A Tuscan sommelier at the helm of the wine list at Ikoyi, a two-Michelin-starred London restaurant and No. 42 in the world 2024, Federico Quintavalle has doubled his references in a year with a selection ranging from rare Champagne growers to micro-kura sake, focusing on sustainable winemakers.
Born and raised on the island of Elba, Tuscany, Italy, in a house surrounded by the vines of Montefabbrello and Acquabona, Quintavalle breathed in the scent of must as a child: his grandfather made wine in demijohns for friends and relatives, his uncle ran a farm, his neighbor another.
After hotel studies, he made his debut at eighteen as a waiter in a five-star hotel on the island; that experience fueled his passion for wine, prompting him to move to London to further his education.
In 2023 he joined Ikoyi's brigade and, a year later, was promoted to Head Sommelier. Today he works on an ever-evolving menu that includes a wide selection of Champagne-from vignerons' cuvées to iconic labels such as Salon and Krug-alongside sparkling from other territories and a core of low-impact domaine Burgundies; he also integrates a curated sake offering, maintaining a focus on sustainable winemakers and planning further list expansions.
