Mikaël Grou: On His Way to the World Championship

Switzerland now knows the name of the person who will represent it at the upcoming ASI World Sommelier Championship. It is Mikaël Grou, head sommelier at the Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues in Geneva, who previously won the title in 2025. On Friday, June 26, in Crans-Montana, he won the national selection held at Les Roches Global Hospitality University, defeating Tony Lécuroux MS. This demanding competition—combining theory, blind tastings, and practical challenges—was organized under the technical supervision of Paolo Basso, 2013 World’s Best Sommelier and national president of theSwiss Association of Professional Sommeliers. A unique feature of this year’s competition: for the first time, the practical tests took place during an actual fine-dining service at the Substance restaurant, in front of guests from the wine industry, institutions, and the media. This was not merely a staged event, but an immersion in the most precise demands of the sommelier’s craft: knowledge, technique, attentiveness, poise, and the ability to remain composed under pressure. This milestone is significant for Mikaël Grou, who continues his journey with discretion and high standards, but also for the Swiss sommelier community, which continues—often away from the spotlight—to carve out a place for itself on the international stage