Finding the best wine waiter in Vietnam

Quarter-finals of the ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023 competition - Photo: BTC

The winner of the competition will have the opportunity to represent Vietnam at the Asia-Pacific Best Sommelier 2025 competition held in Kuala Lumpur in 2025.

If Vietnam continues to win, it will represent the region in international competitions.

Wine knowledge ties in with other essential culinary skills

According to Ms. Khanh, with the extremely rich development of Vietnamese cuisine today, the need to develop the wine industry is necessary.

The idea of ​​the competition is not only to improve knowledge about wine but also to include essential service skills, cuisine and other beverages such as: tea, coffee, cheese, cocktails, spirits, sake...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh - President of Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association - speaking at the event - Photo: HO LAM

"In addition to basic skills, we have made requests to the organizers to help candidates deepen their knowledge of researching dishes that go well with wine," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh.

Contestants will have the opportunity to understand more about wine through developing tasting skills; connecting, inspiring and developing the wine and culinary business of the country...

In addition to competing, contestants also get to meet and interact with leading experts in the wine industry.

The competition invited a number of important judges such as: Ms. Saiko Tamura-Soga - Vice President of the International Sommelier Association ASI, in charge of the Asia-Pacific region; Mr. Giuseppe Vaccarini - Chairman of the ASI Examination and Education Committee, President of the Association of Italian Professional Sommeliers - ASIP...

When participating in the competition, candidates will attend training courses on wine tasting skills, taste, knowledge of grape growing regions, wine production... to have enough foundation of skills to "fight" in the international region.

Contestants participating in the quarter-finals of the competition - Photo: Organizing Committee

Hope Vietnam develops wine industry

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Khanh Vi, vice president of the Vietnam Sommelier Association (VSA) and Saigon Sommelier Association (SSA), said that in the Vietnamese market, studying and obtaining advanced wine certificates is more difficult than in neighboring countries and territories such as Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan...

Khanh Vi, Vice President of the Vietnam Sommelier Association (SVA), shared at the press conference - Photo: HO LAM

"Currently, there are several institutions in Vietnam that are teaching wine courses called WSET (Wines and Spirit Education Trust). This is an internationally recognized degree course. In Vietnam, there are currently only 3 levels of training.

The highest level, the WSET Diploma, has not been taught yet for many reasons such as: the number of participants is still small, teaching costs are high and it is necessary to invite lecturers from abroad.

In addition, the formal education system in Vietnam does not yet provide training in wine service (Sommelier). Universities only include wine as a subject throughout the students' years of study" - Vi shared.

Khanh Vi hopes that in the future, units can consider Vietnam as a potential market for wine certification and training.

According to Vi, for places like Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea... if you want to work as an assistant Sommelier at a restaurant, you need at least a level 2 diploma from WSET or a level 1 (also known as Introductory Sommelier) from CMS (Court of Master Sommelier).

If you want to work at a higher position, you need to have at least level 3 of WSET or level 2 (also known as Certified Sommelier) of CMS.

In addition to qualifications, achieving high rankings or winning wine competitions is also extremely important.

Under the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, the Vietnam Sommelier Association (VSA) and the Saigon Sommelier Association (SSA) organize the competition for the Best Wine Server in Vietnam 2024.

The competition will be held every 3 years, with the aim of creating a professional environment to improve knowledge and professional skills for those who are working or have a passion for the wine industry and introducing a new profession to young people working in the culinary field in Vietnam.

The competition is organized in the following forms: writing, interview, service practice and wine tasting, including 3 rounds: quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals.

The final will take place on August 14, 2024.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/di-tim-nguoi-phuc-vu-ruou-vang-gioi-nhat-viet-nam-20240801130446064.htm