Stéphane Gass is "Sommelier of the Year 2026"

BAIERSBRONN : Stéphane Gass, sommelier at the Schwarzwaldstube in the Traube Tonbach, has been named "Sommelier of the Year 2026" by Les Grandes Tables du Monde. The award was announced at the annual congress of the international restaurant association in Athens. Gass has been responsible for the wine service at the traditional hotel in Baiersbronn for over three decades.

Stéphane Gass, head sommelier at the three-star Schwarzwaldstube restaurant in the Traube Tonbach, has been named "Sommelier of the Year 2026" by Les Grandes Tables du Monde. The award recognises work that has grown over decades - while always keeping the guest in mind. "What I still enjoy most about my job is the special interplay between wines, cuisine and service. Everything has to work together to make it a special experience. The best moment is when you realise that the guest feels understood. That's what makes my job so interesting," emphasises Stéphane Gass.

The award for Gass was announced in mid-October at the annual congress of the international restaurant association in Athens. Les Grandes Tables du Monde, founded in 1954, brings together over 200 of the world's leading restaurants in 28 countries. The association is exclusive: new members require recommendations; new admissions are decided by an elected steering committee. In addition to the annual expansion of the network, the association awards special prizes, including for sommelier, service, patisserie and mixology.

This year's "Sommelier of the Year" has been working in the Black Forest for 35 years. "I came to wine through a blind tasting - when I was 17, at a school competition in Alsace. The prize was a meal in a two-star restaurant, and after that I realised: this is my path," recalls Gass. After working for Alain Ducasse at "Louis XV", Émile Jung at "Crocodile" and Antoine Westermann at "Buerehiesel", he came to Tonbachtal as a young sommelier in 1990 - and stayed. "I came to the Traube Tonbach back then to gain experience. I stayed because I found the freedom here to live out my passion for special wines and regions with our guests. I never took that for granted," reveals the Alsatian-born chef. One year after joining the Schwarzwaldstube, he became head sommelier, and since 2009 he has also been responsible for the wine shop and wine purchasing at Traube Tonbach. Today, he works closely with head chef Torsten Michel.

Gass describes the development of his wine list as a search for substance, not effect. "Many guests today are more curious and open to wines that are not immediately on their radar. I like that - we can show more." In addition to mature vintages and vintners' champagnes full of character, he likes to focus on smaller growing regions, lesser-known grape varieties and independently curated non-alcoholic accompaniments. "I'm interested in winemakers and wines that are a little off the beaten track. For my menu, I consciously look for smaller regions, my own signature and a fair calculation - this also remains in the minds of guests," reveals the Sommelier of the Year, who was also honoured with the Sommelier Award from the Michelin Guide in 2024.

Both awards are also a sign of the consistency with which work is carried out at Traube Tonbach. "Stéphane Gass is not someone who seeks the big stage. He likes to put others centre stage - our guests as well as the winegrowers whose wines he selects. In his calm, experienced manner and with enormous background knowledge of each wine, he confidently guides us through the service - and has characterised our Schwarzwaldstube for decades," praises Sebastian Finkbeiner, Managing Director and co-owner of the hotel, who accepted the award in Athens on behalf of Stéphane Gass.