Acorn winners 2012 – Edouard Oger

Age 27

Position Head sommelier, Gidleigh Park, Chagford

Nominator Andrew Foulkes

Proudest career moment Becoming a master sommelier in 2011.

Greatest inspiration Master sommeliers Gerard Basset and Dimitri Mesnard inspired me first in this country as I generally believe they are not only great sommeliers but they also look after their guests and staff. And they are also very humble.

Ambition I will stay on the floor for another five to 10 years, but I would like to move into a group role, such as wine and spirit manager for a company. I'm also thinking about doing my Masters of Wine.

Edouard Oger took his sommelier certificate in 2003, then honed his skills by working as a commis sommelier in Michelin-starred restaurants in his native France. In the UK, he worked his way up to sommelier and head sommelier at hotel groups such as Hotel du Vin and Malmaison and in 2005 was certified sommelier by the court of Master Sommeliers.

In 2008, he settled as head sommelier at two-Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park, soon achieving the status of advanced sommelier. In 2011, Edouard became a master sommelier and was voted Best Master Sommelier, having scooped the highest scores within his peer group. At Gidleigh Park he is in charge of three sommeliers and has created and manages a wine list of 1,300 bins. Last year, he exceeded his target of £750,000 for beverage revenue with a gross operating profit of 70%.