Diageo has unveiled the top 10 bartenders who would moving on to the forth and final round of the Diageo Reserve World Class 2016 Singapore that will take place on 9 May.
In the just concluded third round, shortlisted bartenders were challenged to create a special experience around Ketel One vodka in pop-up brunch cocktail stations across eight restaurants and hotels in town; judges visited each pop-up and judged each bartender on artistry, innovation, balance, technique and visual aesthetic.
From that round the following bartenders were chosen to proceed to the final round:
- Logan Demmy, 28 HongKong Street
- Boo Jing Heng, Jigger & Pony (pictured below)
- Tom Hogan, Anti:Dote
- Ryan Hon, Tess Bar & Kitchen
- Cedric Mendoza, Manhattan
- Benedict Poh, Horse’s Mouth
- Edwin Poh, Ah Sam Cold Drinks Stall
- Sin Kim Shin, Jigger & Pony
- Kino Soh, Fresh!
- Sim Sze Wei, Ah Sam Cold Drinks Stall (pictured above)
The final ten will go on to pit their skills against each other in a series of mixology challenges and will be judged by luminaries in the global cocktail scene, including the likes of Jason Crawley, Director of The Drink Cabinet, Will Thompson, Global Brand Ambassador for Don Julio Tequila, and Louis Eon, bar owner of Le Chamber in South Korea.
In earlier rounds, for the first challenge bartenders were required to create a cocktail that was inspired by three different eras – old school glamour of the iconic 19th century leading up to Prohibition, the dance-floor kitsch of the 70s and 80s, as well as their impressions of future trends. The second challenge was a pressure speed round that pushed them to create a minimum of five cocktails in just 10 minutes.
