SHERRY SEARCHES FOR STARS

Angeline Bayly

Angeline Bayly

General Manager 20th January 2021
Angeline Bayly

Angeline Bayly

General Manager

SHERRY SEARCHES FOR STARS

Search begins for the UK’s top Sherry-inspired
sommelier and chef teams with the launch of Copa Jerez 2021

Chefs and sommeliers at restaurants across the UK are putting their heads together and combining their skills to create an inventive Sherry-themed menu that will catch the judges’ eyes at the UK heat of the 2021 Copa Jerez. 


The bi-annual competition, which is now in its ninth edition, is organised by Sherry Wines, and invites chef and sommelier teams from the UK to devise a three-course meal that will complement and showcase Sherry wines' versatility. The only proviso is that Sherry must feature as the paired wine for each course and as an ingredient in at least one course, although past contestants have taken the theme much further. 

All entries will be evaluated by a panel of leading food and wine experts, with the three top teams invited to take part in the ‘live’ Copa Jerez UK Final, which is being held in the new Cord Restaurant by Le Cordon Bleu in central London, on Monday 17 May, 2021. Here, the teams will be required to cook their Sherry-inspired menu in front of a panel of judges and a selected audience. 

The winning team will receive a £500 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip to the Sherry region of Jerez, and will represent the UK at the International Competition of Gastronomy and Sherry Pairing, to be held in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain in 2021, where they will compete alongside other finalists from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Russia and Spain.

The international champions in 2019 were from Danish Restaurant Clou* consisting of sommelier Jonathan K Bernsten and chef Martin G Sørensen who were proclaimed the winners of the VIII edition of the international gastronomic event in Jerez. No fewer than eight Michelin stars competed in this spectacular live cooking event in which seven international teams presented their menus paired with Sherry. 

Commenting on this year’s search to find the UK’s best Sherry and food pairing menu, international chair-judge César Saldaña, president of the Consejo Regulador de Jerez y Sanlúcar de Barrameda, said: “Gastronomy in the UK today represents some of the most exciting in the world, which is why each year we receive entries from some outstanding restaurants, many of Michelin star quality. This year we are searching for the UK team who can go forward to the international final to compete with top chefs and sommeliers from seven other countries and triumph to bring home the trophy for the UK. It is a serious competition but we know the UK has a competitive streak and can rise to the challenge.”

To enter of for more information visit: www.sherry.wine/copa-jerez 

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.