The full list of judges Name: Alina Beata Zbierajewska Title: Trade Marketing Manager - Wine Restaurant/Hotel:Independent Wine & Spirit (Thailand) Co.,Ltd Bio: My journey with wines started in Italy where I completed Sommelier courses with FISAR /Italian Association of Hoteliers and Sommeliers and worked for 7 years before moving to Asia in 2012 and working in Indonesia, India and now in Thailand. Name: Aekapong Anthony Pansuwannakee Title: Wine Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Central Wine Cellars Bio: After fourteen years working with Thai Airways, Anthony decided to pursue his sommelier dreams and enrolled for his wine studies at the ICC in New York, USA. He has been a CMS Certified Sommelier since September 2017 and has begun his new career as the Wine Director & Contributor for Robb Report Magazine (Thailand). In December 2018, Anthony left the publication and entered the retail business by joining Central Wine Cellars on his new role as a Wine Sommelier in one of Thailand’s largest wine store chain. Name: Andreas Pergher Title: Beverage Director Restaurant/Hotel: Bunker Name: Banyat Chinpinyokul Title: Hotel Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Bio: Hotel Sommelier at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok with 9 years in wines & restaurant, including Le Normandie (2 ster Michelin). In 2013 Award 1st runner up in professional sommelier in Thailand called Pro Somm, 2014 Best Sommelier of Thailand, and 2015 finalist of Best Sommelier in Asia & Oceania in Hong Kong as well as finalist of Best Sommelier in Southeast Asia at Bangkok. Name: Chaiyaporn Phantuvadeethon Title: Chief Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Landmark Hotel Bangkok Bio: The 24 years of experience in hotel hospitality. Certified Sommelier WSET 2 from Wine & Spirit Education Trust Name: Giulio Saverino Title: Founder Restaurant/Hotel: About Eatery/ Wine & About Bio: Managing Director of About Eatery. Certified Sommelier from A.I.S. (Italian Association of Sommelier), part of W.S.A. (World Sommelier Association). Graduated from Hotel Management School of Pinerolo, Italy and worked in some of the most prestigious Hotels and Restaurants in Europe, Russia and Asia. Wine for me had always been something very important for my profession and career and still is. Name: Fredrik Wohlrabe Title: Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Gaa Bio: Born 1978 in Halmstad, Sweden, I would work at various different jobs after school. I was first introduced to the restaurant business in 2001 at 23 years old when I started to work in a pub in my hometown. After some years working and traveling, I decided to pursue my F&B career full time. In 2005, I moved to Stockholm and started working in some more high-end restaurants. My journey started at Grand Hotel, Sweden’s No. 1 5-star hotel moving on to F-12, a 1 Michelin star restaurant. This was the restaurant I got me interested in working with wonderful wines and pairings. I really fell in love with wine for the very first time here. After working at various high profile restaurants for 5 years, I landed a job at Operakällaren, Sweden’s national restaurant, which was awarded with a Michelin star with 1,350 labels on the wine list. I spent 3 years, meeting many top wine makers of the world. This job also took me to different parts of Europe to visit the winemakers. In 2014, I took my sommelier diploma at Vinkällans beverage education Step 1 and 2 and passed all exams at the first attempt. After my exams, I became the Head Sommelier at Miss Clara Hotel as well as worked as a consultant, helping restaurants with their wine programs and building wine cellar lists. In 2019, I moved to Thailand to take on a position of Head Sommelier at Restaurant Gaa, a 1-Michelin star restaurant in Bangkok. Name: Jim Barbeau Title: Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Suhring Bio: I'm originally from Paris, Did my Sommelier studies in Rhone-Valley, moved to live in London shortly after where i worked for Hakkasan group then Mandarin Oriental stayed for about 8 years before moving to Bangkok last year to work in Suhring. Name: Jordan Cortes Title: Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Iconic Wines Bio: Borned and raised in 1982 in Spain, I started my career at the age of 21 years old in a wine bar in my hometown in the province of Asturias. Since then, I was pushing myself to learn and study developing my career into in prestigious Hotels and Michelin restaurants. In 2011, moving to London I met plenty of professional people from different backgrounds and I worked in several places, ending up in 2013 at L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon. Having satisfied a period of three years and after finished my WSET Level 2 and 3, I had a chance to come to Bangkok and take at L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon the role of