[2019] Julie Lee
Taiwan native, is a consultant at PICT, a spirit import company with offices in Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo and Scotland. In this role, Julie advises on the company’s product range and company structure. Previously, she was the Vice President of The Cottingham Ltd. for Greater China and Mongolia. Julie is the first female Keeper of the Quaich in Taiwan. She was given this honor due to her devotion in the Single Malt market in Taiwan, and it has became the world’s second biggest market for single malt whisky after the U.S.A. She founded a female whisky club in Taiwan, showing men that whisky can be feminine. She also initiated the Asian Palate Association and founded the Asian Palate Award in Asia. Julie likes to use her Asian perspective to talk about whisky. Moreover, she invited the award winning Master Blender Ian Chang from Kavalan Whisky, Master Distiller Puli Pan from Natou Distillery and several industry people to publish a book called Global Top 101 whisky and to talk about insiders’ view of these products. She has been a judge for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC and IWSC London.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Taiwan
Company
PICT Shanghai
Position
Consultant
Wechat
不怕胖聯盟
Weibo
2806600820
[2019] Kevin Ho
Currently serving as the Project Director for the Society of Wine Educators Hong Kong (SWEHK) Chapter and a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE), Kevin is also the co-founding host of the longest running podcast radio wine show in Hong Kong (the VVB-Vidi Veni Bevi), founder of Eastern European wine specialist importer-Ghvino Trading ltd. and a consultant of VSF Wine Education wine school in London.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Society of Wine Educators Hong Kong Chapter
Position
Project Director
Website
https://www.vsf.wine
Facebook
kevinwinerebel
[2019] Kingson Kok
BJCP Recognised Judge. Kingson has been in the F&B industry in hotels worldwide for more than 10 years and recently in the Hong Kong beer scene for the past 3 years.
Speciality
Beer
From
Malaysia
Company
Young Master Brewery
Position
Director of Business Development and Operations
[2019] Liu Fei Fei
Within the curiosity of wine, FeiFei started her discovery of wine in Bordeaux, educated in CAFA Formation (Sommelier school). As one of the very few female sommeliers in China, FeiFei was the Head Sommelier of The Middle House in Shanghai, in charge of the wines program. Guided her sommelier team to win the champion of the 7th China Young Sommelier Competition. Her passion in wine makes her keep learning and exploring the wine regions. She just made the 2nd place of the 11th China National Sommelier Competition 2019.
Speciality
Wine
From
China
Company
Pu Dao Wines
Position
Venue Manager & Sommelier
Facebook
Feifei Liu
Instagram
feifei_sommelier
Wechat
claireliufeifei
[2019] May Wong
May Wong is a seasoned wines and spirits expert with over 10 years of experience in the Hong Kong and Macau markets. She has been an integral part of the Edrington Hong Kong team, managing key wines and spirits brands for the company. As a wine aficionado, she has cultivated a strong passion for tasting and has been involved in wine selection for the former Maxxium, overseeing a diverse portfolio of famous wines including Torres, Gaja, Errazuriz and Oyster Bay.
May is also an ardent lover for fine spirits. She particularly enjoys fine single malts and complex aromatic spirits such as gins. Through years of active involvement in the marketing field engaging trade professionals, suppliers, judges, media, consumers, May has developed a unique perspective on spirits trends and the savoir faire of the market. She advanced in her career with Edrington at their spirits team, managing the brand of Cognac Courvoisier, whisky brands such as The Macallan, Highland Park and The Glenrothes.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Edrington Hong Kong
Position
Senior Brand Manager
[2019] Minyoung Yoo
Born in Seoul, Minyoung has left his motherland at a young age to see the world. China was his first destination for his quest of studying Chinese. He later fell in love with wine and thus headed to Bordeaux, France to study wine. Minyoung has over 10 years of wine business experience in Asia as a sommelier, importer and event organiser. He is mainly based in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
Speciality
Wine
From
South Korea
Company
WineBizM Ltd
Position
President
Facebook
minyoung.yoo1
[2019] Nikhil Agarwal
All Things Nice is India’s foremost wine and spirits consultancy spearheaded by sommelier Nikhil Agarwal. The company is reputed for its experiential wine and spirits events in addition to Nikhil Agarwal being a well-recognised name in the trade. With several accolades to his name, Nikhil is the winner of the Wine Australia scholarship and is an A+ Educator for Wine Australia in India. He has recently been a judge for Decanter and previously for the Frankfurt International Wine Trophy, amongst his participation in other wine competitions. Himself and the company work with both international and Indian wine and spirits companies and have a strong affluent consumers network and member database.
Speciality
Wine
From
India
Company
All Things Nice India
Position
Sommelier & CEO
Website
http://www.allthingsnice.in
Facebook
nikhil.agarwal.73
Instagram
@allthingsniceindia
Twitter
@AllThingsNice
[2019] Paul Eun
Paul Eun has worked in the hospitality industry for 23 years and currently manages the restaurant of the 5-starred Mayfield Hotel & Resort, in western Seoul, where he is responsible for the wine portfolio . Paul is an award-winning sommelier and his work experience includes other top international hotels in Seoul: Swissotel, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton and Grand Hyatt Incheon. Paul is an esteemed wine educator and author, and is known as the “Sommeliers’ Trainer”. Many of his trainees are now professionals in the Korean food and beverage industry. Besides his work, Paul loves to share his passion and knowledge of wine and gastronomic experiences with others.
Speciality
Wine
From
South Korea
Company
Mayfield Hotel & Resort
Position
Manager
[2019] Roderick Wong
Involved in the wine industry since 1993, Roderick Wong was the Founder & President of the Sommelier Association of Malaysia from 2009 till 2015, Former Chairman of the South East Asia Sommelier Alliance in 2012, Wine Personality Of The Year Award 2007 / 2008 by Hospitality Asia Platinum Award (HAPA), appointed The Honorary Ambassador of Wines From Spain to Malaysia, and recipient of the Honorary Sommelier Diploma and Membership with Associazione della Sommellerie Professionale Italiana (ASPI) by Mr. Giuseppe Vaccarini – Founder & President of ASPI & Best Sommelier of World. Roderick has been a Sommelier since 2005, starting as Chief Sommelier and today holds the role of Cellar Master aka Wine Director. He has been a judge in Wine Style Asia – Singapore (2008 – 2010), Culinaire Malaysia (2009 to 2013), Mondial du Pinot Noir 2010 in Switzerland, Singapore National Sommelier Competition (2010 & 2012), panel judge in the Semi Finals of The Best Sommelier of The World 2013 in Tokyo & Technical Director of the Young Macau Sommelier Competition 2015 in Macau.
Roderick looks to bring ‘.. .an opinion of the Asian palate and hopefully to bring more awareness of this competition in Macau.”
