The Beaumont appoints beverage manager and head sommelier

The Beaumont has appointed Antonino Lo Iacono as its beverage manager, with Lo Iacono returning to the hotel after a year away.He will oversee the wine and drinks programme for the hotel, including The Colony Grill Room and Le Magritte bar, as well as its “extensive” cigar selection, served on The Beaumont’s Terrace. 

In addition to his return, The Beamount said Elvis Ziakos will join his team as head sommelier. 

Lo Iacono was bar manager and cigar sommelier at the Mark’s Club in Mayfair from 2018 to 2021, and prior to that, was head bartender at Duke’s for seven years. He has also worked at Rules in Covent Garden and Liverpool Street’s Andaz Hotel. 

He was bar manager at Le Magritte at The Beaumont from August 2021 until February 2023 and most recently worked as restaurant manager at Franco’s London before returning to The Beaumont to take up the position of beverage manager this month. 

Meanwhile, Ziakos began his career studying at the Le Monde Institute in Athens and working as head sommelier at Kohylia restaurant at the Grand Resort Lagonissi from 2002 to 2007. He then spent five years working at the Michelin-starred Spondi restaurant as their head sommelier, before moving to London in 2012 to join the team at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley. 

Since then, he has worked at several restaurants in London, including six years at The Greenhouse restaurant, becoming its head sommelier. Among other awards, Ziakos has represented Greece at the Best Sommelier of the World competition and has sat as a Decanter World Wine Awards judge since 2014.