Head Sommelier where I have spent another two years. In the meantime I started in 2017 my DipWSET Level 4 in Hong Kong while I was gaining the certification of Sommelier in Sherry Wines in April 2018 by the Council of Jerez (Spain). Having passed all the exams at the first attempts, I am about to reach the last one on 28th of October 2019 to achieve the title. As well to become Cava Educator by the Institut of Cava the same month. Currently I work for ICONIC WINES – Thailand (Spanish importer and distributor) Due to my passion for wine I have 3 partners under ‘Le Trois Courtiers S.L’ making wine in four appellations in Spain (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rias Baixas and Bierzo) Name: Pairach Intaput Title: President Restaurant/Hotel: Thai Sommelier & Gastronomy Association Bio: President: Association of Thai Sommelier. CCT: Chevalier du Tastevin de Bourgogne Well known in the food and beverage business for more than 20 years. The Best Sommelier of Thailand 1996 and the first and only person in Thailand to receive an Official Burgundy Wine Instructor Certified by Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne-BIVB and an Accredited Bordeaux Wine Educator Certified by Conseil Interprofessionel des vins de Bordeaux- CIVB., John Robert Powers (Thailand) Instructor, Wine Judge at IWSCHK, Veronafier, Wine Columnist (Thailand Restaurant News) and taster panel for Thai Airways (1996-present). Name: Pattarapol Ponraritt Title: Head Wine Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: BANGKOK MARRIOTT MARQUIS QUEEN’S PARK Bio: Mr. Pattarapol Ponraritt is a head wine sommelier for Bangkok Marriott Marquis queen’s park. He has over 8 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, beginning with a part of beverage team as a bartender with Marriott Courtyard Phuket. He learns all about beverage and fall in love with wine. He learn more about gastronomy experience with Renaissance, Pullman G (Scarlett wine bar) and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok. Name: Pakpoom Towatcharakun Title: Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Shangri - La Hotel, Chiang Mai Bio: I started my hospitality career in 2007 and self-developed myself towards a wine expert. I passed my certificated Sommelier in 2016 and passed the WSET Level 3 the year after. In the course of my career I have competed and won all Sommelier competitions that are available in Thailand. Furthermore I have proudly represented Thailand on oversea Sommelier competitions such as Best French Sommelier in Malaysia and most recently during the Asia Oceania Best Sommelier in Japan. I am the first Thai person who has reached the finals and eventually claimed the third place in the South East Asia Best Sommelier competition in Indonesia 2016. I have been working in several luxury hotels such as “Soneva Kiri” a 6 star resort in Trat. The Okura Prestige Hotel Bangkok and the one Michelin stared restaurant “L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon”. Besides my extensive wine expertise, I have a broad knowledge in cheese, Sake and cocktail. I am very proactive, highly effective at anticipating; accommodating the guest’s needs and delighting them with my flair. Experienced in large-scale wine events as such Grand Wine tastings, banqueting services and intimate gourmet dining. My goal is to develop the Thai Sommelier profession to be internationally recognized and valued. I was the representative of Thai Sommelier who was participate in The World Best Sommelier competition in Antwerp Belguim in March 2019. Name: Rasmus Poll Title: Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel: Central Group Bio: Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Rasmus Poll entered the hospitality industry as a dishwasher at the age of 13, and has been trapped in it ever since. He is a Senior Member of the Danish Sommelier Union and has held sommelier positions in a wide range of establishments, slinging bottles in everything from wine bars, high volume restaurants, Michelin-starred restaurants and retail. Name: Sanjog Modgil Title: President Restaurant/Hotel: President of FBAT Bio: FBAT is the premier networking organization for Hospitality professionals in Bangkok (Thailand) Name: Sunthorn Lapmul Title: Sales Manager Restaurant/Hotel: Wine Dee Dee Bio: Sunthorn started his service career in 2003 at Dusit Thani Bangkok as Restaurant Supervisor then moved up to Restaurant Manager of D’Sens where he learned French fine dining service. In 2005, he started to study Wines with Association Italian Sommelier (AIS) from Level 1 to Level 3 and get involved with all Wine activities of the hotel such as Wine Tasting, Wine Dinner, ect. In 2010 joined as Sommelier team of a Luxury Oceania Cruises Line base in USA. Here he earned international Sommelier knowledge and service in fine dining and attended of all company’s wine and Sommelier training