Toast to the best bartender
TRAVIS Kuhan has been crowned South Africa’s best bartender for 2018 after a nail-biting challenge and competing with at least 10 contestants who showcased intriguing cocktail-making skills.
Kuhan was recently announced the winner of the ninth edition of the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender competition at the Zeitz Mocaa Museum.
The competition is the industry’s most prestigious mixology event and aims to elevate the skill and craft of the bar-tending profession, setting global trends and standards in the service industry.
The three-day competition was held in Cape Town and was filled with excitement.
It started with a challenge of bartenders serving the judges, leading to a mindful test, which was a demonstration of skill combined with creativity, closing with tense yet fulfilling cocktail-making that produced the zest of great taste, leaving judges blown away.
“I’m amazed and excited to be the winner this year. It’s been a gruelling week, taking on all the challenges against some of the most skilled bartenders I’ve met.
“Participating in the competition again this year has been amazing enough, but to finish off as the winner… I’m so delighted!”
The 38-year-old has been in industry for more than 19 years, and said although the challenges had been hard he felt at ease.
“It’s quite a long process, you spend a week developing the drink and then you spend a week designing the drink yourself and then you go through the preparation.
“It’s a long process, but if you follow the process right then you enter the competition comfortably, which is how I felt,” he said.
Kuhan had a large number of supporters cheering for him during the competition.
“I think it’s because I’ve been doing this for a very long time, so I have a lot of friends who supported me. I thank those people who have been with me on my journey and felt it was my time to win,” he said”
Kuhan will go on to compete against the best in the world, representing South Africa where mixologists from more than 60 countries around the world will be on a quest for the ultimate, World Class Bartender title in Berlin in October.