This will be the first time a major bartending competition has held its finals in the city. The Asian cocktail capital will play host to this year’s finalists who each impressed in regional heats with their bartending skills and demonstration of their knowledge of Chivas.
Chivas Masters finalists prepare for Shanghai |
The national heats of the Chivas Masters, which is now in its third year, challenged bartenders to recreate Chivas Regal’s journey across the globe. The 15 global finalists created serves inspired by the classic cocktails of New York to the booming bars of Shanghai, via their local cocktail scene.
Finalists are preparing to jet off to Shanghai for a four-day experience that will incorporate key challenges and workshops with the industry’s best, including Naren Young, Head Bartender at Dante in New York City and Chris Lowder, Head Bartender at the Four Seasons in Seoul. Naren and Chris will be joined on the judging panel by industry legend Dre Masso, Founder of Akademi in Bali, and Leo Robitschek, Bar Director of New York’s Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad Hotel Bar, where they will judge competitors on their bartending talent and ability to lead, mentor and inspire a team.
This years 15 Chivas Masters finalists are: Yao Lu from The
Union Trading Company – China, Renier Ernesto Rodriguez from Meliá Cohiba – Cuba,
Tomáš Melzer from Hemingway Bar - Czech Republic, Aurélie Panhelleux from Copper
Bay – France, Lukas Motejzik from Herzog – Germany, Stefanos Draganidakis
from The Trap – Greece, Dave Lam from Quinary - Hong Kong, Mor Koral from Mor
Koral – Israel, Naoya Mizugishi from Fujiya & Miyagi – Japan, Alex Millan
from Ponce de Leόn – Mexico, Stanislaw Domin from Kawiarnia Literatka – Poland,
Santi Ortiz from Ohla Barcelona – Spain, Johan Blaauw from Cape Grace Hotel - South
Africa, Chelsie Bailey from The Rummer Hotel - UK and Ben Rojo from Angel’s
Share – USA.
Commenting on the news, Max Warner, Global Brand Ambassador
for Chivas Regal, said: “The announcement of the global finalists always marks
a build of anticipation for the Chivas Masters Global Final – a time at which
excitement for the competition hits fever pitch. Our national champions have
impressed us so far but now have the opportunity to represent their countries alongside
one of the world’s most prestigious Scotch brands and, by doing so, ensure
their future as a top-class bartender. We can’t wait to witness the start of
this incredible journey in Shanghai.”
Collaboration at the Global Final will be rewarded this year
by granting a winning team, formed at the competition, a once in a lifetime trip to the Tales of the Cocktail 2016 in New
Orleans. A further prize will be awarded to the 2016 Global Chivas Master, who
will earn a bespoke trip to one of the world’s most iconic bars in a city of
their choice to create a signature Chivas cocktail as their lasting
contribution to the global competition.
Posted by Steve Rush