Switzerland’s Best Sommelier Joins Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva

From the windswept coast of Brittany to the refined shores of Lake Geneva, Mikael Grou has built a remarkable career defined by passion, precision, and global wine knowledge. Now, recently named Best Sommelier in Switzerland 2025, Grou steps into his new role as Beverage Director at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, where he brings not only award-winning expertise but also a deep love of hospitality and storytelling.

“I’m still discovering things. I think I always will,” says Grou, a statement that encapsulates the curiosity and humility with which he has approached every step of his journey. That journey has taken him around the world, with key positions at acclaimed restaurants and luxury hotels in Paris, London, Melbourne, Lausanne, and Cambodia, including early formative years at the Michelin-starred restaurants of Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.

Now returning to the Four Seasons family, Grou is set to lead as Beverage Director at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva. He will be responsible for all dining venues, including Michelin-starred Il Lago, Izumi restaurant, and the Hotel’s Bar des Bergues and event spaces. Managing a cellar of nearly 1,000 labels, Grou curates a selection that highlights exceptional wines from Geneva, Burgundy, as well as emerging New World producers from Australia and New Zealand.

More than a sommelier, Grou is a storyteller. “When you can talk to guests about meeting the winemaker and walking the vineyard, it paints an inviting picture,” he says. For him, wine is a personal experience, one that begins long before the bottle is opened.

Raised in Brittany, Grou was inspired by his mother’s love of fine dining and her belief in the emotional power of a well-crafted meal. Originally set on becoming a chef, Grou pursued formal training in hospitality and restaurant management before a teacher changed the course of his life. “He gave me the virus,” Grou recalls fondly. “He showed me how a dining room is like a stage, every visit to the table is a performance.” That same teacher later secured him a prestigious internship at the George V, which evolved into a permanent position and seven-year tenure, culminating in the role of Second Sommelier.

At Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, Grou leads a team of sommeliers with a leadership style grounded in mentorship and authenticity. “The best advice I ever received was to relax and be yourself at the table and that’s what I share with my team.” Though deeply knowledgeable, he believes in approachability and intuition over pretension.

With this new role, Grou brings his world of experience and human touch to Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, further enriching its legacy of fine dining and heartfelt service in Geneva.