Northcote's Adam Pawlowski becomes master sommelier
Adam Pawlowski, sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurant and country house hotel Northcote, has become a master sommelier.
The qualification, which is widely regarded as one of the hardest diplomas to achieve in in the world, has seen only 220 people pass its exam since its inception in the UK more than 40 years ago.
Pawlowski is the first master sommelier to come from Poland. He passed his theory last year and both his practical and tasting last week.
Commenting on his experience of the process, he 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."
Craig Bancroft, director of wines at Northcote, added: "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 old world, with a huge knowledge base required. A truly incredible achievement."
Pawlowski's previous career highlights include being a finalist in the UK 2011 and 2014 Best Sommelier Competition; winner of the Sud de France Sommelier Competition 2013; runner-up in the South Africa Sommelier Cup 2013; and winner of Polish Best Sommelier 2014.
He also contributed to Northcote's 2013-2014 AA Wine List of The Year award.
Danny Young of Northcote wins North West Young Chef competition >>
Northcote opens cookery school >>
