Copa Jerez UK Finals 2026
Monday 28 September
The three chef and sommelier teams who came on top and will compete at the 2026 UK finals of Copa Jerez are:
- Chef Aaron Blais and Sommelier Léonard Lievin from The Ritz
- Chef Higinio Machado and Sommelier Ben Cardwell from Labombe by Trivet
- Chef Karl O’Dell and Sommelier Jiachen Lu from Cord by Le Cordon Bleu
The three teams will present their expertly crafted menus paired with Sherry wines to judges at the live finals on Monday 28 September, at Orrery by Pierre Minotti in Marylebone.
Teams will prepare and cook their dishes from scratch and present them to the judges alongside their proposed Sherry wine pairings.
The judges
Chef Pierre Minotti who recently became Executive Chef at Orrery by Pierre Minotti having achieved 2 Michelin stars at Alex Dilling at the Hotel Café Royal, Spanish sommelier Julio Sierra, Wine Buyer & Head Sommelier at Orrery by Pierre Minotti, will join 2024 Copa Jerez UK winning sommelier Zoé Donadio on the judging panel, chaired by drinks expert and restaurant writer Douglas Blyde.
