Other
Elyse Lambert
Master Sommelier
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Elyse Lambert’s work in wine has been built on service discipline rather than ornament. The craft here is not just selecting bottles, but reading a room, holding a standard, and making wine legible without flattening it. Trained at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec in 1998 and L’École Hôtelière des Laurentides in 1999, Elyse Lambert moved from classroom structure into dining-room pressure with the kind of precision the trade respects.
The Climb
The line from L’École Hôtelière des Laurentides (1999) into service was direct, and the stakes only rose from there. The next step, as Chef Sommelier at Le Local in Vieux-Montréal, asked for command over both list and service, while the later role as sommelier at Maison Boulud at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto placed that same discipline inside a setting built around exacting detail. The trade now extends beyond the dining room. As Sommelier Consultant of Ritz-Carlton Toronto and chroniqueuse of Radio-Canada morning show, Elyse Lambert moves between practice and commentary, between what is poured and how it is spoken about. In both settings, the work depends on the same tools: fluency, judgment, and the ability to translate wine without sanding off its edge.
Today
“My activities are as varied as the world of wine can be.” That range shows in work that includes hosting corporate events and training professionals around the world. The craft here is not confined to service alone; it includes education, presentation, and the transfer of standards from one room to another. “I share my passion as a sommelier by hosting corporate events and training professionals around the world.” As Elyse Lambert puts it, the role is built on exchange. Wine changes by region, season, producer, and setting, and her work has been shaped to move with that variability rather than around it.
Signature
Elyse's signature dishes include Anne-Claude Leflaive, Coche-Dury, and Leroy. Read as a cellar note, that selection points to Burgundy, to depth, and to bottles chosen for structure as much as reputation. The names themselves do the work of description: precise, specific, and built for a palate that values clarity.
In Their Words “My desert island wine would be a mix case of Burgundy including Anne-Claude Leflaive, Coche-Dury and Leroy.”
Recognition
Elyse's honors include 5th Best Sommelier of the World (2016), Best Sommelier of the Americas (2009), Best Sommelier of Canada (2006), and Best Sommelier of Quebec (2004). The progression runs from Quebec to Canada to the Americas to the world, and it reflects a career marked by steady accumulation rather than sudden arrival. Each award sits inside the same larger fact: the work has been judged, repeatedly, at the highest level available to the trade.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Elyse
What is Elyse Lambert's current role?
As of 2026, Elyse Lambert is Sommelier Consultant of Ritz-Carlton Toronto.
Where did Elyse Lambert train or study?
Elyse Lambert trained at L’École Hôtelière des Laurentides.
What recognition has Elyse Lambert received?
5th Best Sommelier of the World (2016).
