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Diageo World Class 2017 names top 10 bartenders
By Melita KielyFrom 55 bartenders only 10 finalists remain following two days of intense rounds in the Diageo World Class 2017 cocktail competition in Mexico.
The Diageo World Class 2017 top 10 finalistsHosted in Mexcito City, the remaining contestants face another two grilling days of challenges from today as they vie for the title of World Class Bartender of the Year 2017.
The 10 finalists are Denmark’s Mate Csatlos of Kabuku at Umami; Japan’s Suguru Makinaga of Bar Leigh Islay; Sweden’s Josephine Sondlo of Penny and Bill; Mexico’s Fatima Del Carmen Leon of Fifty Mils; Great Britain’s Jamie Jones of No Fixed Abode; Canada’s Kaitlyn Stewart of Royal Dinette; Australia’s Andrea Gualdi of Maybe Frank; Turkey’s Kevin Patnode of Kulhanbeyi; the US’s Chris Cardone of I Sodi; and Austria’s Marcus Philipp of Albertina Passage.
Tasks over the past two days included creating an “exceptional” cocktail from the ingredients of a kitchen larder, and the ‘heat of the moment’ challenge, which tasked competitors to use culinary techniques and ingredients to create drinks that “break the boundaries of existing cocktail making”.
The overall winner of the competition will be announced on Thursday (24 August).
Lauren Mote, Diageo’s global cocktailian and World Class judge, said: “There are two days left of the competition and I’m particularly looking forward to tomorrow’s Luncha Libre challenge – when our final 10 enter the ring for the battle of the ‘classics’ in a competition to see who can create the best classic cocktail.
“We’ll be looking for clever twists and inspired thinking whilst remaining true to the original cocktail creation.”