Battle of the bartenders
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's best bartenders to compete in competition
When someone mentions the word ‘bartender’, most of us simply imagine a guy behind a bar serving beers.
Some might imagine a more colourful version, for example, a friend that’s there to lend an ear when times are tough, or to tell a funny joke every now and again, almost like Moe from The Simpsons.
This is all about to change, however, as professional bartenders are starting to sharpen up the profession’s image and, yes, it is a profession.
The Diageo brand is considered one of the leaders in luxury alcohol and their portfolio consists of some world-famous brands, including Johnnie Walker and Tanquery Gin. Diageo has been running the World Class Training Programme and the World Class Bartender of the Year Award competition for five years in South Africa.
Alex Farnell, national brand spokesperson for Diageo, believes that the programme represents the ultimate drinking experience.
“World Class exists to help people care about where, what and when they drink fine spirits,” Farnell added.
“We have a competition known as the World Class Bartender of the Year Award which aims to celebrate the art of bartending and cocktail creation as well as educating our customers about luxury drinking experiences.”
Last year’s winner, Dom de Lorenzo gave media representatives a taste of what they could expect at the national finals in July. “The World Class Bartender of the Year Award competition has been a massive eye-opening experience. It has opened up a lot of doors for me and, in the end, it’s not just about making a drink, it’s about using the finest ingredients to create the best experience possible.”
De Lorenzo added that with the right ingredients, anyone can learn how to make great cocktails that not only taste good but look great as well. The South African leg of the World Class Bartender of the Year Award will take place in June and the winner will walk away with a cash prize of R20 000 and a spot in the world championship in Miami, USA.
Details: worldclasscocktails.com