Speciality
Wine
From
China
Company
Galaxy Entertainment Group
Position
Cellar Master
Contact
roderick.wong@galaxyentertainment.com
Facebook
roderick.wong.393
Instagram
Roderick Wong
Wechat
Rod
[2019] Ronda Liu
BJCP Certified Judge, Cicerone Beer Server. Ronda judged in Hong Kong International Beer Awards 2016 & 2017 (HK), Asia Beer Awards 2017-2019 (SG), International Beer Cup 2017 (JP), Thai Homebrew Competition 2018 (TH), Indonesia Homebrew Competition 2019 (ID), Brazilian Beer Contest 2019 (BR)
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
Young Master Brewery
Position
Operations & Export Manager
Instagram
tipsydarcy
[2019] Takako Osawa
Takako has 16 years of working experience in the wine industry as a wine buyer and brand manager at Mottox Inc in Japan. His roles involved in wine selections from both the Old and New World and their branding, as well as educating wine lovers and professionals. He is a Certified Sommelier from the Japan Sommeliers Association (JAS), a South African Wine (WOSA) Specialist, a World of Greek Wine Programme Trainer from The National Inter-professional Organisation of Wine and Vine (EDOAO), and a holder of Advance certificate the WSET. Takako has joined the judging team at the HKIWSC since 2018.
Speciality
Wine
From
Japan
Company
Mottox, Inc
Position
Brand Manager
Facebook
takako.osawa.7
Instagram
takako_osawa
Wechat
Takako_Mottox
[2019] Timothy Goh
Timothy Goh is the Director of Sales at Vinum Fine Wines. Goh’s love affair with wine started back in 2003, when he joined Raffles Hotel as a Commis Sommelier. In 2010, he became the first Asian sommelier to be inducted into the very prestigious Associazione delle Sommellerie Professionale Italiana (ASPI). Goh has many accolades under his belt including World Gourmet Summit and the SHATEC-Austrade Education Award (2002), the Bodega Torres Scholarship (2004), the World Gourmet Summit’s Sommelier of the Year award for three consecutive years (2008 to 2010), and Restaurant Manager of the Year (2009 and 2010). Since 2013, he has straddled between Vinum Fine Wines, an established wine merchant, managing the Singapore’s sales team and the inaugural expansion into the whisky business with the new retail, The Whisky Library in Singapore. Timothy has also been judging at The Business Times Wine Challenge since 2013 and Tower Club Wine Awards organised by The Wine Review.
Speciality
Wine
From
Singapore
Company
Vinum Fine Wines
Position
Director of Sales
Facebook
timothy.goh.16
Instagram
timothy_goh_
Twitter
@Timothygoh81
[2019] Will Mountford
William was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He discovered his passion for wine while he was in graduate school. He found himself dedicating more energy into studying wine instead of his law studies and soon he had started working in restaurants in New York City. After a move to Las Vegas and subsequently Los Angeles, William worked as a sommelier, wine director, and beverage manager for esteemed chefs including Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck, and Michael Voltaggio. He founded Skin Contact Consulting in 2017 to provide education and service training for restaurants and groups. William holds both a Level 4 Diploma of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and an Advanced Certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas (CMS). He recently moved to Hong Kong and is excited to become a part of its dynamic wine scene while learning from a passionate and dedicated community of wine scholars and sommeliers.
SpecialityWineFromHong KongCompanySkin Contact ConsultingPositionSommelierFacebookwilliam.stewartiv.7Instagramwilliam_mountford
[2019] Wu Yi
Wu Yi is currently the Deputy Chief Distiller at JiangXiaoBai, Chongqing Jiangji Distillery. She is a national registered Advanced Sommelier and Premium Distiller in China, and was a panel judge for the 9th China National Food Industry Association Baijiu National Judging. Her other experience includes being a member of the Expert Committee of Chongqing Liquor Management Association, and judging for the 1st to 5th Chongqing Food Industry Association and Chongqing Liquor Management Association Baijiu Judging.
Speciality
Spirits
From
China
Company
JiangXiaoBai
Position
Deputy Chief Distiller
[2019] Yuki Lo
Her love affair with wine began in 2004, when she was an intern in a Château in Bordeaux. After that she worked at Moët Hennessy Diageo for 6 years as Brand Manager in the Champagne and Wine department. Since 2011, she has become the Marketing Manager of Kerry Wines in Hong Kong, promoting a wide range of fine wines and agency wines (60+ producers) around the world.
Working in the wine industry for over 9 years, Yuki Lo is a certified educator of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and she has completed WSET level 4 Diploma in 2013. Since then, she has started to judge at Asia Wine Trophy in Korea, Berlin Wine Trophy and IWSC (2015).
“I am very glad to become a guest judge at HKIWSC. This competition has witnessed the momentous development of wine market in HK, which has become and continues to be a global hub for wine trading and distribution.”
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Kerry Wines, Hong Kong
Position
Marketing Manager
Website
http://yukilo.wordpress.com
[2020] Darius Allyn MS
Darius Allyn became the 60th American passing the Master Sommelier examination in 2005. He obtained his Advanced Oenology Diploma from leading wine-making school U.C. Davis in 2004. With over 30 years hospitality experience, Allyn has created and led multiple Grand Award-winning wine programs and possesses extensive judging and speaking experience globally.
Speciality
Wine, Spirits
From
USA
Company
GenWine
Position
COO
Website
http://www.dariusallyn.com
Contact
dariusallyn@gmail.com
Facebook
dariusallyn
Instagram
dariusallyn
Twitter
@allyndarius
Wechat
DA771971
[2019] Zachary Yu
Zachary has over 15-year experience in the wines and spirits industry. He was named the ‘Standout Sommelier of the Year’ in 2013, during his time as the Head Sommelier at Langham Place Hotel, where his contribution included helping Langham’s Chinese restaurant, Ming Court, to garner a Two Michelin Star listing and be recognised as one of Hong Kong’s fine dining outlets. Currently involved in many sectors of the industry, Zachary’s bandwidth stretches from running his mobile tasting application – Cincin, to judging for Cru Magazine & Whisky Magazine and also curating the beverage programme for hotels and restaurants.
SpecialityWineFromHong KongCompanySommTechPositionSommelier / DirectorWebsitehttp://www.cincin.io
FacebookCincinAppWechatZachary_WineGuy
[2020] Arnaud Bardary MS
Born in Lons le Saunier in the area of Jura, France, Arnaud Bardary MS has been working for Black Sheep Restaurants in Hong Kong as the Group Sommelier since 2017. His grandfather and uncle were winemakers under the iconic appellation Chateau Chalon – some of his fondest teenage memories includes bottling and tasting sessions of a 1875 Chateau Chalon.
Speciality
Wine
From
France
Company
Black Sheep Restaurants
Position
Group Sommelier
Website
http://arnaudbardary.com
Facebook
@ArnaudBardaryMasterSommelier
Instagram
@arnaudbardary
Twitter
@ArnaudBardary
[2020] Reeze Choi
Reeze Choi is an Advanced Sommelier of The Count of Master Sommeliers, and the holder of WSET Level Three Award in Wines and the Certified Specialist of Wine Certification. Reeze has worked at prestigious restaurants such as L’atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong and Upper Modern Bistro, and he is now the founder of a sommelier services and wine consultancy company, Somm’s Philosophy.
