Judges

Erik Simonics

Group Head Sommelier

Birley Clubs

Erik Simonics is Head of Wine and Beverage at Sunset Hospitality Group. Born and raised in Slovakia, he moved to London in 2010 and started his sommelier career at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, followed by the French fine dining restaurant Orrery. In 2012, he moved to one of the most iconic hotels in London, the Savoy, where he spent 4 years. Erik also looked after the wine programme at the newly opened La Dame de Pic at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square, the restaurant of one of the most famous chefs in the world, Anne Sophie Pic. He was the Head of Wine at Annabel’s private members club in Mayfair before stepping up to the Group Head Sommelier position to oversee all the other Birley Clubs. He gained a BA (Hons) degree in Hospitality Management at the University of West London in 2015 and also successfully passed the WSET Level 3, CSM Certified Sommelier, and Sake Sommelier courses by SSA. In 2013, he was Sommelier of the year in Slovakia. He also won the Wine Bar War of Chile in 2015 and the South African Sommelier Cup in 2016. In 2016, he finished as a Semi-Finalist at the Castle European Young Sommelier Cup. In 2022, he became the first sommelier to gain the Master of Havana Cigars qualification. In 2023, he completed his MBA program at Aston Business School.