29 top bartenders from around the Southeast Asia region and Taiwan are currently in Bali to battle it out at Diageo’s Southeast Asia World Class Finals and Bar Show 2016 for the title of “Southeast Asia Bartender of the Year”.
Held at Bali’s Alila Seminyak beach resort surrounded by some of Bali’s best bars, the final leg of the regional bartending competition will see 29 bartenders from Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Taiwan compete against each other in a series of mixology challenges from 31 May to 2 June 2016 to be crowned winner as “Southeast Asia Bartender of the Year” as part of Diageo Reserve World Class 2016.
The competitors will be judged in the challenges by luminaries in the global bar scene such as Erik Lorincz, 2010 Global World Class Bartenders of the Year; Tim D Philips, 2012 Global World Class Bartenders of the Year; Charles Joly, 2014 Global World Class Bartenders of the Year; as well as Ketel One Distillery ambassador, Dennis Tamse.
The regional finalists participating in this leg are:
Singapore
Boo Jing Heng – Jigger & Pony
Sin Kim Shin – Jigger & Pony
Kino Soh – FRESH
Tom Hogan –Antidote
Malaysia
Osmund Bernard – Ikki
Insan Nurull Sharily Bin Ramli – Tate
Joel John – Sparrow
Muhhamamd Jeffri Bin Sulaiman – Enfin
Thailand
Kitibordee Chortubtim – Backstage Bar
Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn – Backstage Bar
Pailin Sajjanit – El Fumo
Pinsuda Pongprom – Bamboo Bar
Philippines
Lester Jones E. Ligon – ABV
Michael Keith B. Tubiera- Rambla
Guillermo C. Natividad III – Solaire Resort
Nino Jayson R. Cruz – City of Dreams
Indonesia
Zulkifli Moka – Café Milano, Jakarta
Nurul Aldina Mustakim – Union, Jakarta
Eko Prabowo – The Tavern, Semarang
Kenny Tjandra Putra Soetomo – Katamama, Bali
I Gede Hary Wahyudi – Katamama, Bali
Vietnam
Trần Thái Bảo – Sri Restaurant & Bar
Lưu Trần Thế Vinh – Glows Skybar
Vũ Đoàn Viễn Du – Urban Kitchen
Nguyễn Ngọc Quyên – Flex Bar
Taiwan
Nick Wu – East End Taipei
Tony Lin – East End Taipei
Stanly Yang – Indulge Taipei
Elvis Chang – KC Cigar Bar
The quartet representing Singapore – Kino Soh, Tom Hogan, Sin Kim Shin and Boo Jing Heng (pictured above with judges Jason Crawley and Will Thompson) – emerged from a pool of 36 contenders who competed in two gruelling challenges set to test each bartender’s knowledge, craftsmanship and creativity. The four had delivered a standout performance that took the judges on a journey of flavours during the “Retro, Disco, Future” time-travelling themed challenge and together served up 38 masterpieces in the “Against the Clock” pressure test.
“Diageo Reserve World Class has always been more than just a competition. It is about giving bartenders the spotlight to showcase and improve their skill and ingenuity that ultimately makes the world drink better,” shares Colin Chia, Asia Head of World Class, Global Reserve.
“We’ve been very inspired by what the region’s best bartenders have been able to do with their imagination, a cocktail shaker and the collection of fine spirits from the Diageo Reserve luxury portfolio. By bringing together the world’s leading mixology gurus and best bartending talent, World Class is a platform where new fine drinking trends emerge and are created,” he adds.
