Pier-Alexis Souliere, of Est Restaurant in Sydney, Australia has been named the 2014 Chaîne des Rôtisseurs International Young Sommelier of the Year, at the prestigious annual competition.
GB takes third place
The cultural city of Copenhagen provided the setting for the 9th International contest. Judges maintained it was a close decision with Jane Lopes of America taking second prize and Tanguy Martin of Hotel Terravina in the New Forest, Great Britain taking third in the fiercely-fought international affair that celebrated the expertise of young wine and spirit professionals throughout the world.
The competition was broken down into three parts; theory, service and blind tasting. Finalists had to demonstrate their knowledge and skill in an hour-long written test on wine and production, a practical exhibition of service skills and finally a blind taste assessment of four wines. The three top placed candidates then competed in a public run off including decanting, serving Champagne, wine list correction and a quick fire test of knowledge.
Philip Evins, Bailli Délégué for the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs UK commented on the contest, saying:
“The outstanding calibre of our young sommeliers continues to leave us utterly inspired. Competitions such as these not only serve to improve understanding and appreciation of the dedication it requires to excel at this level, but also to remind us that such prowess can come to us at an incredibly young age. Talent like this should be nurtured appropriately – developing it is crucial to our industry. It is our hope that Chaîne des Rôtisseurs can continue to help inspire and produce outstanding sommeliers who add so much to the Front of House service in our finer restaurants.”
As well as taking the top spot Souliere also wins 1000 Euros, a Cordon Bleu wine scholarship, Laurent Perrier Champagne and a Champagne Sabre.
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About Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is an international gastronomic society. Founded in Paris in 1950, the society is dedicated to bringing together professional and non-professional members from around the world who appreciate wine cuisine and fine dining. Its long culinary history and tradition can be dated back to as far as 1248 and continues to be promoted today through its extensive local, national and international events. In an age of fast food culture, the Chaîne aims to sustain the appreciation of high quality food and drinks of all types and provide recognition for excellence.
Young Sommeliers Competition
The Young Sommelier Competition was first organised by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Germany in 2007 to support and promote future young sommeliers by giving them the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skills. The competition is held at regional, national and international levels in countries around the world.