Eric Beaumard
Eric Beaumard credits his grandparents with sparking his interest in gastronomy. He cooked with them as a boy, absorbing their passion for flavour and their appreciation of the harmony between food and wine.
At the age of 14, he commenced an apprenticeship as a cook, and he soon began educating himself in "the magic of associating the gastronomic and wine worlds." Beaumard switched his focus to wine, and by the age of 20 he had reinvented himself as a sommelier.
"'Sommellerie' is not only my job but also my passion," he explains. "I love travelling throughout French vineyards, meeting the wine producers and discovering and tasting new treasures."
Beaumard executes his passion with a fervent enthusiasm and individuality. He is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the business and has won a string of titles during his 20-year career, including Best Sommelier in Europe, 1994, and was named Sommelier of the Year by his peers in Le Chef magazine in 2003.
Beaumard was responsible for creating Le Cinq's 50,000-bottle wine cellar, which represents the rich diversity of the great vineyards of France and the rest of the world, and has overseen its daily operations since it opened in 1999. As Le Cinq guests can attest, he has mastered the art of pairing just the right wine with a particular dish to create the most delectable and memorable dining experience.
