Association Mondiale de la Gastronomie
Young Sommeliers Competition
Stop the Press! Australia takes Silver at 2025 International Competition
Congratulations to Phillip Hallvig a sommelier at the Lucas group who performed brilliantly to emerge from 17 competitors to achieve Silver at the finals of the International Young Sommeliers Competition held in Geneva Switzerland.
A day long semi finals was held on 12 September – with competitors from Belgium. Canada, Germany, Great Britian, Denmark, Mexico, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Sweden, USA, Turkey, Finland, Israel, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia. Phillip joined Toke Fiedler Terkildsen from Denmark and Erazim Ocvirk from Great Britain in a thrilling roller coaster finals held on 13 September. Congratulations to Toke who achieved Gold and to Erazim who achieved Silver.
The quality of the competition was exemplified by the level and experience of the judges; Yohann Jousselin MS, Chair, Virginia Philip MS, Fabien Mene MS and Tamas Czinski MS.
Australia has competed in the competition 12 times. In this period we have achieved one Gold, three Silver and seven Bronze. Vive la Chaine!!!
The Competition – Jeunes Sommeliers – Chaine des Rotisseurs
The 2026 competition will be held in September in Genoa, Italy.
The Competition
In 2007 La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs inaugurated the annual “International Jeunes Sommeliers Competition” to offer young sommeliers the opportunity to present their skills and “savoir faire” under highly competitive, intense and grueling testing conditions.
The focus of the Competition is not on those already at or approaching the top of their profession (e.g. those working towards or holding the Advanced Sommelier or Master Sommelier qualifications with the Court of Master Sommeliers) but at those young people who are still developing their skills (e.g. at the level of Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers) and those for whom participating in an international competition would bring great benefit, both from an educational point of view as well as one of broadening their experience.
The Competition has the goal of developing the expertise of young wine and spirit professionals with a special emphasis placed on service skills.
Prizes
National Champion $3,000 plus funding to cover attendance at the International Finals in September
Second Place $600
Third Place $400
Eligibility
Is sponsored by an active Professional member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The Professional must be a member of the Chaîne in good standing for at least two months.
Has an interest in the wine and crafted beverage industry and who must file an application with the designated person in the participating country.
Is at least 21 (twenty-one) years of age and will not be older than 28 (twenty eight) on the advertised start date of the International Final in the year in which he/she is participating.
The Australian Competition 2025
Following Nation-wide screening there were 3 competitors each in the Finals from NSW and Victoria. After a long day of competition, and with all competitors acquitting themselves extremely well, Phillip Hallvig was named the overall winner. Phillip came from a restaurant family and worked as a waiter in his teenage years. He worked in the family restaurant from 2015-2019 at Spiseret Verdens Ende, Tjome, Norway. From 2020-2022 under Covid restrictions he started studying wine. He moved to Australia and from 2022-2024 he was a Sommelier at Restaurant Society part of the Lucas Group. From 2024 to the present, he has been Assistant Head Sommelier at Maison Batard, Lucas Group.
The Six finalists were: Phillip Hallvig, Emanuele Prisco, ARU Restaurant, Gwendal Lucas, Vue de Monde, Matthew O’Hara, Rockpool Bar and Grill, Isaac Pockne, Benelong and Agathe Bernard, Uccello. They were invited to attend the Australian National Finals, held in the iconic Royal Automobile Club in Sydney after a nation-wide screening. Congratulations to all the finalists and to Mathew and Isaac who came second and third respectively.
The judging Panel reflected the level of industry interest in the competition: Andres Aragon MS, Jackson Family Wines, Annette Lacey MW, Solotel Group Beverage Manager, and Loic Avril, Head of Wine Lucas Group.
Will you be a 2026 Competitor?