Francesco Cosci, born in the rural outskirts of Cortona in Tuscany, has transformed his humble beginnings into a deep philosophy of taste. Growing up in a small village with just thirty people and two Y-shaped streets, his family was closely tied to the land. Eggs, cheeses, and hams from family members were common on the table, and while he didn’t initially see the importance of this rural life, he later realized it gave him a unique sensory education. For Cosci, seasonality is not something he thinks about—it’s a natural reflex. At fourteen, he enrolled in the Capezzine hotel school, but with the goal of "doing as little as possible," as he wasn’t drawn to traditional or scientific studies. At sixteen, he chose to work in the dining room rather than the kitchen, a decision he made "a bit by chance." During summers, he worked at the Osteria del Teatro, a Tuscan trattoria listed in the Michelin guide. There, he learned the art of service from Ferruccio, the headwaiter, who impressed him with his elegance and customer care. Cosci realized that the headwaiter was not just a helper but a director of the dining experience. He understood that he was not a servant but an actor in the performance, a belief that stayed with him: "We go to restaurants for the food and come back for the dining room." At eighteen, a romantic setback led him to move to England with no connections or landmarks, to learn English. He expected to stay only a few months but never returned home. After finding his first job, he joined the Novikov, a high-end venue with 300 covers, as a sommelier. There, he discovered French wine appellations and vineyards worldwide, a passion that remains central to his career. After several years at the Novikov, he set out to find "the most beautiful wine lists in the world" and work with the best in the field. This journey led him to compete and be elected Best Sommelier of Italy in 2023. Now, he is working toward the title of Best French Worker, which requires him to deeply engage with French language and culture. He describes this learning process as "like a six-year-old child learning the alphabet," immersing himself in the history of French chefs, recipes, and regions. Cosci first worked at the Climats, a restaurant known for its legendary Burgundy wine list and a clientele of connoisseurs. After nine months, he became the head sommelier. He later joined the Four Seasons George V in Paris, where he directed the sommelier service for the Italian restaurant Le George. The recruitment process was challenging, as he admits, "I was divisive!" but the team believed in him. His predecessor had been Best Sommelier of Italy, with a strong background, but the hotel chose him despite his relative inexperience. During his five years there, he took pride in creating "the most beautiful Italian wine list in France" and fully understanding the essence of a luxury palace. In March 2026, he joined Le Bristol, a Parisian institution known for its exceptional classicism, extraordinary cellar, and three-star restaurant. He sees this as "the ultimate challenge," as the hotel has a complex ecosystem to manage, including the bar, salons, in-room beverages, Café Antonia, and the French Garden. He enjoys organizing "oenological Mondays," monthly tasting dinners with top wine estates. He also launched "The Great Burgundy," a selection of rare Burgundy vintages offered at special prices, allowing customers to taste wines they might otherwise never experience. "Young people no longer drink wine because they don't know the taste of a Romanée-Conti!" he notes. At Épicure, the hotel's gastronomic restaurant, he finds that the chefs and sous-chefs are all wine connoisseurs. He believes they could easily be sommeliers. This unity pleases him. As a sommelier, he also acts as an ambassador for the vineyards, connecting winemakers with customers. "It is my role to visit the estates, meet the winemakers, and come back being able to say: 'Here is what they do.'" At Le Bristol, where he feels "as if he had been working there for ten years," Cosci continues to develop new projects and ideas. His mission is clear: "Put wine at the center of the discourse." He views wine as a culture that is lost when it is not shared.