In search of the best bartender
28 Southeast Asian pros converged to battle for the World Class Bartender of the Year title
Last Thursday night, the Quartier Gallery at Emquartier gathered a big crowd of celebrities who came to sip creative cocktails at pop-up bars that brought a bubbly ambience to the Southeast Asia Diageo World Class Finals and Bar Show 2015.
In previous rounds, the bartending competition involved 28 participants from six countries in the region. The first round had them preparing cocktails with Johnnie Walker Gold Label followed by a test on their knowledge of classic cocktails.
Fourteen bartenders were selected for the second round, starting with an interpretation of the Bloody Mary, with Thailand’s Natakorn Changkrew from Perfume winning this “bloody” battle.
The finalists were then challenged in setting up stations and mixing selected cocktails using Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, Tanqueray No. Ten, Bulleit Bourbon, Don Julio Reposado, Ketel One Vodka, Haig Club or Ron Zapaca 23 as the main spirit.
The finals ended in a tight draw with Malaysia’s Shawn Chong and Singapore’s Steve Leong taking the title for Southeast Asia World Class Bartender of the Year 2015.
By country, Pongpak Sudthipongse from Why97 was named Thailand’s World Class Bartender of the Year, with him also going to the September global finals in South Africa.
The event was hosted by Diageo Moet Hennessy Thailand (the importer of premium wines and spirits) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as one of the activities under the Amazing Thailand and Discover Thainess campaign.
“This competition is a life-changing experience for the contestants, benefiting and assisting them in their future career,” said the company’s managing director, Jayne Harvey. “We saw some of the best craftsmanship in bartending that we have in Southeast Asia. It showed that our World Class programme can groom and harness the highest level of knowledge and skills from participants, helping them elevate towards being a World Class bartender.”
Initiated in the UK in 2009, the World Class programme has educated over 15,000 bartenders in the art of mixology. It came to Thailand four years ago, to educate the country’s bartenders in mixology, grooming and etiquette in order to prepare them for the international arena.
The regional’s five-month bartending training is overseen by Lam Chi Mun, Diageo Bar Academy’s Asia Pacific director, who was also one of the judges.
“The finals not only challenged the participant’s artistry in cocktail concoction and ability to think on their feet, but also required them to deliver the perfect balance of taste, sight and visual mesmerisation,” said the judge. “It was extremely difficult for us to select seven winners who will represent the region in the upcoming global finals.”
One of the champions, Chong, said: “Seeing so many talents here is living proof that the bartending profession is gaining increased appeal, as people around the globe start to appreciate fine drinking.”
As an exclusive after-party celebration, the Bar Show 2015 allowed guests to engage in the fine-drinking culture by tasting cocktails at pop-up bars listed in the World’s Best Bars, namely Nightjar (London), Bar High Five (Tokyo), Bulletin Place (Sydney), Employees Only and PDT (both from New York).