24-year-old Margaux Balemans from Vosselaar (Antwerp Province) has won the title of ‘Best Sommelier of Belgium 2024’. Ms Balemans is a sommelier at the celebrated Sangliers des Ardennes restaurant in Durbuy (Wallonia). A sommelier or wine waiter recommends the best wines to accompany a customer's dish. Ms Balemans studied at Hotel School Ter Groene Poorte in Bruges (West Flanders).
The Belgian Guild of Sommeliers awarded the prize at the Horeca Expo, a hospitality industry trade fair, in Ghent on Sunday. A total of 10 candidates were in the race. After theoretical and practical tests, three finalists were selected.
Last year, Margaux Balemans just missed out on first place, but this year she was crowned as winner and may call herself the 'Best Sommelier of Belgium' all year. She beat Vincent Pharazijn of restaurant De Jonkman (Bruges) and Elizio Masson of Hof van Cleve (Kruisem – East Flanders).
Earlier this year, Ms Balemans also won the Young Sommelier Award of Excellence.
Protected title
As of this year, the title ‘Best Sommelier of Belgium’ is officially protected and is the only title recognised both in Belgium and internationally. ‘As a professional organisation, we obviously want to use this competition to draw attention to our wonderful profession. There is a realisation that this is a profession on the occupational shortage list. We want to display our profession in a positive light’ a spokesperson for the guild told VRT.
A sommelier can win the award only once in his or her career. The winner can also compete to be selected for the European and World Sommelier Championships organised by the international sommeliers’ association, the ASI.