He finished in the 16th of the 2019 Best Sommelier of the World Competition, and in the 1st runner-up of A.S.I. Asia-Oceania Best Sommelier Competition 2018. He also held the Championship of The Best Sommelier Greater China in 2016 and 2017.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Somm’s Philosophy
Position
Founder
Facebook
Choi Kam Fung
Instagram
@reeze_the_sommbie
[2020] Larry Lam
Larry is a recognized BJCP judge and a beer lover who has been traveling around the world to look for great beers and participate in various beer-related events. He is passionate about discovering ‘hidden gems’ in various parts of the world. Being influenced by his profession, he is particularly fascinated by the science of brewing and the complex interactions between microbes in fermentation. Larry feels the best way to enjoy beers is by having tastings with friends.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Position
Beer Specialist
[2020] Paul Sargent
Paul has an extensive background in hotels and the wine industry Hong Kong, and with his interest in wine obtained a Certified Sommelier qualification and WSET levels 2 and 3 qualifications. Paul had recently worked with internationally acclaimed wine critic James Suckling and previously worked at wine distributors Links Concept and Treasury Wine Estates. He had recently opened his own online wine store, the 100 Points Trading Company.
Speciality
Wine
From
Australia
Company
100 Points Trading Co.
Position
Founder & Curator
Website
https://www.100pointstrading.com
Facebook
100pointstrading (business) / Paul Sargent (personal)
Instagram
@100pointstrading
[2021] Ben Ng
Ben is the founder of Go Dive Bar, a lifestyle brand of craft beer and travel. He is also a certified beer judge, homebrew competition organizer and tasting workshop tutor. With the judging experiences in HK, Singapore and Taiwan as well as working experiences in a bottle shop, brewery and taproom, he has truly been falling in love with craft beers. Sometimes, he has organised some craft beer appreciation workshops for the local and expat.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
Go Dive Bar
Position
Founder
Website
https://godivebar.com/craftbeer/
Facebook
benng1993
Instagram
beerdive.ben
[2020] Victoria Chow
Victoria Chow is the Founder of the event design, catering and lifestyle brand, The Woods. She was recently named Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia for her pioneering approach to drink concepts.
Victoria believes in “taking an educated sip.” She strives to connect the dots between spirit producers and consumers by working with brands and distilleries to better understand consumer markets, leverage experiences, social media, and visual content.
She now also focuses on writing syllabuses and hosting tasting sessions in order to elevate the understanding of and appreciation for the spirits craft.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
The Woods
Position
Founder & Managing Director
Website
http://www.sipstraight.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/sipstraight/
Instagram
@torichow
[2021] Amir Javaid
An internationally award winning bartender with over 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry working in some of the best bars in the UK, Thailand & Hong Kong.
Having worked for major gin brands within an ambassadorial role for Martin Miller’s gin and Manchester Three Rivers respectively. Organizing key consumer events, cocktail competitions and in house training.
Currently working as Head Of Spirits for Northeast, implementing sustainable drinks programs and organising tastings/events around Hong Kong.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Jebsen Fine Wines
Position
Sales Manager
Instagram
@drinksbyamir
[2021] Carol Leung
A delicious, fresh on tap Blood Orange Gose by Anderson Valley has ignited Carol Leung’s journey to craft beer since 2016. The four years’ experience working in Second Draft, a gastropub recognised as the Best Beer Bar in Hong Kong by The Bar Awards 2018, allowed her to gain a wealth of professional knowledge and experience about craft beer. Carol is currently responsible for creating social media posts for HK Brewcraft and Double Haven as a freelancer. Through this role she has discovered her passion towards writing stories about passionate people making great beers.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
HK Brewcraft
Position
Social Media Consultant
[2021] Darren Hosie
Darren Hosie is the Business Development Manager Asia-Pacific at the world’s leading manufacturer of distilling equipment, Forsyths, based in the heart of Speyside, Scotland. They produce hand-crafting pot and column stills for whisky and other distilled spirits. To this day, Forsyths’ quality copper stills are still hand-made in Scotland, which are in high demand all over the world particularly with a fast-growing client base in Asia. It would be a very exciting new adventure for Darren and the company to judge for HK IWSC.
Speciality
Spirits
From
United Kingdom
Company
Forsyths Scotland
Position
Business Development Manager Asia-Pacific
Facebook
darren.hosie.96
Wechat
darrenhosie73
[2021] Marie-Paule Herman
Born and raised in Axel, The Netherlands, Marie-Paule came from a family involved in the wine industry. At the age of 17, she developed an interest for wine and soon started studying to become a sommelier at the hotel school Ter Groene Poorte in Bruges, Belgium. Upon completion of her studies she had set a personal goal of working in the best restaurants in the world. She achieved by working in acclaimed outlets such as De Librije***(The Netherlands), De Kromme Watergang** (The Netherlands), El Bulli*** (Spain), Noma** (Denmark) and Amber** (Hong Kong).
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Maximal Concepts
Position
Senior Operations Manager & Group Sommelier
Contact
marie.herman@maximalconcepts.com
Facebook
Marie-Paule Herman
Instagram
@marie_paule_herman
Wechat
@mpherman
[2021] Nic Law
Nic is the co-founder of Hong Kong Craft Distilling Co. and master distiller of the Company’s gin products under the brand N.I.P (無名氏). He commenced his venture into the food and beverages industry in 2017 when he went on an expedition to learn, research and explore his long-standing interest and passion about spirits, gin in particular. Having been a religious consumer of cocktails and spirits, it came to a point where mere consumption no longer satisfied his passion. As a result, he decided to make a 180 degree turn in his career as a lawyer by setting his sights on becoming a distiller and fulfilling his long-term dream of creating a local brand of craft spirits. In his pursuance of this dream, he travelled to Australia and Scotland to research and learn the craft, from visiting to working short stints in distilleries, as well as attaining qualifications in distilling with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling of the United Kingdom.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
N.I.P.
Position
Founder
Website
http://www.nipdistilling.com
Facebook
@nipdistilling
Instagram
@nipdistilling
[2021] Sarah Heller MW
Sarah Heller MW is the youngest Master of Wine in Asia Pacific. She is wine editor for Asia Tatler and wine columnist for Club Oenologique; design partner for Lucaris Crystal; a partner in a wine brand, the Almásy Collection; Chairman of WINE100 and faculty of the Vinitaly International Academy.
Her online wine course on ShowMuse has 7.5 million+ students and she is a host of the Wine Masters documentary series. She is also an award-winning visual artist with a series of work, called Visual Tasting Notes, that explores the experience of tasting wine.
