Since 2007, La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs has held an annual International Young Sommeliers Competition (Concours Des Jeunes Sommeliers) to offer young sommeliers (who is at least 21 and has not yet reached his or her 31st birthday by the end of the month in which the competition is held) an opportunity to present their skills under highly competitive, intense and gruelling testing conditions.

There are three levels in the 2018 Young Sommelier’s competition:

  • Monday 9 April. Regional (State-based) competitions – a written theory examination
  • Monday 4 June, Adelaide. A national (Australian) final where the winners of regional competitions are invited to compete in a written theory test, a blind tasting test and a service test and
  • 18-23 September, Mexico City. An international final where the national winner is invited to again compete in a written theory test, blind wine identification tests and service tests.

 

La Chaîne Australia supports this competition and also a parallel young chefs competition as part of its strong commitment to the ongoing development of emerging chefs and sommeliers in Australia.

Australia has been highly successful within the International Competition in recent years. Last year in Budapest Mikael Grou achieved Silver. In 2016 in Vaduz, Emmanuel Cadieu from Est Restaurant achieved third place. In 2015 in Adelaide Mattia Cianca from Attica Restaurant came third. In 2014 Australia took out Gold in Copenhagen, when Pier-Alexis Souliere from Est. was crowned World Champion. In 2013 in Washington, DC Jarrod Mills also of Est. came in third and Juki Hirose of Rockpool Bar and Grill achieved third place in Cape Town in 2012. Such a success rate is testament to the high standards set by Australian establishments.

CLICK HERE for more information about the competition and how to apply.

Applications close on Sunday 1 April.