico 2018

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2018

Aymeric POLLENNE Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2018

Thibaut BROUSSIER Australia Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2018

Jeremy S. SHANKER United States of America Third place

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Budapest, Hungary 2017

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2017

Piotr PIETRAS Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2017

Mikael GROU Australia Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2017

Vincent MORROW United States of America Third place

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Vaduz, Liechtenstein 2016

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2016

Martin SHEEHAN-STROSS United States of America First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2016

Romain BOURGER Great Britain Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2016

Emmanuel CADIEU Australia Third place

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Adelaide, Australia 2015

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2015

Mathias CAMILLERI Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2015

Heidi MAKINEN Finland Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2015

Mattia Antonio CIANCA Australia Third place

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Copenhagen, Denmark 2014

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2014

Pier-Alexis Soulière Australia First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2014

Jane Lopes United States of America Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2014

Tanguy Martin Great Britain Third place

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Washington DC, USA 2013

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2013

Loic AVRIL Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2013

Bobby CONROY United States of America Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2013

Jarrod MILLS Australia Third place

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Cape Town, South Africa 2012

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2012

Christopher Bates United States of America First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2012

Arnaud Bardary Great Britain Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2012

Yuki HIROSE Australia Third place

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Athens, Greece 2011

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2011

Ian CAUBLE United States of America First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2011

Remi COUSIN Great Britain Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2011

Nikolaos GIANNOPOULOS Greece Third place

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Santander, Spain 2010 

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2010

Clement ROBERT Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2010

Michael MEAGHER United States of America Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2010

Nikolaos GIANNOPOULOS Greece Third place

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Stratford-upon-Avon, Great Britain 2009 

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2009

Yohann JOUSSELIN Great Britain First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2009

Bruno MURCIANO Spain Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2009

Samuil Angelov Finland Third place

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Vienna, Austria 2008 

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2008

Christopher MILLER United States of America First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2008

Laura RHYS Great Britain Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2008

Jürgen WITSCHKO Austria Third place

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Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany 2007

The winners

First
place
Competitor 2007

Drew HENDRICKS United States of America First place

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Second
place
Competitor 2007

Lianne CASTRAVELLI Canada Second place

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Third
place
Competitor 2007

Norman SCHMIDT Germany Third place

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