Gareth Ferreira became the first sommelier to win the inaugural South African Best Sommelier competition - held at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town on 11 Jan 2016, and was a semi-finalist in the World's Best Sommelier Championships in May 2016.
His CV is impressive and he came especially from London to compete for the SA title. Here is the way he introduces himself:
After 2 years of working at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples Florida in restaurants I began my wine career at the Ritz-Carlton in Doha Qatar working in the wine bar and fine dining restaurant in the hotel. On returning to South Africa in 2010 I started working at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, first as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager and later on as Hotel Sommelier, during this time I passed my certified sommelier exam with the Court of Master Sommeliers and represented South Africa at the Chaine des Rotisseurs international sommelier competition in Athens, Greece,
Following this position I spent 14 months as Senior sommelier at the World famous Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai during which time I passed my Advanced Sommelier exam with the court of master sommeliers, I then returned to the Saxon Hotel as Head Sommelier & Beverage Manager and in November 2014 I took a sommelier position at the Michelin starred Launceston Place Restaurant in London, after 6 months i was promoted to head sommelier, at Launceston Place I managed to win the Wine of Australia Blind Tasting Competition open to all sommeliers and trade in London, was runner up in the Imbibe sommelier Challenge, and received the prestigious Acorn Award which honours the 30 brightest hospitality stars in the U.K. under 30 years of age.
Recently I have taken up a position at a wine focused private members club with one of the most extensive wine list in Europe, 67 Pall Mall as Assistant Head Sommelier under the tutelage of Master Sommelier Ronan Sayburn.
Gareth Ferreira, sets an outstanding example in the hospitality world, having just finished 2nd in the London regional leg of 2017 UK Sommelier of the Year, after reaching the semi-finals of the World's Best Sommelier in Argentina in 2016. Gareth took the honours in January 2016 at the first Best Sommelier of South Africa competition, with JV coming a close second. The World's Best Sommelier competition takes place only every 3 years, and Gareth was one of 55 experienced competitors. Watch Gareth tasting wines blind at the 2016 World Champs HERE.