Kevin Lu Becomes Taiwan’s First Master Sommelier

Kevin Lu, a Taiwanese sommelier, has earned the prestigious Master Sommelier (MS) diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers, making him the first from Taiwan and only the second Chinese individual to achieve this distinction.

The Court of Master Sommeliers announced the latest recipients of the MS diploma last week in Austria, with Lu, chief sommelier at Logy, a two Michelin starred fine dining restaurant in Taipei, being among the six sommeliers worldwide to receive the honor this year. Lu was the only Asian to pass the exam in 2024, becoming the third Asian ever to achieve the title, following Chinese mainland sommelier Yang Lu, who earned it in 2017 and Japan’s Toru Takamatsu.

Born in 1989, Lu graduated from Tamkang University in Taiwan with a degree in Business and Management. His interest in wine began during his sophomore year when he worked part-time at a private wine cellar. Driven to excel, he sought out wine-related literature and combined hands-on experience with theoretical knowledge, eventually deciding to pursue a career in the wine industry. To enhance his expertise, Lu also studied French, allowing him to understand wine labels and menus in the language.

Before graduating, Lu transitioned to a full-time position and was soon recruited by a restaurant in Singapore while during his military service. After completing his service, he immediately began working overseas, starting as an assistant sommelier in Singapore. Over four years, Lu honed his skills, working with Master Sommeliers and attending various wine events in his free time. He later moved to Hong Kong, where he served as a sommelier for Black Sheep Restaurants, managing wine lists for its group restaurants including Belon and Buenos Aires Polo Club.

After nearly eight years abroad in Michelin-starred restaurants, Lu returned to Taiwan in 2021. He initially worked part-time at several fine dining establishments before becoming the head sommelier at Logy, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, where he has built a successful partnership with Japanese chef Ryogo Tahara.

In addition to his recent MS achievement, Lu holds the ASI Sommelier Diploma and WSET Level 3 certification. He won the ASPI Best Italian Wine Sommelier competition in Taiwan and, in 2018, claimed the Greater China Finals of the Gaggenau Global Sommelier Competition and the Asian Best French Sommelier Competition organized by Sopexa.

In 2022, Lu was crowned Taiwan’s best sommelier and went on to represent it at the 2023 Best Sommelier in the World competition, where he finished 13th, the highest ranking for a Taiwanese sommelier in recent years.

Now, with the title of Master Sommelier, Lu has reached the pinnacle of his profession. Reflecting on his decade-long journey, Lu described the process as one of continuous self-improvement and staying current with industry trends. Despite his extensive experience, he emphasized the importance of mentorship, relentless practice, and staying true to oneself in the making of a great sommelier.