Speciality
From
USA
Company
Heller Beverage Advisory
Position
Proprietor
Website
https://sarahheller.com
Facebook
Sarah Heller MW
Instagram
@sarahhellermw
Twitter
@sarahhellermw
Wechat
Skyheller
[2021] Srdjan Damjanic
Srdjan Damjanic is an experienced sommelier in the hospitpality industry. He joined the Kowloon Shangri-La as Hotel sommelier recently following a two-year tenure as assistant head sommelier at Zuma, a contemporary Japanese restaurant in Central.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Kowloon Shangri-La
Position
Hotel Sommelier
[2021] Yvonne Ou
Yvonne has been imbibing in various forms of alcohol since her university days in Scotland and this journey has progressed from the path of an avid drinker to a wine nerd with burgeoning interest in wines around the world and in particular Italy. She is keen to share her knowledge and wine appreciation and as such she is a Certified WSET as well as VIA Italian Wine Educator. She is constantly on the look-out for interesting wine styles with the realization that the more one learns the more one does not know.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Position
Wine Educator
Instagram
@ou.yvonne
[2022] Camille Glass
Camille Glass is the Co-Founder of SideNote, a Hong Kong-based hospitality group whose concepts include Brut!, Pondi, Fat Chad’s and Crushed Wines.
A pioneering concept creator, she is one of the most impactful female expatriate entrepreneurs in the Hong Kong F&B space. Her concepts Brut!, Pondi, Fat Chad’s and Crushed Wines, all of which have a cult following amongst those who value exceptionally well researched, executed and priced food and wine.
Self-raised from age 15, the tenacious business owner secured a place at France’s most prestigious culinary schools, Ferrandi. Having completed her culinary studies, she took up an intensive apprenticeship at Youpi et Voilà under renowned Chef Patrice Gelbart.
In 2013, she relocated to Hong Kong to work with Serge et le Phoque, a whimsical French restaurant behind the Wan Chai Market. The magnetic restaurant retained a Michelin star for three years from 2015, before closing in 2018.
In 2014, Camille and her partner opened Á Table – a speakeasy-style private kitchen that served up an ambitious rotating menu whilst Camille shared her wine expertise with their enthusiastic customers. Her off-script bottle recommendations soon established Camille as an expert in creative wines, and she was quickly recruited by leading natural focused wine bar La Cabane in 2015.
In 2016 Camille established FOB Wines in collaboration with Larry Tang of LocoFama group, whom she had consulted for years. She built out the FOB space from scratch in a quiet, leafy corner of Sai Ying Pun and crafted a thoughtful tapas menu that complemented her unique wine philosophy. Despite operating as a one-man-band, FOB became a de facto social hub for the Sai Ying Pun community, and she quickly fell in love with the neighbourhood.
18 months later, when a space became available on Second Street, Camille decided to go all in and create a boutique restaurant concept that simultaneously celebrated storytelling through wine and food – Brut!
Today, Camille is an established hospitality leader with three intimate restaurants and a wine business under her belt, all in her beloved Sai Ying Pun neighbourhood.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Brut!
Position
Restaurant Owner
[2022] Edward Li
Astonished by the beauty of the fresh pints on his trip to Europe, Edward decides to take beer seriously and embarked on his journey to find (or brew) the perfect beer 5 years ago. With the knowledge and experience gained from the fruitful time at HK Brewcraft and Young Master Ales, he has now founded his own craft beverage companies – Mezzanine Makers and Hong Kong Cannery.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
Hong Kong Cannery Ltd.
Position
Co-founder
[2022] Gloria Chan
A passionate hospitality professional having begun her journey in Switzerland over a decade ago studying at a premier Hospitality school. Determined to grow and hone her skills ever since; she has worked in the hospitality industry in various fields and in some of the best venues in France, and Hong Kong.
Over the last few years, having experience working with various portfolios which included premium spirit brands from around the world. She has been promoting stories, getting liquid on lips, organizing key consumer events, and training.
She is currently working as the Digital Sales & Events Manager for Northeast. When she is not organising a launch to market of a recently disgorged, and reinterpreted vintage champagne with a key champagne house. She could be found implementing promotional campaigns, and strategies online as well as organising tastings/events around Hong Kong.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Northeast Wines & Spirits
Position
Digital Sales & Events Manager
Instagram
@iamgloriachan
[2022] Hannah Melville
Hannah was born and raised in Scotland. She has over 5 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Beginning as a bartender in some of Edinburgh’s most established cocktail bars, Hannah has gone on to become a Brand Ambassador in Hong Kong for Pernod Ricard’s Scotch Whisky portfolio. Hannah has a deep understanding and appreciation for spirits, particularly whisky. Having completed the WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits, and the AWSEC Whisky Ambassador course, Hannah’s knowledge and understanding have been deepened.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Pernod Ricard
Position
Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador
Instagram
@whiskyhannah_hk
[2022] Irene Tiu
Irene loves the art and science of beer, ex-Heroes Beer Co. team and BJCP Certified judge. She enjoys to explore on different style of beer and share her beer taste with beer lovers.
Speciality Beer
From Hong Kong
Company Paywatch Global
Position Head of Sales and Operations, Asia
[2022] Jacky Luk
Jacky is the Chief Sommelier at Forum Restaurant, a 3 Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong. He has been working in the hospitality industry for many years and has wine sales and hotel experience. He is the holder of WSET advanced qualifications, Sake Sommelier Service Institute (SSI), and The Court of Master Sommelier Advanced level.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Forum Restaurant 1977
Position
Chief Sommelier
Facebook
@jackyhamasaki
[2022] Jean-Benoît Isselé
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Swire Hotels
Position
Chef Sommelier
[2022] Johann Kwon
Johann Kwon is a South Korean based in Hong Kong since 2016. He has been in the F&B industry for around 15 years including part-time jobs at the very early stage of his life, so he was able to experience most of the positions related to FOH operations (food runner, waiter, captain, head waiter, assistant manager, general manager), and eventually decided to take a serious step into the wine world around 10 years ago. He worked in several different Asian countries, including Afghanistan (as a soldier), South Korea, India, Japan, and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong was the place he truly fell in love with, because of its diversity and unrivaled dynamic F&B scene.
Currently, Johann is working as Executive Head Sommelier at Black Sheep Restaurants, managing the wine programs of 10+ venues in the group with his wonderful sommelier team members. He personally considers himself not only a wine sommelier but a ‘hospitalian’, and for him, the ‘WINE’ means story, emotion, romance, and memory he wants to share with his guests.
Johann is an Advanced sommelier at Court of Master Sommeliers, and currently studying for the Master Sommelier exam.
[2022] Juwan Kim
Korean native, Juwan Kim is the Head Sommelier at LPM Restaurant & Bar in Central. Prior to this, he was head sommelier at Robuchon au Dome in Macau and Zuma Hong Kong, and he spent two years in London as one of the opening team members for Roka Mayfair and several years as a sommelier in his native Korea.
After discovering his love of wine, Juwan self studied and passed the WSET Level 3 in 2007. Juwan also studied for the Court of Master Sommelier (CMS) and Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) qualifications. Among his accomplishments, he has represented Korea in the 2nd Asia-Oceania Best Sommelier Competition and ranked 5th. Also he has represented Hong Kong in the first Canadian Wine Sommelier Competition in Greater China in 2017 as Finalist. His passion for wine and food has taken him to many wine regions, including: Chile, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, China, Portugal and Japan. He has drawn inspiration from his travels abroad and taught him the true meaning of hospitality and service.
