Japanese maitre d' wins world cup for waiters

TOKYO  - A Japanese maitre d' was crowned world's best in an international competition to find the top high-end server.Shin Miyazaki, 35, who works at Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon in Tokyo, proved his mettle through nine rounds that tested his ability to dress a salad, flambe a pineapple and identify which wine works well with certain flavours.Miyazaki beat off competitors from 14 different countries under the gaze of an expert jury who were examining everything from how he put customers at ease to how he made the Irish coffee after desert."I practised every day for years, I'm hooked, and now I get this award," an emotional Miyazaki said as he received the Georges Baptiste Cup."But this is only the beginning, tomorrow I go back to work to do my best." The Georges Baptiste Cup was established in France in 1961 in honour of the chef and butler of the same name.It expanded to include European entrants three decades later and in 2000 went global when it was held in Canada. Subsequent editions were held in France, Mexico and Vietnam.