Having battled the very best of British bartending talent, Ali Reynolds’ creativity, passion and skill shone through to win him a place at the Global Final, which will be held in South Africa this September.
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| Diageo World Class UK Bartender of the Year 2015 - Ali Reynolds |
The competition, now in its seventh year, opened in November and saw World Class judges visit more than 400 of the UK’s best bars, to personally invite bartenders to enter the prestigious cocktail competition.
Ten finalists were then selected and invited to the UK Final at Drummuir Castle in Scotland for three days of intensive trials. Finalists were set three ground-breaking challenges designed to push bartenders to their limits.
The judging panel consisted of a number of industry stars, including nominated International Bartender of the Year, Ryan Chetiyawardana of White Lyan, and World Class Bartender of the Year 2014, James Fowler.
Commenting on the news, World Class UK Bartender of the Year 2015, Ali Reynolds, said: “It’s a real honour to be crowned the World Class UK Bartender of the Year 2015. This year’s competition has been the biggest and best yet, with the innovative challenges stretching us on so many different levels of bartending. I cannot wait to represent the UK in the Global Final in South Africa.”
As well as taking the esteemed title, Ali will travel the world identifying, inspiring and educating new bartending talent. He will also become a World Class judge and will also be included in a promotion feature in GQ magazine.
Hawksmoor Spitalfields, where Ali has worked for 3 years, will also benefit from the increased exposure the competition generates, as well as a one-off £10,000 marketing fund to create an exclusive World Class ritual serve.
Source: Diageo