Northcote's head sommelier becomes master sommelier

Michelin starred restaurant Northcote Country Hotel has announced that their head sommelier, Adam Pawlowski, has become a master sommelier. 

Widely regarded as one of the hardest diplomas in in the world, with only 220 passing the exam since its inception in the UK more than 40 years ago, it is a huge achievement for Adam and testament to his talent. Adam said:

“It’s been a journey but I really enjoyed the process – this year I was the only successful candidate out of the 24 who sat the exam. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve it without the help of my friends and the support that I have been kindly given by Craig, Nigel and the team at Northcote.”

With three components to the qualification (theory, practical and tasting), candidates have three years to pass and must start again if they do not succeed. Adam passed his theory last year and both his practical and tasting on 31^st October. He is the first master sommelier from Poland and only the 220th in the world.

The achievement adds to Adam’s already impressive collection of accolades. He won the Sud de France Sommelier Competition 2013 and Polish Best Sommelier 2014. He also helped Northcote to secure the covetable 2013-2014 AA Wine List of The Year for its quality and ability to inspire customers to make more adventurous choices.  Craig Bancroft, director of wines at Northcote, said:

“Nigel (Haworth) and I are over the moon for Adam: he’s totally driven and dedicated and his hard work has paid off. We’re also proud of the wine team for providing a good platform for Adam with regular tastings that helped to develop his palette. Becoming a master sommelier is even harder to achieve now than it was when it was first introduced, as the wine world has expanded beyond the old world, with a huge knowledge base required. It’s a truly incredible achievement.”

Adam will continue working alongside Craig in developing Northcote’s wine lists and growing its ever-evolving cellar. The news is a huge personal win for Adam and a collective win for Northcote.

By Tom Evans