program. After gained some of experience, Sunthorn returned back to his country in 2013 and started worked as Hotel Sommelier at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok. During this time, he finished his WSET level 3 advance in the tasting part and created a lot of wine activities in the hotel. End of 2017, Sunthorn move to try something new in the tread and wine distributor company, Wine Dee Dee Group as Director of Marketing to expanded his experience of wine where he always believed that the wine Name: Supapong Mekprasart Title:Beverage Manager / Head Sommelier Restaurant/Hotel:Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Bio: In charge of all beverage-related matters at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok including 8 restaurants and bars, events and outside catering. Selected Wine Committee for Thai Airways First, Business and Economy Class Wine Selections in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Key member of organising team for James Suckling’s Great Wines Of Italy in Bangkok, Thailand’s biggest premium Italian wine tasting 2014, 2015 and 2016. Name: Thanakorn Mankit Title: Group Sommelier Foodie-Collection Restaurant/Hotel: il Fumo Charcoal & Cocktail Bio: Group Sommelier for Il Fumo restaurant and bar group including Vesper restaurant and bar, and La dotta restaurant. Assistant Manager and Sommelier at Il Fumo. Started his love for wine over 10 years ago and has a passion for creating wine lists, cost control, finding new wines and educating staff. Name: Vishvas Sidana Title: Food and Beverage Director Restaurant/Hotel: Haoma Bio: Vishvas Sidana, an accomplished and certified wine sommelier, holds immense knowledge on wine and beverage and is passionate about it beyond just being a subject. He is driven by the vastness and the universe of beverage out there. His passion and finesse show in his work and he gains this from over 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Sidana, 31, currently leads the food and beverage programming at HAOMA, Bangkok as their F&B Director and Head Sommelier. At Haoma, he intends to enhance the dining experience along with Chef Deepanker, popularly known as, “DK” Khosla, to create experiential beverage pairings unlike none. He follows no rules and follows his instinct and his gift of understanding and mixing flavors. One of his unusual experiments include mixing of Mezcal and Grower Producer Champagne, something that the diners truly loved and found unique. Vishvas started his career with The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts & later graduated from the Oberoi Center of Learning and Development. He soon was rewarded for his excellence at work and was promoted to the Restaurant Manager and Head Sommelier at “Le Cirque” at The Leela Palace, Chanakayapuri, New Delhi. It was then, he then decided to pursue ‘Intensive Sommelier Training’ at the ‘International Culinary Center, California’. He also cleared the ‘Certified Sommelier’ examination from ‘The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas’, giving him an edge over the regular wine courses and trainings in India. After staging for multiple Michelin restaurants in the Bay Area (California), he joined ROOH in San Francisco as the Beverage Director. He designed the award-winning cocktail program there and the wine program achieved ‘Award of Excellence’ from Wine Spectator. This wealth of experience makes him a multi-tasking individual with strong management skills. Before making the move to Haoma, Vishvas consulted a Microbrewery & Craft Cocktail Bar – Thirsty City 127, Mumbai, India for their wine menu. The menu is a terroir list and is an expression of his passion and love for the makers of wine. While having a full-time senior role at Haoma, he is also pursuing further studies in wine and is preparing for the ‘Advance Sommelier’ level. He envisions himself becoming a Master Sommelier on clearing the toughest exam in the world, one day. Vishvas is looking forward to setting up his own winery in Okanagan Valley (British Colombia, Canada) and would soon share the love of Chardonnay with people across the globe. Name: Walter Giomi Title: Riedel Brand Manager Restaurant/Hotel: Bangkok Beer & Beverages Bio: Grew up in the family Restaurant business in Rome, Italy. I started to serve the first tables when I was 13 years old, learning a lot about the F&B World from customer as well as older colleagues. While I was finishing high-school and University I kept working in many other Restaurants-Bar in town also having the chance to attend the First Wine Certification when I was 19. Currently working at Bangkok Beer & beverages (started in 2013) managing Italian Wines, Riedel Glassware an Coravin brands. I'm also a Certified WSET Educator for Level 1 and Level 2 and I'm currently studying to get WSET Diploma (Level 4). I define myself as a Lifelong Learning person.