Zuma's Noel Pusch is named Sake Sommelier of the Year

By Richard Siddle

Published: 28 November, 2014

Noel Pusch of premium Japanese restaurant chain Zuma's Abu Dhabi branch has been named Sake Sommelier of the Year at an awards ceremony at London's Westbury Hotel this week.

Sake sommelier finalists help break a cask of sake Sake sommelier finalists help break a cask of sakeFrom left to right: second place Jean-Paul Choi; Masaaki Kasai of Gekkeikan; winner Noel Pusch; and third placed Miguel Hernandez.

Noel Pusch of premium Japanese restaurant chain Zuma's Abu Dhabi branch has been named Sake Sommelier of the Year at an awards ceremony at London's Westbury Hotel this week.

He was chosen during a final day of judging which saw the six semi-finalists put through their paces to come down to a final three. They were then took part in a final which saw them compete in a blind tasting, a sake food matching test, and a service task in front of a panel of judges and invited audience.

Pusch was named the overall winner with runners-up prizes going to Jean-Paul Choi of Origami Restaurant in Luxembourg, second, and Miguel Hernandez of HRK in London in third place.

The competition is run by the Academy of Food & Wine Service (AFWS) and the Sake Sommelier Association (SSA) and featured a panel of judges including Mater Sommelier Gerard Basset MW,

Xavier Chapelou of the Sake Sommelier Association, François Ginther, Partridges of Sloane Square wine and spirits buyer, Kumiko Ohta, Sake Sommelier Association, Laura Rhys MS, MW, La Trompette and Sayaka Watanabe of The Arts Club.

Pusch's prize includes a five-day trip to Japan, worth around £5,000, where he will visit a number of sake breweries and have the opportunity to take the SSA's Advanced Sake Sommelier Course. Pusch was one of the first certified sake sommeliers, graduating in 2009. He has been part of the Zuma group since 2013 starting out at its Dubai restaurant.

Basset said of the winning sommelier: "Noel is very passionate about sake and performed consistently well throughout the competition. He has a broad knowledge of his subject and was particularly good in the blind tasting. He's also very personable - I would like to be served by him."

Xavier Chapelou, founder of the SSA, added: "Although the standard of competitors was exceedingly high, Noel's knowledge and skill made him stand out as a top class sake sommelier."

This year's competition was sponsored by sake producer, Gekkeikan.

Pictured are the three finalists, along with Masaaki Kasai, senior managing director of Gekkeikan, performing the ceremonial opening of the taru (cask) of sake. This 300-year old tradition involves breaking the lid of the cask with a wooden mallet after which the sake is poured into cups with a ladle.

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