Im in the Semi's!! Im in the Semi's!!

by Garry Clark

● Garry Clark, sommelier, Chester Grosvenor, Chester
● Remi Cousin, assistant head sommelier, The Fat Duck, Bray
● Christopher Delalonde, sommelier, Sarment Wines, London
● Sergio Dos Santos, head sommelier, Atlantic Hotel, Jersey
● Bavand Foroughi, sommelier, Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, London
● Yohann Jousselin, head sommelier, Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
● Jan Konetzki, assistant head sommelier, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London
● David Kubler, assistant sommelier, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford
● Erica Laler, sommelier, Texture, London
● Phillippe Moranges, deputy head sommelier, Hakkasan, London
● Mark Perlaki, head sommelier, Hotel du Vin et Bistro, Harrogate
● Stephen Raducki, assistant sommelier, Le Pont de la Tour, London
● Laurent Richet, sommelier, Hotel TerraVina, Southampton
● Clement Robert, head sommelier, Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Evershot
● Magda Saleh, assistant sommelier, La Trompette, London

These are the fifteen competitors in the 2010 Sommelier of the Year Competition, sponsored by Piper and Charles Heidsieck. Quite a few of these folks have been here before and the competition is going to be stiff. By the standard of the questions in the regional finals, I can imagine that Gerrard and Matt will be raising the bar quite significantly for the semi and consequent final.

My restaurant manager, Mark Bevan, has already set me up a training schedule and we hold blind tastings several times a week to improve my tasting skills. I need to hit the books hard over the next few weeks, to brush up on several weak areas in my knowledge. But when it comes down to it, I will give it my best shot and as long as I try my hardest, I will be happy to have got this far.