Speciality
Wine
From
South Korea
Company
LPM Restaurant & Bar
Position
Head Sommelier
Website
http://www.lpmrestaurants.com
Facebook
LPMRestaurants
Instagram
@lpmrestauranthk
[2022] Kevin Wong
Kevin Wong is a recognized BJCP judge and a beer enthusiast who is always looking for great beers and participates in various beer-related events. Kevin’s favorite beer style would be wild fermented beer.
He is passionate about exploring different breweries all over the world. Kevin thinks that doing regular tastings with beer geeks and connoisseurs from the industry is the best way to acquire knowledge and experience.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
BJCP
Position
Recognized Judge
Instagram
@parttimebeergeek
[2022] Mandy Chan
Mandy Chan is one half of Ginsberg+Chan, a popular fine wine merchant in Hong Kong. She started the business with her husband Jason Ginsberg in 2010, specializing in fine & rare wines. Their current wine list carries over 20,000 wines with a regional focus on older wines from Burgundy, Italy, Bordeaux, Champagne and California. Ginsberg+Chan embraces the spirit of a traditional wine merchant where customers get a real sense of the shop’s identity and the people who run it. A holder of WSET advanced qualifications, Mandy is an experienced wine judge.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Ginsberg+Chan
Position
Director
Website
http://www.ginsbergchan.com
Facebook
@ginsbergchan
Instagram
@ginsbergchan
Twitter
@ginsbergchan
[2022] Pierre Brunelli MS
Pierre has been working as a sommelier in multiple 2 and 3 Michelin stars (such as Fat Duck and l’Enclume in the UK). Pierre is one of the 262 Master Sommeliers and is currently working as Group General Manager for Roganic, Aulis, and The Baker and the Bottleman.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Roganic Hong Kong & The Baker and the Bottleman
Position
Group General Manager
[2022] Wingate Ng
Wingate Ng recently joined ZS Hospitality Group as a Head Sommelier in Testina. A Modern Italian Trattoria by Trippa Milano and ZS Hospitality. Prior to this move, Wingate Ng was a Sommelier of the Black Sheep Restaurants group as a sommelier in Carbone restaurants in Hong Kong. Besides, Wingate was a wine specialist at Zachys, a leading wine retail, fine wine auctions and fine wine storage enterprise in New York and Hong Kong.
Driven by a deep passion for wine knowledge, Wingate pursued the WSET Diploma. With over 10 years experience in the sales and retail field in Hong Kong, he has also worked for Watson’s Wine, Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong, L’Imperatrice Fine Wine and Schmidt Vinothek.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Testina & Plaa
Position
Head Sommelier
[2023] Arielle Ng
Arielle quickly fell in love with the diversity of beers since she started working in the industry in 2016. She is now a certified BJCP judge that enjoy every fun judging experience.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Position
Beer Specialist
Instagram
@ng_rielle
[2023] Charlene Dawes
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Charlene Dawes is the Managing Director and Owner of Tastings Group Limited, managing five specialty bars & restaurants in the Central district, Hong Kong. Charlene completed her Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 certification in 2011 and continues to enhance her wine and spirit knowledge through working in the industry and traveling to wine regions and distilleries around the world.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Tastings Group Limited
Position
Owner and Managing Director
Website
http://www.tastingsgroup.com
Instagram
@charinhk
[2023] Corinne Mui
Corinne Mui is an award-winning wine & sake educator, writer and consultant. She holds a WSET Level 4 Diploma and has over 15 years’ experience in specialist wine teaching for luxury hotels, casinos, airlines and wine traders. She is also one of the WSET certified educator training programme assessors in Asia.
Corinne gained valuable wine-making experience by working at the world-famous Henschke winery in Eden Valley, Australia. She has also made sake vintages at various sake breweries in Japan’s Niigata, Yamanashi and Ehime prefectures and the Kansai region.
Corinne was inducted as the prestige Sake Samurai and VDP Ambassador in 2019. Prior to that, in 2018 she became the first person of Asian descent to be named “Sake Ambassador” by the Sake Sommelier Association in London. Wines of Germany also awarded her the title of “2017 Best Educator of the Year” in recognition of her remarkable achievements in German wine education in Hong Kong and China.
Corinne has appeared as guest wine and sake expert on television and radio programmes in Hong Kong and China. Her expertise in wine has also been sought for a popular Hong Kong television drama. She is also a regular contributor for publications including Winenow and WINE magazines.
Speciality
Wine, Sake
From
Hong Kong
Company
CorVino Wine School
Position
Founder
Facebook
Corinne Mui 梅老師吃喝玩樂
Instagram
@corinnemui
Wechat
corinnemui
[2023] Craig Stansborough
#2023judge
Born in Gawler, on the edge of the Barossa Valley, Craig grew up with the wine industry all around him. He started as a cellar hand with B Seppelt & Son in 1983, firstly at Chateau Tanunda and then later at historic Seppeltsfield Winery.
Craig joined Grant Burge Wines in 1993 as Assistant Winemaker, Winemaker in 1995 and Senior Winemaker in 1997 and continued that role until 2019. In 2019 Craig took on the role of Group Premium Winemaker within Accolade Wines, this has allowed winemaking experience in multiple Australian regions including McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley as well as regions within Western Australia to Tasmania.
Craig is highly regarded for his talent, strong leadership, inquisitive mind, and unrelenting passion for winemaking.
Craig is renowned for his contribution to some of Australia’s most respected wines – Meshach, The Holy Trinity, Shadrach, the highly regarded Filsell. He is justifiably proud of their development and has crafted a solid reputation for excellence and conveying the true values of the Barossa.
A passionate ambassador for the Barossa and proud to serve on the Barossa Wine Show Committee for 10 years as well as being a part of the inaugural Barossa Technical committee. He also had the honor of being named Barossa Winemaker of the year in 2014.
Craig travels internationally for the company promoting the values and messages which have made our Australian regions famous. Being a vineyard owner as well as winemaker, Craig knows the nuances of the region intimately, the seasons, the soil, the varieties and is committed to maintaining the healthy environment to hand to future generations. His involvement with the company’s viticultural team is greatly respected, where his knowledge transfers to influencing the management of each year’s harvest.
Craig’s discerning palate earned him a role as a panelist and judge on the Barossa Wine Show, National Wine Show, Australia Greatest Red and as a tasting panelist for the Australian Research Institute.
Speciality
Wine
From
Australia
Company
Accolade Wines
Position
Group Premium Winemaker Australia/New Zealand
[2023] Della Tang
After learning about wine and gaining her first restaurant experiences in Paris, Della Tang returned to mainland China and became a sommelier at Maison Lameloise Shanghai in 2018. She joined Ensue in Shenzhen in 2019 as a member of opening team. Within in a year, her curation, Ensue’s wine list was awarded as China’s Best Wine List of the Year, followed by her personal award as Sommelier of the Year 2020. With the development of the restaurant group, she became the group sommelier of Savor in 2021 and has been managing four different wine programs ever since. This year she also received the inaugural Beronia Asia’s Best Sommelier Award 2023.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Savor Group
Position
Group Sommelier
Contact
dellatang@ensue-sz.com
Instagram
@della_tang
[2023] Devender Kumar
Devender Kumar is one of India’s most well-known bartenders and is recognised worldwide as one of the key figures in pushing the boundaries of India’s burgeoning cocktail revolution.
