David Piquet Joins the Team at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris as Head Sommelier at Three-Michelin-Starred Restaurant Le Cinq

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris welcomes a new talent within its walls, as David Piquet will take the helm of the sommelier team at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Cinq as of February 16, 2026. Following the retirement of the iconic Director and Head Sommelier Éric Beaumard last December, this prodigy of the wine world - just 32 years old- will work alongside three-star Chef Christian Le Squer and lead a team of six sommeliers.

Originally from the Toulouse region, David Piquet grew up in an environment where the table played a central role. Sunday lunches, the aromas of his grandmother’s cooking, and exchanges with neighbouring winegrowers shaped his sensitivity to fine products from an early age. It was therefore only natural that he turned toward hospitality, discovering the professions of the dining room. Captivated by the art of wine, David Piquet quickly understood that excellence in service is inseparable from deep knowledge of this world. Through close contact with winegrowers, drawn to conversations that fuelled his curiosity and refined his palate, he came to realize that wine is not merely a beverage, but a powerful vehicle for transmission, blending history, passion, terroir, and craftsmanship. This realization marked a turning point for the young David: he would become a sommelier.

At the age of 21, eager to perfect his English and deepen his understanding of New World wines, he left France for Lancashire, near Manchester, to join the teams at Northcote Manor. In this multicultural environment, he learned to adapt to different cultures while honing his tasting technique and precision. Upon returning to France, he went back to his native Southwest and joined the brigade of the three-starred restaurant Les Prés d’Eugénie as Assistant Head Sommelier from 2017 to 2018, before moving on to the restaurant Christophe Bacquié the following year. Brilliant and equally at ease in the dining room as in the vineyards, he quickly caught the attention of Chef Dimitri Droisneau, who contacted him with a clear ambition: to earn a third Michelin star for La Villa Madie and to surround himself with a new generation to help bring this life project to fruition. David joined him as head sommelier. Together, they worked tirelessly, elevating the dining room and service experience and bringing the restaurant to the highest level of distinction in 2022. The following year, David Piquet was named “PACA Sommelier of the Year” by the Gault & Millau guide, and received the “Wine List of the Year 2024” award from the Lebey guide.

In 2025, the George V approached him to succeed the iconic Director of Le Cinq, Éric Beaumard, a towering figure in the world of wine, preparing to retire a few months later: an offer impossible to refuse.

“Being appointed Director of Wine at Le Cinq is the position of a lifetime,” comments David Piquet. “I could never have imagined one day joining such a legendary palace as Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, and following in the footsteps of such prestigious names who have walked these marble floors for decades. The George V is a global reference in sommellerie, not to mention the immense legacy passed on by Éric Beaumard. These new responsibilities are both a tremendous honour and a commitment to excellence, to continue surpassing our guests’ expectations.”

For his first steps at the George V, David Piquet aims to offer an immersive approach to sommellerie, where transmission goes beyond tasting alone, while remaining faithful to the wine list established by his predecessor.

“What drives me every day is the cycle of learning and sharing. Every encounter, every tasting, every exchange with winegrowers and our guests is an opportunity to nourish this passion. At Le Cinq, my ambition is not to do better, but to create unique experiences, combining expertise and emotion, and to reveal all that wine can bring to the restaurant.”

Working alongside Christian Le Squer represents for him both a challenge of humility and a relationship built on trust: “The Chef has shaped the culinary identity of Le Cinq. My role is that of an interpreter: one who elevates his cuisine through wine and conveys that emotion to our guests.”