Chef Marco Helsloot and sommelier Jeffrey van der Beek from Restaurant Merlet★ (Schoorl) will represent the Netherlands at the international finals in Jerez de la Frontera in 2027. The jury praised a submission of an exceptional standard.
Eindhoven, June 2, 2026. The national final of Copa Jerez 2026, the world's most prestigious sherry-and-food pairing competition, took place at Restaurant Zarzo in Eindhoven. Three Michelin-starred teams from across the Netherlands competed for the national title and a spot in the international final in Jerez. After a thrilling afternoon filled with exceptional presentations, Restaurant Merlet from Schoorl—featuring chef Marco Helsloot and sommelier Jeffrey van der Beek—emerged as the undeniable winner.
The standard of the competition was exceptionally high this year. Jury chair Heleen Boom (Sommelier of the Year 2022) described it as the most polished edition in years. Finalist teams from Zoldering (Amsterdam) and Restaurant Joann (Enschede) also made a strong impression, but team Merlet convinced the jury across the board with a menu showcasing clear direction, coherence, and gastronomic boldness.
"Merlet consistently chooses wines with weight and age, and crafts dishes capable of matching them. The submission bears the signature of a team that knows exactly what it wants and possesses the knowledge to back it up. The eel-oloroso combination is one of the strongest pairings we have seen at Copa Jerez Netherlands in years." — Heleen Boom, Jury Chair
The Winning Menu
- Appetizer: Sautéed gurnard in escabeche Crispy pan-seared gurnard on a rich miso cream, surrounded by an escabeche of tomato, strawberry, and verbena vinegar, finished with lobster oil. The pairing with the Amontillado VORS 40 Years from Bodegas Poniente accentuated the maritime depth of the fish and bridged perfectly with the umami of the miso. A refined opening.
- Main Course: Veal sweetbreads with smoked IJsselmeer eel Pickled and sous-vide cooked veal sweetbreads, larded with smoked IJsselmeer eel, served with artichoke cream, artichoke à la barigoule, and a frothy sweetbread and oloroso jus. The choice of a 30-year-old Oloroso VORS from Bodegas Tradición was one of the most talked-about pairings of the afternoon: the roasted caramelization of the meat and the oxidative richness of the wine flawlessly enhanced one another.
- Dessert: Porcini mushrooms, cocoa, and coffee An ice cream made from dried porcini mushrooms (cèpes) and coffee beans, a caramel-chocolate mousse with dark chocolate, layered spekkoek (layered spiced cake), salted caramel, crispy chocolate-caramel, and a yuzu, hazelnut, and coffee vinaigrette. The Canasta Cream VOS 30 Years from Williams & Humbert offered the perfect counterpart: its oxidative depth and controlled sweetness kept the dish gastronomic and sharp.
About Team Merlet
Marco Helsloot and Jeffrey van der Beek have been working together at Restaurant Merlet★ in Schoorl for two years. Both describe themselves as naturally competitive and, right from the first selection round, shared a common vision: working with local products paired with highly aged wines of great character. The powerful, expressive style of sherry aligned seamlessly with this philosophy.
Restaurant Merlet will represent the Netherlands during the international final of Copa Jerez in Jerez de la Frontera in 2027, where the team will compete against finalists from seven other countries.
About Copa Jerez
Copa Jerez is an international gastronomy and wine competition where chef-sommelier teams from eight countries compete to create the best pairing with Sherry and Manzanilla wines. The competition is organized biennially by the Consejo Regulador of Sherry and FEDEJEREZ. The Netherlands has a rich Copa Jerez history: in 2017, Podium onder de Dom from Utrecht won the international final in Jerez, and numerous other awards have found their way to the Netherlands over the years.
Note to Editors
- More information: www.copajerez.nl | info@copajerez.nl
- International competition info: https://www.sherry.wine/copa-jerez
- The Jury: Heleen Boom (Sommelier of the Year 2022, chair), sommelier and former Copa Jerez winner Adrián Zarzo Habraken, wine journalist Magda van der Rijst, and maître Peter Bruins.
- High-resolution photography and event atmosphere images are available upon request.