In 2015 he won the Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition with his signature drink “The Optimist”, and went on to represent Hong Kong and Macau in the world final in Sidney. The same year Drink World Asia ranked him among the Top 25 Bartenders of the year for Hong Kong and Macau, and Bacardi featured him in the “Untameable” series, celebrating how, with passion and dedication, one could overcome many obstacles in the bartending career and in life.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Position
Beverage Manager
Website
http://devendersehgal.com/
Facebook
Devender Sehgal
Instagram
@devendersehgal_
Twitter
@mixingdev
[2023] Dimple Yuen
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Dimple is the first woman gin distiller in the city who realized her true calling back in 2017. Determined to build something of her own from the ground up, she began to study, apprentice and master the art of distilling before establishing the first gin distillery in the city. With multiple awards under her name including Best Hong Kong London Dry Gin from World Gin Awards and an accumulation of 4 Double Gold Medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, she now spends her time honing her skills, exploring craft gins and visiting distilleries whenever she has the chance to travel!
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Two Moons Distillery
Position
Head Distiller
Website
http://www.twomoonsdistillery.com
Facebook
twomoonsdistillery
Instagram
@twomoonsdistillery
[2023] Freeman Ho
Whisky expert with 7+ years of experience in rare whiskies, tasting events, independent bottling and cask trading. Beer expert with experience in working in a local craft beer brewery and is currently teaching brewing classes at HK Brewcraft.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
Sotheby’s
Position
Spirits Specialist & Independent Brewing Tutor
[2023] Gerald Lu
Gerald Lu is a highly accomplished sommelier with over 15 years of experience in the wine industry. He began his career as a bartender at the age of 17 and quickly transitioned to become a sommelier at the age of 23. For the past 12 years, he has been a co-founder of Praelum Wine Bistro in Singapore and has served as the current President of the Sommelier Association of Singapore for the past 4 years.
Gerald’s impressive credentials include being a 2-time National Sommelier Champion and a judge for prestigious competitions such as Decanter Asia, Wine & Dine, and Appetite. He holds several qualifications from reputable organizations such as CMS, WSET, CSW, IWS, and Sake.
Despite his numerous accomplishments, Gerald’s favorite part of his job is something simple yet profound – watching the sunset in Stellenbosch, enjoying a glass of Cape Sparkling and sharing laughs with friends.
Speciality
Wine
From
Singapore
Company
Praelum Wine Bistro
Position
General Manager/Head Sommelier
[2023] Jadus Yan
Jadus is a home brewer, BJCP Certified Judge and Cicerone Beer Server. He is a true alcoholic, he drinks everything from beer to whisky, from wine to brandy and from sake to Chinese spirit. He is a co-founder of Tipsy Tap, a craft beer taproom in Tsim Sha Tsui. In his taproom, he always tries to serve the best tasting beers around the world and share all his beer knowledge to the customers.
Speciality
Beer
From
Hong Kong
Company
Tipsy Tap
Position
Founder
Facebook
Jadus Yan
Instagram
@jadus.yan
Wechat
@jay__yan
[2023] João Pires MS
Speciality
From
Portugal
Company
City of Dreams
Position
Director of Wine
[2023] John Wei
John has been home brewing since 2008 and is a founding member of Singapore Homebrew Club (SHC). He was a multiple award winner at iBREW Challenge in 2013/14/15 and has accumulated a significant loyal following. John was endorsed as the Asian representative for Beer Judge Certificate Program (BJCP) in 2015 and has since been a regular Examination Proctor in BJCP examinations. Brewlander was founded in 2016 on John’s passion and our beers made debut in 2017.
“With our new kick*rse brewery ready within a few months, this really signifies a new chapter in Brewlander and my life. It’s been a blast so far, meeting and gaining many new friends along the way while striving to lead the Craft in SG. A new day is dawning with much uncertainties, but we look forward to overcoming it one tasty beer at a time as we continue our craft beer crusade in Asia.”
Speciality
Beer
From
Singapore
Company
Brewlander
Position
Founder & Yeast Whisperer
Website
https://www.brewlander.com/pages/john-wei
Contact
john@brewlander.com
[2023] Jose Lau
Growing up in West coast Canada, Jose started as a motion picture cameraman for NBC Universal but developed his passion for wines long before he got into filming. He obtained his WSET advance level certificate in Canada and moved back to Hong Kong in 2010 starting his wine career at one of the leading wine distributors in Greater China, which developed his relationships with the trade channel. He joined Berry Bros. & Rudd in 2012 and is now Head of Private Sales. Jose spends his spare time in the cinema, on the beach, traveling, photographing, and sipping his favorite wines: Aged Rioja and Burgundies.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Berry Bros & Rudd (HK)
Position
Head of Private Sales
Instagram
@joseual
[2023] Kenichi Ohashi
Kenichi is the most active wine and sake expert in Japan. Born in Tochigi Prefecture, he is the third generation owner of Yamajin Co., Ltd. (a distributor specialized in wine, sake and local spirits). Kenichi also has his own consultancy company, Red Bridge Co., Ltd. He is very active in the wine and sake world both at home and abroad. In recent years, he is continuing to contribute to the global sake promotion, as a sake co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge.
In 2015, he became the first Japanese national resident in Japan to obtain certification from the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW). He also has been certified as a Sake Expert Assessor, the highest qualification of National Research Institute of Brewing Japan.
In 2016, Kenichi was nominated as one of the ‘100 Next Generation Creatives’ by the Nikkei Business magazine and awarded the most prestigious The Personality of the Year by the IWC (International Wine Challenge London). He is also awarded the title Sake Samurai by the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council in 2018.
More recently, Kenichi co-founded The Wine Station (www.the-winestation.com), Japan’s largest next-generation online wine community.
Kenichi says, “As one of the Asian MWs, I wish to provide my Japanese opinions to wine in Asia and to contribute to create an entire “Asian quality hierarchy”.
“I always look forward to the Food & Wine judging. It always shows great diversity in the wines entered and our objective is to find the best matches to suit Asian tastes.
“A medal win in the HKIWSC will help producers in their marketing strategies to enter the Asian market.”
SpecialityWineFromJapanCompanyRed Bridge Co.,Ltd.PositionPresidentContactkenichi.ohashi@redbridge.jpFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/kenny.ohashiInstagramkenichi_ohashi_mwTwitterhttps://twitter.com/KenichiOhashi
[2023] Kit Cheung
Kit has been engaged in the F&B industry in Europe for many years, yet Hong Kong is still deeply rooted in his heart. Born and raised in Hong Kong, its culture has had a strong influence on his cocktail creation. By exploring and expanding the use of local ingredients, he has created cocktails that exude the true essence of Hong Kong. He has attracted Hong Kong people’s attention to the development and preservation of local wine industry, farming and craftsmanship.
