Whole lotta SHAKIN' goin' on

TWO GRUELLING DAYS of bottles being flipped, fruit being juiced and countless cocktails being spurned or celebrated have ended with four young Bangkok men and women being chosen to carry the Thai flag on to the regional round in the quest for the world’s best bartender.
Groove at CentralWorld hosted the national elimination rounds for Diageo Reserve’s “World Class” competition, which involved a pair of challenges called “Night & Day” (one distinctive drink for each, please) and “Fruits, Plants & Spices” (noses and taste buds to the fore).
The key ingredients were Ketel One vodka, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, Tanqueray London Dry Gin and a selection of Diageo Reserve dynamite.
By Day 2 the 26 contenders had been ground down to 12 for an “Against the Clock” time-limited round in which they had to make at least six cocktails in eight minutes.
And finally there was “The Bangkok Shakedown”, which entailed showing you could run your own pop-up bar and build two different drinks – one for a lonely customer that would cheer him up about Bangkok and another that would take a group of punters “around the world”.
Trying to keep track of all this were the judges – globally renowned bartender Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Japan and Lam Chi Mun, Asia-Pacific director of the Diageo Bar Academy.
A lot of sober thinking went into choosing the winners. The country’s hopes are now pinned to Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn and Kitibordee Chortubtim from the Backstage Cocktail Bar, Pinsuda Pongprom of the Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, and Pailin Sajjanit of Il Fumo.
Ronnaporn, the Thai champ in 2014, said he got into bartending not just to put smiles on faces but also “bring some diversity and variety to the bar scene”.
“I used all the experience I’d gathered from past competitions and from my travels around the world,” he said. “Being a great bartender isn’t just about what you know about spirits – it’s everything combined. And you also need to have a good fashion sense!”
Pailin, one of Thailand’s four representatives in the world finals last year, said she’d done a lot of research this time with the challenges in mind. “I practised a lot and I’m taking good care of myself – making sure I get enough sleep so I look healthy and presentable.”
Pinsuda won in her first attempt at the Bangkok contest. “I’m delighted and very grateful,” she said. “It’s been the experience of a lifetime!
“I spent a lot of time watching videos of past competitions and learning about the challenges. I practised a lot and read a lot of books about cocktails.”
The Thai quartet next heads to the Southeast Asia World Class Finals and Bar Show in Bali, Indonesia, on June 1 and 2. One of them will be chosen there to enter the World Class Global Finals in Miami in the US in September.
Diageo Reserve channel director Pornseak Pharksuwan pointed out that the trends in Thai alcohol consumption in recent years have been better appreciation for “fine drinking” and also more-responsible drinking.
“And that’s at the core of what our World Class competition stands for. We believe the programme has a positive impact on the alcohol industry in general and serves as a career boost for mixology talents, while at the same time spreading the knowledge of the art and culture of cocktail-making among the general public.”
Diageo Reserve senior brand ambassador Chennarong Bhumichitr said World Class celebrates “the craft and talent of bartenders”.
“Those who receive World Class certification |become synonymous with sophistication, impeccable |service and creativity.”
Venues whose mixers complete the programme earn the World Class title, a trademark indicating a “fine drinking experience” and exceptional service. And the cocktails the bartenders create during the competition are awarded the World Class logo.