The Academy of Food & Wine Service (AFWS) is calling for entries to the 2011 Champagne Piper-Heidsieck UK Sommelier of the Year competition and hopes to make next year’s event the biggest yet.
Entries to the competition are invited from professional sommeliers and wine waiters from any style of establishment including fine dining restaurants, high street restaurants or gastro pubs.
“This competition is now one of the premier events in UK sommellerie but this year we are hoping to broaden its appeal and attract sommeliers and wine waiters from a range of establishments,” commented AFWS chairman Nick Scade. “The role of front-of-house has gained in profile and importance across the industry and we hope the level of entries to the 2011 UK Sommelier of the Year competition will reflect this.”
The competition, held in association with Champagne Piper-Heidsieck, is a true test of the sommelier’s product knowledge and service skills. Victor Lanson from First Drinks, Piper-Heidsieck’s UK distributor said: “This year we are hoping to find another dedicated wine professional worthy of winning the title. Each year the competition attracts more and more entries, so 2011 promises to be another exciting event, which perhaps might reveal an unknown star of the industry.”
Last year’s Champagne Piper-Heidsieck UK Sommelier of the Year was Christopher Delalonde, who works with the London-based wine sourcing service Sarment Wines. Christopher won praise for his extensive wine knowledge and excellent service skills.
This year’s judges includes Gerard Basset MS, MW, technical director of AFWS and owner of Hotel TerraVina, Hampshire, Matt Wilkin MS, AFWS director and Ian Harris, chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Entry forms can be downloaded from www.afws.co.uk or by calling the Academy on 020 8661 4646. All entries must be accompanied by an employer nomination. The closing date for entries is 7 January 2011.
For further information, please contact:
Academy of Food & Wine Service
Linda Pettit
T. 01737 823721, M. 07973 789853, Linda@tilburstowmedia.co.uk
Piper-Heidsieck UK
Elaine Begley
T. 0207 491 9903 M. 07801 515585. elaine@sidhuandsimon.com
EDITOR’S NOTES
About the 2011 Champagne Piper-Heidsieck UK Sommelier of the Year
The competition, now in its 32nd year, is open to professional sommeliers and waiting staff working in the UK. All entries must be supported by an employer nomination. Entrants who achieve a 75% pass mark on an initial written questionnaire are selected to go through to one of five regional finals. Five regional winners and the eight highest scoring candidates overall, along with the two 2010 runners-up, make up the 15 candidates who will compete in the national finals in London on 1 June 2011.
The winner will be announced at a gala dinner the same day and will be awarded with a trophy and a trip to the House of Champagne Piper-Heidsieck in the Champagne region of France including a tasting with Chef de Caves Régis Camus.
About the Academy
The Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS), established in 1988, is the professional body for front-of-house service. It is dedicated to improving the status and awareness of food and beverage service as a viable career choice, raising standards across the industry and encouraging teamwork with other colleagues. AFWS can offer advice and training to anyone following, or considering, a career as a sommelier, wine waiter, waiter, bar manager or restaurant manager.
About Piper-Heidsieck
Champagne Piper-Heidsieck was founded in 1785 by Florens-Louis Heidsieck. Since its creation, Champagne Piper-Heidsieck has always been associated with the greats and the goods; from Marie Antoinette Queen of France to Marilyn Monroe. Champagne Piper-Heidsieck is now the third largest Champagne exporter. With its British distributor, First Drinks, the emphasis for the brand is to gain new distribution channels in the on-trade.
Champagne Piper-Heidsieck has been part of the Rémy Cointreau group since 1988 and benefits from the expertise of the celebrated Chef de Caves Régis Camus. London’s prestigious International Wine Challenge has awarded Régis Camus the Sparkling Winemaker of the Year Trophy in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, which underlines its efforts to be among the best made Champagne.
