Kristell Monot

Kristell Monot is head sommelier at Mugaritz, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef Andoni Luis Aduriz in Errenteria, in Spain's Basque Country. She leads the restaurant's sommelier team and oversees how wine and other beverages are woven into one of gastronomy's most avant-garde dining experiences.

After studying hispanic philology and international business, Monot joined the wine world as an export manager. In this role, she travelled the globe representing three prestigious wineries in the renowned Rivera del Duero wine region, including Abadía Retuerta. She then began working as a sommelier at Mantúa in Jerez before joining the Mugaritz team in 2022.

At Mugaritz, wine service is treated as an extension of the kitchen's culture of research and experimentation. Working alongside the restaurant's R&D team, Kristell's department has been central to Vis à Vis, a living, evolving series of beverages launched in 2022. Created through collaborations with wineries and producers, each proposal is opened exclusively at the restaurant. The project recently won Best Packaging Design at the 10th International Wine Challenge Industry Awards.

Monot is also a recognised voice on the role of wine in high-level gastronomy. In October 2025, she joined Ramón Perisé, Mugaritz's head of research and development, for a Sherry Academy webinar exploring the relationship between Jerez wines and the restaurant's cuisine. She spoke about how wine shapes the guest experience and its role in dining-room service.

Her standing within the profession has been further recognised through her appointment as president of the World's Best Sommeliers' Selection 2026, and now her returning position as vice president in 2027.