Cape Town - Fifty-four of the world’s most talented bartenders are in Cape Town competing for the title of World Class Bartender of the year.
The contestants were chosen over a period of 12 months, at regional and national rounds where their mixology skills were put to the test in a series of challenges measuring their speed, efficiency and creativity.
Now in its seventh year, the competition is the biggest mixology event in the world, providing a platform to celebrate the skill and craft of the world’s best bartenders and showcase fine-drinking.
The first leg of this year’s competition started on Monday at the V&A Waterfront.
Representing South Africa is Domenico De Lorenzo from Molecular Bars in Joburg, who wooed the judges last month in the national finals with his original drink creations.
This year there is also a record number of women contestants – six. The competition runs until Friday and Capetonians can rub shoulders with master distillers from around the world, meet global brand ambassadors and enjoy a drink served by renowned mixologists at The World Class House at Roodebloem Studios in Woodstock.
Highlights at the house will include tastings of Bulleit Bourbon ahead of its launch in South Africa next month, and a one-of-a-kind mentoring session courtesy of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
The Cape Argus asked De Lorenzo, and fellow competitors Lauren Mote and Jasmin Rutter a few questions.
Domenico De Lorenzo
How did you prepare for the competition?
Preparation for the competition was a rather long and stressful road.
The only way to prepare is to practice your cocktails and make sure that your presentations are well worked out so when you get on stage you could make your drinks with your eyes closed if you wished.
The title is a massive thing in my life at the moment, it means that I have achieved one of the greatest honours I can in bartending in South Africa.
When did you learn to bartend?
I learnt while I was a student at the University of Johannesburg.
Where was the first bar you worked at, and what was your position there?
The first bar that I worked at was called FTV at the World Wear Centre down the road from my university.
What qualities make a good mixologists?
A good mixologist is willing to go out of their way to make a drink that complements their guests, not the other way around.
What was the first cocktail you ever had?
A Long Island Ice Tea from a bar in Joburg while I was in my matric year.
If a customer said his drink wasn’t strong enough, what would you do?
I would explain that drinks don’t need to be strong to be good. A perfect cocktail needs to be balanced, which means that it should never be too strong, too weak, too sweet or too sour. It needs to be just in-between all of those things to make it an exceptional cocktail.
Do you study, or read, every so often about new cocktails?
I try and read at least one cocktail or drinks article a week to just stay on trend with drinks ideas from around the world. There is no other way to better yourself than to learn from others.
Do you have a day job?
I work for a mobile bar company as an operations manager and warehouse manager, so that’s what I do from 9-5.
Which garnishes do you enjoy using for various cocktails.
My favourite garnish right now is a small voodoo doll. I love using garnishes that are not common, garnishes that people can take home to remember that evening’s experiences and moments.
Are people demanding better cocktails these days?
The whole cocktail culture is definitely growing as more and more bars are opening in South Africa. The consumers are enjoying classic cocktails instead of mixed drinks and beers which definitely puts a big smile on a lot of bartenders’ faces.
What is your favourite “Classic” drink/cocktail?
My favourite classic cocktail is a Tanqueray Ten negroni. It is a well-balanced and dangerously refreshing cocktail.
What is the best thing and the worst thing about what you do?
The best thing hands down would have to be making drinks for people that put a smile on their faces. The worst would be making a drink that people hate or when a person is not the friendliest when it comes to bar manners.
Lauren Mote
With more than 14 years in the food and beverage industry, Canada’s World Class Bartender of the Year, Lauren Mote, wears many hats, including those of mixologist,sommelier, emcee, educator and writer.
Where was the first bar you worked at, and what was your position there?
I was 18 years old, behind the bar at an experimental restaurant in the Yorkville district of Toronto. From a distance you could see the glistening bottles on the back bar, smartly dressed staff and well-to-do guests. What a place to start – I felt like I was forced into good taste from the very beginning.
As a woman, have you found it difficult to be taken seriously in a mostly male-dominated culture?
This is a touchy subject for many, especially for my female colleagues in the hospitality industry. I stand tall beside everyone in hopes for equality across the board, be it in food and beverage or in any industry. I have a fairly dominant personality and am confident in my abilities, so although I haven’t felt this bias greatly affecting my personal career, I know it exists. Along with fellow female bartending pioneers, I like to think that we have helped to pave the way for those that perhaps don't have the power or confidence to speak up.
What was the very first cocktail you ever had?
The Negroni. It’s awesome that the first cocktail I had ever had still remains true as my favourite cocktail to drink.
If a customer said his drink wasn’t strong enough, what would you do?
I would offer to make the customer something different. I would determine which questions were asked or weren’t asked in the first place regarding their preferred style of drink. This interaction is my favourite part of the job.
What garnishes do you enjoy using?
I will always select a beautiful glass or design a cocktail in a vibrant colour before I unnecessarily add garnish to a drink. Any garnishes I use serve a purpose beyond the aesthetic, such as an orange peel for orange oil, mint for a herbaceous and cooling nose, and cherries for a sweet treat at the end that brings out the cherry notes of Bourbon.
Are people demanding better cocktails?
It varies by city, though I’d definitely say that it’s important for all restaurants to have a “bar programme” in place. As the exposure on cocktail culture increases, so too does the knowledge and interest of our guests, and their desire for properly made cocktails.
What is your favourite “Classic” drink/cocktail?
I’m a creature of habit and love to celebrate the simplicity of a great cocktail. Give me a Negroni, a Martinez or an Arsenic and Old Lace cocktail, make it properly and I’m yours.
What is the best thing about what you do?
It’s true that you’re only as good as the last cocktail you’ve made, but the experience is the genuine reward in bartending. Being in the industry for as long as I have has allowed me to develop my comedic sensibilities, as well as my hospitality-focused and flavour-driven approach.
Jasmin Rutter
Chief stewardess on a luxury 55m Ketch yacht named Marie, Jasmin Rutter beat competitors from 20 of the world’s finest yachts to become World Class Yachting Bartender of the Year – the first person to hold the title.
Where did you learn to bartend?
I am still learning! When I lived in San Francisco I worked in a small bar, mostly pouring beers, but I was always trying amateur cocktails. Over the past eight months of this World Class journey I have been practising for friends when possible and learning by watching videos online and studying bartenders whenever I go out.
What qualities make a good mixologist?
Someone who cares about the customer. I think it is important to know the flavours of a spirit and match the drink accordingly.
Also, it is important to be passionate and to like the drink yourself – in that way you will always believe it is a great drink.
What was the very first cocktail you ever had?
A Margarita on New Year’s Eve in 2000.
What garnishes do you enjoy using?
I enjoy using garnishes that people can interact with and eat. Visual appeal and smell is a huge part of a cocktail, I am fond of atomisers for this reason.
Are people asking for better cocktails?
Definitely, and so they should. There are endless possibilities – Gin, for example, is a lot more than a G&T, although I do love a good classic.
What is the best thing about what you do?
The best part of my job is travelling to exotic locations, and the people I meet along the way.
* The World Class House will be open until Saturday, from 6pm to 11pm. Tickets at R180 each are available at www.theworldclasshouse.com to guests over the age of 21.
The price includes an R80 credit for beverages or to book a place at one of the brand experiences.
To attend the World Class competition challenges or the prize-giving ceremony on Friday, apply at: http://csa.global/world-class-competition-challenges.
Cape Argus