World Class 2016 Grand Finale

On 1st June, 2016 the bartenders got a chance to show their unique bartending talent in the Diageo Reserve World Class. The winner will not only get a chance to showcase his talent in India but also he will get a chance to represent India in Miami on September 2016. This is a unique platform to nurture the young and potential bartenders with the right knowledge. The 20 mixologists were brought together from the leading hotels of India at the Shangri-La hotel, Bengaluru. The judges for this event were Nicholas Ord (USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador), Jamie Walker( (USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador),  Serhan Kusakisizoglu ( Director of Corporate Projects, Shangri-La), Feroze Merchant (Head Of Luxury, USL Diageo), Nicole Faria (Ex-Miss India Earth) and Chef Manu Chandra( Chef Partner Toast & Tonic, Bengaluru ).

The Host- Dan

There were total 3 rounds in the competition- The Pantry Round, The Speed Round and The Mystery Box Round. The contestants were judged on the basis of these rounds. Each bartender went through rigorous training procedure and everyone was very excited to get a chance to represent India in Miami. The competition was all about mixing the right ingredients and speed. 

Top 6 Contestants

The top 6 contestants were selected after the Pantry round after which each one had to go through the speed round. The speed round was about making a perfect drink the fastest. 

The Top  6 Contestants in Speed Round

The top 3 bartenders who successfully impressed the judges were announced then and they were: Vikram, Dilbar and Jitender Singh.

Vikram, Jitender and Dilbar with Dan

 Jitender edged his competitors and mesmerized the judges with his speed, execution and balanced cocktails in the Final round.y. Runner up Vikram Ku and Dilbar Singh from Delhi too impressed the judges and the attendees with their creativity and thus earned the second and third position respectively. 

The winner Jitender Singh said "It's real honor to be the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2016 .  The platform has given him the opportunity to learn from the best in the industry and I can confidently say that I have grown enormously as a professional through the journey, It feels extremely rewarding to compete with the best bartenders in the world and represent India at the global finals in Miami. I can't wait to bring the global title back to India "

Let's all congratulate Jitender and wish him good luck readers! 

You can check videos and tweets for the event at: #WorldClassIn