Camilleri won having beaten Gareth Ferreira and Julia Sewell in a close fought final at the Savoy hotel today.
Core by Clare Smyth head sommelier Ferreira placed second, while Fat Duck sommelier Sewell was third in the competition, organised by The Caterer and sponsored by Moët & Chandon Champagne.
Commenting on his win, Five Fields London head sommelier Camilleri said: “It’s been a long journey. Those that know me know how important this is to me.
“I arrived in the UK five years ago from Paris and I thought I’d stay one year to improve my English.
“But I’ve met fantastic people that have believed in me and trained me and I’ve managed to achieve this. This is true happiness. I just wanted to show everyone how much I love this job. It’s a true passion.”
Having won, Camilleri will benefit from mentoring programme and an all-expenses-paid educational trip to one of Europe’s top vineyards provided by Matthew Clark, and a Coravin wine preservation system.
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Editors Note: On behalf of the South African wine industry and partners we would like to congratulate Gareth Ferreira, who hails from South Africa, on his wonderful achievement. In January 2016 Gareth took top honours at the first Best Sommelier in South Africa and represented his home country at the World Best Sommelier competition in Mendoza, Argentina. Gareth is also a member of the South African Sommeliers Association.