Head sommelier of Yoann Conte's Maison Bleue restaurant in Veyrier-du-Lac (Haute-Savoie), Bastien Debono wins the prize. In two weeks, he won the prize for best sommelier in France and that of sommelier of the year 2025 at Gault & Millau.
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The distinctions keep coming for the young sommelier Bastien Debono. He, who has worked for six years alongside Yoann Conte in his restaurant Maison Bleue in Veyrier-du-Lac (Haute-Savoie), has just been awarded two of the most important prizes in his profession.
It all started on Sunday November 3 when he received the title of “best sommelier in France” following a competition organized by the Union of French Sommellerie (UDSF). “It was my ninth time competing. I've made a lot of semi-finals in the past, but I was up against more experienced competitors. This year I felt more mature,” he describes.
But the young man does not stop there. On November 18, Bastien Debono received the distinction of “sommelier of the year” by the famous gastronomic guide Gault & Millau. A real surprise for the wine specialist who says he is “honored and moved that it was me who came out of the hat.”
If Bastien Debono was able to win these two distinctions, it is also and above all because, according to those close to him, he demonstrates particularly advanced work. “He forces himself to sleep sometimes, otherwise he would never stop.” says star chef Yoann Conte who works alongside him every day. “He is eternally dissatisfied”, he continues.
The young sommelier in fact spends a very large number of hours cultivating himselfer: “I try to dedicate myself every day at least an hour in the morning to study, sometimes at the start of the shift a quarter of an hour to learn little things and in the afternoon, another hour or two. If I haven't done an hour or two hours a day, I'm not happy, that means I haven't been good,” comments Bastien Debono.
A flawless investment, for a passionate man: “There are so many things that thrill me in this profession. First, go see the producers, talk with them. Understand this notion of terroir which is so strong in France and which is part of our values. It truly nourishes the soul,” he exclaims.
As for the rest of his career, for Yoann Conte, there is no doubt: “It's not over. There, he only has two medals but behind, he is going to put them on”, promises the starred chef. In any case, the desire to succeed is still there. The young man has already announced that he will participate in the Court of master sommelier competition in April 2025.
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