In 2014, when he was appointed to be the consultant of Sohofama, he successfully combined the liquor from local Yuet Wo Distillery and a variety of local organic ingredients such as perilla leaves, local, and roselle for a series of cocktail that can enhance drinkers’ immunity.
Apart from designing cocktails, he also collaborated with SOIL, Hong Kong craftmen, design a series of hand-crafted wine vessels and cups. In 2017, Kit and his partner Joseph Cheung started up their new company for inventing the GIN of Hong Kong.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Sober or Blotto (Perfume Trees Gin)
Position
Gin Maker
Facebook
@KitCheung.bartender
Instagram
@kitcheung_the.bartender
[2023] Ling Cheong
Ling is currently the Regional Education Manager – Asia Pacific at WSET’s Hong Kong office. Since 2019 she has been working in business development advising and taking care of providers and educators in offering WSET qualifications. She is now focussing on supporting the market in the capacity of education to achieve the best WSET experience and quality through the Educator Training Programme and other new educator services in APAC.
Ling has been working in the drinks industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience including trade (wholesaling and retailing), media, events, and education. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits and Level 3 Award in Spirts. She is a WSET Certified Educator for both wine and spirits qualifications. She also obtained her Master of Wine Business Degree at the University of Adelaide.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
WSET Asia Pacific Limited
Position
Regional Education Manager – Asia Pacific
Website
http://www.wsetglobal.com
Contact
lcheong@wsetglobal.com
Facebook
facebook.com/TszLingCheong/
Instagram
instagram.com/lingcbs/
Twitter
LingWSET
Wechat
LingWSET
[2023] Masahiko Endo
Having been working as a bartender for over 25 years, Masahiko Endo has received several national and international cocktail competition awards including HOFEX Allworld International Classic Cocktail Competition Champion. He is also a judge for several cocktail contests and whisky and spirits competitions.
Speciality
Spirits
From
Hong Kong
Company
Mizunara The Library
Position
Group Beverage Director
Website
http://www.mizunarathelibrary.com
Facebook
Masahiko Endo
Instagram
@mendo1192
Wechat
@mendo1192
[2023] Matt Hui
Matt is currently the Principal Educator at Sommelier Education Centre, the fastest-growing wine and sake education provider in Hong Kong. Being an enthusiastic and acquainted wine and sake lover, he has been teaching for years at all levels. Matt became a Certified Educator of WSET after obtaining the Level 4 Diploma. He is also a Certified Sommelier of CMS, Certified Specialist of Wine of SWE, French Wine Scholar of Wine Scholar Guild, a holder of Level 3 Awards in Sake of WSET, Certified Sake Sommelier of SSA, and International Kikisake-Shi of SSI. Matt is now a student of Master of Wine.
Speciality
Wine, Sake
From
Hong Kong
Company
Sommelier Wine & Sake Education Centre
Position
Principal Educator
Website
http://www.sommelier.com.hk
Contact
matthui@sommelier.com.hk
Facebook
@MattSirHongKong
Instagram
@mattsirhongkong
[2023] Matteo Salvatore Ceravolo
Matteo started working in F&B in 2015, after attending the Sake Sommelier course from SSA in London. He moved to Hong Kong in 2017 to be part of the opening team of Sake Central, which became the most iconic Sake related venue worldwide. He has always been a great fan of the food and beverage culture, and he deepened his knowledge in the Italian ones, a true touch point with his roots. This brought him in March 2020 to start his journey as Brand Development Manager ASIA for Certa, leading Italian importer and brand managing office in Hong Kong. In 2021 he CO-founded with the Sake Central team Awa Awa, an Okinawa inspired Bar and Restaurant, in Peel Street, Hong Kong. Matteo is also managing partner of Milanosake, one of the biggest sake importers in Italy. Lastly, Matteo is one of the founding partners and consultants for Testina, the newly opened milanese trattoria in Hong Kong, in collaboration with his long time friends of Trippa Trattoria in Milan.
Speciality
Spirits, Sake
From
Hong Kong
Company
Certa
Position
Business Development Manager – Italian Spirits
Website
http://www.sake-central.com
Contact
matteos.ceravolo@certa.com.hk
Facebook
@matteo.s.ceravolo
Instagram
@matteo_s_ceravolo
[2023] Micky Chan
Micky Chan is actively involved in the wine and sake industry across Greater China as an educator, writer, consultant and international judge. He is the co-founder of Hong Kong Wine Academy, and the chairperson of the Federation of Japanese Sake Industry of Hong Kong.
Micky gained the title of “Sake Samurai” in 2017, and was also appointed by the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association as Overseas Support Desk (Asia). Regarding qualifications, He holds WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits, Certified Sommelier, Certified Specialist of Wines and Accredited Bordeaux Educator; Certified Sake Sommelier, Kikisake-shi and holds WSET Level 3 Award in Sake.
Speciality
Wine, Sake
From
Hong Kong
Company
Hong Kong Wine Academy
Position
Principal Lecturer
Facebook
@mickywinewine
Instagram
@sakesamurai_mickychan
Wechat
@酒武士Micky
[2023] Mike Tse
From Hong Kong to Bordeaux, Mike has worked with the many guises of wine, including wine auctions, hospitality, winemaking and now, wine trade. Early on, Bordeaux won his heart and he was glad to be the first ever Asian to work in Chateau La Conseillante. With just 4 years of tasting experience, Mike passed the WSET Diploma in 2021 attaining a mark of Merit. He is now working as a Buyer at Ginsberg + Chan Wine Merchants Asia, he’s responsible on Buying & logistic matters with some merchandising duties.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Ginsberg + Chan Wine Merchants Asia
Position
Wine Buyer
Website
https://ginsbergchan.com/pages/meet-the-team
Contact
mike@ginsbergchan.com
[2023] Phenol Mak
Phenol Mak’s journey into the wine industry began in 2015 at Le Quinze Vins which sparkled his passion later to work as a sommelier, eventually achieved Advanced Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2023.
With love in Italian Cuisine and Wine Culture, currently he is working with Chef Angelo Aglianó in Michelin starred restaurant Tosca di Angelo in the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong as Head Sommelier.
His working experience also includes sommelier at the prestigious French restaurant, l’Envol in the St. Regis Hotel, Head Sommelier at andō, also one of the head Sommeliers in Black Sheep Restaurants working alongside Arnaud Bardary MS.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Tosca di Anelo
Position
Head Sommelier
Facebook
Phenol Mak
Instagram
@phenolmak
[2023] Philip Wong
Philip is an accountant turned wine specialist. The attributes of an accountant reinforce him to look for evidence in each wine he tasted that expresses its origin and reflects the underlying culture, climate, soil, winemaking practice and beyond.
