Chef Aaron Blais and sommelier Léonard Lievin won with a three-course menu paired with sherries spanning manzanilla, oloroso and moscatel.
Their starter of Orkney scallop, titled Flavours of Pintxos, was paired with Manzanilla Gabriela from Bodegas Sánchez Ayala.
It was followed by pigeon à la presse with petit pois à la España, served with Lustau’s Oloroso Don Nuño.
For dessert, the pair presented a peach and Baron Bigod cheesecake with almond and lemon verbena, paired with Moscatel Dorado from César Florido.
Head judge Douglas Blyde praised the team’s handling of the wines and the tableside presentation of their dishes.
He singled out the dessert, which Blais and Lievin developed after choosing the moscatel and studying its flavours.
“The Ritz’s menu was truly inspiring,” says Blyde. “They showcased sherry as a whole and were the only ones to include a manzanilla and a moscatel. They genuinely brought spectacle and craft directly to the table.”
The final took place yesterday (28 September) at Orrery by Pierre Minotti in Marylebone.
The other finalists were chef Karl O’Dell and sommelier Jiachen Lu from Cord by Le Cordon Bleu, and chef Higinio Machado and sommelier Ben Cardwell from Labombe by Trivet.
Minotti, who was also on the judging panel, says he was impressed by the execution of The Ritz’s dishes and their links to Spain. “The showcase of presenting the dishes in front of us was exceptional.”
Blais and Lievin will compete against teams from seven other countries at the Copa Jerez international final in Jerez in summer next year.