TGIFridays all set for 2018 Philippine bartender competition
With only weeks to go before the much-anticipated “TGIFriday’s 2018 Bartender Championship,” the spotlight is on the restaurant chain’s powerhouse cast of skilled bartenders who will vie for this year’s King of the Bar title.
Twenty-three contenders from all TGIFridays branches nationwide will strut the stuff good barkeeps are made of.
First, the contestants will battle it out in the Compulsory Round on Aug. 6, a test of technical knowledge of TGIFridays’ bar elements, including mastery of about a hundred cocktail recipes and the speed and accuracy of pouring drinks down to the last drop.
Only eight of the 23 contenders will advance to the next level, the Freestyle or Flair Bartending Competition that will be held on Aug. 7 at 4 p.m. at the Glorietta branch.
The overall winner and champion of both Compulsory and Freestyle Rounds will then represent the country in the AsiaPacific Competition, which the Philippines will host this October.
TGIFridays Philippines has an impressive record of producing world-class bartenders who have won in international competitions. Last year, Jholan Peñafiel was named grand champion at TGIFridays World Bartender Championship held in Dallas, Texas, showing that she was at the top of her game when she bested competitors from the USA, Latin America, United Kingdom, and Europe. She aced the Compulsory Round and blew away the judges and the crowd in the Freestyle Competition by expertly mixing and serving drinks while showing off her flair-tending moves and letting her personality shine throughout the competition.
Peñafiel is the second Filipina bartender to win the world championship, the first being Rizza Umlas, who won the title in 2015 also in Dallas, Texas. Eric “El Terrible” Martinez brought home the World Title in 2006 at the World Bartender Championship held in Las Vegas, USA.
Aside from delicious American comfort food, TGIFridays has a rich beverage tradition and lively bar with elite bartenders whose showmanship enhances the overall guest experience. For information, like TGI Fridays Philippines (Facebook) @tgifridaysph (IG) or visit www.fridays.com.ph.