His passion lies in wines from all around the world. Having attained DipWSET, Philip was also awarded the Wine Australia Prize for the Asia-Pacific region. As an MWM Wine School Educator, he has been organising tasting workshops with a focus on Australian, Canadian and Japanese wines and a speaker at numerous local and international wine fairs and events. He has his own wine blog and contributes articles to newspapers and wine magazines regularly. He is also as a wine and management consultant to various restaurants in Hong Kong.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Wine Matters
Position
Wine Consultant
Website
http://www.winemattershk.com
Facebook
@winematters123
Instagram
@pwinematters
Wechat
@w515203
[2023] Rex Leung
Rex Leung was the Head Sommelier at Hansik Goo and Whey. He started out in the F&B industry as a food runner in a 400-person capacity restaurant located on the Peak in 2011. He counts under his belt positions in some of the most prestigious restaurants in Hong Kong, including Amber and COBO House. Throughout over 10 year of his F&B career, five as a sommelier, Rex remains true to his mantra of remaining passionate and committed to acquiring greater knowledge and experience in wine. He hopes to continue on his educational journey and vision into classic fine wines and upbeat low-intervention, natural wines. He is now based in the United Kingdom.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Hansik Goo and Whey
Position
Head Sommelier
Instagram
@somm_trex
[2023] Ringo Lam
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ringo is the Head Sommelier of OBH F&B Group. With over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Ringo has cultivated a professional knowledge in the food and beverage field. Her wine program awarded as the “Best by the Glass Wine List in Greater China” 2014 and Ringo loves to share her passionate about wines with everyone.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
La Galet
Position
Head Sommelier
Instagram
@ringo.lam_somm
[2023] Sebastien Chevalier
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Hong Kong Jockey Club
Position
Head of Wine
Contact
sebastien.c.chevalier@hkjc.org.hk
[2023] Stephen Notman
Stephen Notman has lived in Greater China for nine years. He is the founder of Whisky L! Taipei, Shanghai and Beijing. Since its launch in 2009, the Taipei event has become one of the world’s largest whisky festival. Stephen has also contributed to the rise of the whisky investment and collectors market in Hong Kong and holds the position of Chief Whisky Advisor to the Whisky Corporation Hong Kong.
Mentored by some of Scotland’s leading Master Blenders and Distillers, including Whyte and Mackay’s Richard Paterson, Stephen is considered one of Greater China’s leading independent voices on whisky. He works with the Scottish Government to promote Scotch whisky in Mainland China together with the Scotch Whisky Association and Scotch whisky leading brands, focusing on whisky mentorship, protection and training. He contributes to China’s trade drinks magazine, DRiNK, and represents Taiwan on the World Whisky Awards judging panel. He became the world’s youngest serving Keeper of the Quaich in 2012 and received high commendations from Scotland’s first Minister Alex Salmond and the current incumbent, The Hon Nicola Sturgeon.
Speciality
Spirits
From
United Kingdom
Company
Whisky L!, Taipei, Shanghai & Beijing
Position
Founder
[2023] Terence Wong
Terence Wong is a highly accomplished sommelier who represented China in the 2013 World’s Best Sommelier Competition. He was the first Chinese person to complete the A.S.I. Diploma, which is a prestigious wine education program. Wong served as the Chief Sommelier at L’atelier de Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong from 2013 to 2016. He also holds the title of Advanced Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommelier. With his impressive qualifications and experience, Wong is a respected figure in the world of wine and is considered one of the top sommeliers in China.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Shangri-la Group
Position
Area Sommelier at Island and Kowloon Shangri-la Hotel
Contact
Terence.wong@shangri-la.com
Instagram
@terence1113
[2023] Terry Xu
Terry XU is one of the most influential KOLs in the wine industry with over 600,000 followers on social medial platforms such as WeChat, bilibili, Xiaohongshu etc. He is well known for his profound knowledge of the beverage sector, extensive experience in wine education and wry sense of humour. Terry is also a WSET Diploma holder and WSET Certified Educator.
Speciality
Wine
From
China
Company
Shanghai Aroma Wines
Position
Wine Educator
Weibo
https://m.weibo.cn/u/1222220744?t=0&luicode=10000011&lfid=100103type%3D1%26q%3D%E8%91%A1%E8%90%84%E9%85%92%E5%B0%8F%E7%9A%AE
[2023] Tersina Shieh
A marketer turned winemaker, Tersina’s mission is to promote wine culture in Hong Kong and China, explaining wine in a no-nonsense way and inspiring the average consumer to appreciate and enjoy it. She makes wine, organises wine events, judges wine, writes about wine, and is passionate about wine. She is now based in the United Kingdom.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Position
Wine marketer, Columnist & Winemaker
Website
http://www.tersinashieh.com
Facebook
@tersina.shieh.1
Instagram
@TersinaShieh
Twitter
@tersina
Wechat
@TesinaShieh
[2023] Thomas Ho
Thomas Ho served as Head Sommelier at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant “Le Moût Restaurant (Relais & Châteaux)” from 2010 to 2018 and received the A.S.I. International Sommelier Diploma in 2016. He represented Taiwan in the 15th annual World’s Best Sommelier Competition in Mendoza, Argentina in the same year. In 2017, he had the opportunity to study the sommelier profession with Mr. Gerard Basset in the UK and published the book “PAIROLOGY — A Sommelier’s Guide to Matching Food and Drink” in 2022.
Currently, Thomas is the founder of LE SOMM, a consulting company for 10 well-known Michelin restaurants in Taiwan, including Liberté, Mountain and Sea House, and MUME. He is also an Assistant Professor at the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (NKUHT), where he teaches wine knowledge and the art of the sommelier profession.
Speciality
Wine
From
Taiwan
Company
LE SOMM / NKUHT / Star Wine List
Position
Founder / Assistant Professor / Ambassador
Website
http://www.lesommtw.com
Facebook
thomas.ho.501
Instagram
ho_sommelier
[2023] Wallace Lo
Wallace started his career in the French window in the IFC, things happened really quickly. First he finished the WSET Level 3 at the age of 21. Then Wallace decided to try to participate in competitions. As one of the youngest attendant in the competition, at the age of 23 he was first awarded 1st Runner of The Best Sommelier of Greater China 2012, one year after that he won the Champion of The Best Sommelier of Greater China 2013. And 2nd Runner up of The Best Sommelier of Greater China 2014. In 2015, that was one of the biggest achievements of Wallace. He was attending the “ASI The Best Sommelier of Asia & Oceania 2015” and he was one of the the first Hong Kong’s sommelier to be award on an international stage, he was 1st Runner of “ASI The Best Sommelier of Asia & Oceania 2015” representing Hong Kong and China. And in 2016 he also joined the “ASI The Best Sommelier of the World 2016” in Mendoza representing Hong Kong and China. Ranked 23rd, also one of the first Hong Kong sommelier to be awarded with a ranking.
Besides the competitions, Wallace was also certified with Advance Sommelier by Court of Master Sommelier in 2019.
Speciality
Wine
From
Hong Kong
Company
Mato
Position
Head Sommelier
Contact
Wallace@matocoffeewine.com
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