UK Copa Jerez finalists revealed

By Lisa Riley

Published: 11 May, 2021

Three chef and sommelier teams have been chosen to attend the UK final for Copa Jerez in London later this month.

The finalists for the 2021 UK final comprise three London restaurants: Orrery, The Ritz and The River Café, with each team having put forward a three course meal that champions Sherry with every course, and also uses Sherry as an ingredient in at least one dish.

Making the selection for the final had “not been easy”, with menus submitted from a variety of restaurants across the UK, from Scotland to Cardiff, said Sherry Wines, who organises the event.

In choosing the finalists the "high quality of cookery", the "variety of Sherry styles chosen" and the "expert food pairing knowledge" was all noted – making for an "even tougher decision", it added.

“There is a balance of menu styles in the teams chosen this year, from intricate fine dining to carefully constructed dishes with texture and intense flavours,” said César Saldaña, Copa Jerez international chair-judge and president of the Consejo Regulador de Jerez y Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

And of course, he added, all of them put Sherry at the heart of the meal. “But now the really tough part comes, choosing the ultimate winner.”

The teams will now go forward in the competition to meet the judges at the final in London at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu on 24 May where they will present their menus in full, explaining why they are Sherry champions.

The results will be announced live on Sherry Wines UK’s twitter account and a full report will appear here, with full details of the finalists here.

The winner will go forward to the international final in Jerez, 8-14 November.