Member Article

Manchester sommelier celebrates 50 years in the industry

The term ‘legend’ may be loosely used in today’s society but when describing Polish wine connoisseur George Bergier, this is a word that hits the nail exactly on the head.

Having worked in the world of wines for a record 50 years, George is simply a national treasure. He is one of Manchester’s most popular characters and quite the coup for Best of British orientated Chop House Company, who sensationally won him round to work with them some 10 years ago. To celebrate this incredible anniversary, the Albert Square Chop House will be hosting a celebratory dinner for its guests on 14th February in George’s honour with some of his all-time favourite food such as scallops and cheeses being dished up alongside an accompanying list of complimentary wines. The perfect matchmaker on this special day!

Like George, Manchester has become Chop House Owner Roger Ward’s adopted city, having moved from Birmingham to study geography at Manchester University. He now owns Sam’s and Mr Thomas’s Chop House and the Albert Square Chop House, named after his favourite place in the city. Roger came to Manchester all those years ago for its “good beer and friendly people” and this is something that he has tried to initiate into his chain of restaurants with great success, just like his acquisition of George.

Born in a former camp in Lubeck, Germany in 1946, George’s passion through early struggles of emigration and family troubles has always been wine. From sampling his first ever glass at the age of 19 when a young Waiter at the French embassy in Warsaw, George has enjoyed a remarkable journey exploring a plethora of vineyards from around the world, in search of the finest tastes and new drinking experiences. A feat that has led him to be Food and Beverage Manager at Midlands Hotel, Le Mont, when it was Manchester’s Restaurant of the Year, President of L’Ordre Des Coteaux de Champagne and a three times semi-finalist at the UK Sommelier of the Year awards, a ceremony that George now helps to judge.

A regular at Sam’s Chop House nearly every weekday lunchtime, George is very much one of life’s gentlemen and wants everybody to be able to discover for themselves the pleasure of distinguished wines and their successful food pairings.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jo Leah .