So what do you actually do to prep when your everyday job is providing that beautiful service as a sommelier in a top restaurant and hotel?

Yeah.

It's, it's a really hard one to prepare for.

I mean, when you have exams, you're told what you're gonna do.

You know the level of knowledge you need, and you know what you might do for the practical tasks.

For a competition, they can throw anything at you, so it's just about being as prepared as possible for anything that's coming your way, and knowing how you can pivot in different situations, and knowing that you're listening to the tasks.

Do you have knowledge of spirits? Do you have knowledge of cocktails, knowledge of beers, cigars, different dishes from different countries? You know, it, it, it's the whole realm.

Can we go back to that? How many different faults were you expected to identify?

A day or so after her victory, she told me how she prepared for the gruelling contest.

Competition knowledge is very different to exam knowledge, but it's not too far removed.

So I set my advanced back in 2024 and passed it then.

And I've retained all that flashcards and all this knowledge or the knowledge I had from that.

And Really, I knuckled down the last few months.

I was doing some training here and there.

And also, when I'm at work, I'm consistently upskilling, attending as many masterclasses as I can.

Just tell us how Stefan has helped you and how you've prepared for the blind tasting element.

Just tell us about your own wine journey.

Yeah.

So I am a Kiwi, um, so from Auckland in New Zealand.

Um, so I always was kind of working in hospitality back at home, even when I was a teenager.

You know, I started out as a dishwasher, so, like, I really started from the bottom, and I kind of worked in a few different roles.

You know, I also worked at an event center.

We would do banqueting, um, do barista skills.

And do you have to pinch yourself that, I mean, you're not just a wine director, which in itself is quite a title, you're at Claridge's.

Just tell us about your own wine journey.

Yeah, so I am a Kiwi, so from Auckland in New Zealand.

So I always was kind of working in hospitality back at home, even when I was a teenager.

You know, I started out as a dishwasher, so like I really started from the bottom.

And I kind of worked in a few different roles.

You know, I also worked at an event center.

We would do banqueting, do barista skills.

You're at Claridge's.