Sommelier Jan Konetzki, 31, of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, was announced last week as the 2012 Moët UK Sommelier of the Year. The prestigious competition, organised by the Academy of Food & Wine Service, was held at the London International Wine Fair at ExCel.
Born in Hamburg, Germany, Jan came to London five years ago to join the Gordon Ramsay team at Maze. He has since worked for the group at Claridge’s and then at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Royal Hospital Road, where he became head sommelier 18 months ago.
“It’s very exciting – I’m delighted to have won,” he said on receiving his award. “I really enjoyed the competition today, there was a real feeling of camaraderie amongst all the sommeliers. It was tough, but it was also fun.”
Jan triumphed after a dramatic final against runners-up Laurent Richet of Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham and Clement Robert of Medlar Restaurant in London SW10.
In front of an audience of invited guests the three top sommeliers, whittled down from 12 throughout the day, were set rigorous tasks designed to test their wine and drink knowledge, service skills and ability to manage staff and deal with customers under pressure.
In the restaurant scenario the sommeliers were tested on their serving skills and their food and wine matching ability. The extremely demanding customers in the scenario were made up of eight previous winners of the competition. The finalists were also asked to correct errors on a wine list, complete a blind drinks tasting and finally the infamous perfect Champagne pour, in which a magnum of Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne was poured equally into 16 glasses, without returning to any of them.
“It was a fantastic final against three really top class sommeliers and the marks were very close,” commented chairman of judges Gerard Basset OBE, MW, MS. “But Jan completed the tasks with true panache and demonstrated a real talent and considerable knowledge in all aspects of being a sommelier.”
Joe Rorke, on-trade account manager at Moët Hennessy UK Limited and a former sommelier was also on the judging panel. He commented: “We were impressed with the level of knowledge and skill shown by all the finalists today. Moët & Chandon has been dedicated to and actively involved in sommelier education since 1989, so it’s fantastic to see that these young sommeliers are so enthusiastic about wine and about improving their level of knowledge. The drinks trade can be a fast-moving industry, and it is the job of a good sommelier to keep abreast of these changes while also remaining true to customers’ needs. Well done to Jan, Laurent and Clement for standing out against such strong competition.”
Moët & Chandon has a long-standing commitment to and investment in sommelier education. It has been the dedicated partner of the World’s Best Sommelier Competition – last won in Santiago in 2010 by Gerard Basset OBE – and of the Association de la Sommellerie Intérnationale since 1989. As part of his prize Jan will visit Maison Moët & Chandon, and have the chance to taste the Grand Vintage collection with Chef de Cave, Benoît Gouez. He will also have the opportunity to enjoy the renowned hospitality at the estate of the world’s most loved champagne.
Additionally he receives an engraved jeroboam of Moët & Chandon Champagne and a jeroboam of Coyam 2009 from Emiliana Wines with an all-expenses paid trip to their vineyards and winery in Chile and a sommeliers’ selection of glasses from Riedel Glassware.
Jan also qualifies for selection for the European Sommelier of the Year competition, organised by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.