Fabio Masi, first classified in the Best Italian Sommelier Competition in 2009 and winner of the title in Switzerland in 2012, works at the Restaurant des Bergues of the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva, where he has lived since 2008.
After graduating from the Carlo Porta Hotel Institute in Milan, Fabio embarked on an interesting career in Europe and the world before arriving in Switzerland.
His debut is in London as a commis sommelier at the Waterside Inn Restaurant followed by the Restaurant Le V of the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris. From Paris to New York at the Restaurant Daniel and then return to Italy to spend a year in Florence at the three Michelin star Enoteca Pinchiorri.
Considering his continuous and important movements, we ask Fabio how important it is for a sommelier to have experiences abroad.
“I have had the good fortune, since hotel management, to do internships abroad. This allows, without a doubt, to learn better the foreign language, to taste wines different from the Italian ones but above all to learn the culture of a different country.
English for our profession (more than a profession, I would say a passion) is fundamental nowadays. An experience in an Anglo-Saxon country therefore becomes fundamental …. for me this was the first objective: to learn English well to communicate with as many people as possible, without having difficulties …
France, afterwards, is a seed for wines …. a professional experience in a French restaurant truly allows you to understand the true Sommellerie from all points of view.
And then you have to get out of our continent. The US has been a 360 degree opening for me. I love the openness of customers in America to taste Spanish, Greek, South African, Chilean, Italian wines.
Here in Europe we are still a bit closed in this respect. I wish there were more international wine lists and more vision from all of us Sommeliers.“