Sip Supernova 2026 crowns trio of champions
Three bartenders are departing Japan as the winners of the Sip Supernova cocktail challenge after an immersive and intense six-day experience.
For 2026, Pernod Ricard opened up entries into its Sip Supernova challenge to bartenders globally, not just in Asia. A total of 27 competitors from around the world, including a ‘wild card’ entry from Italy, competed in the global final in Tokyo and Kyoto this week.
Soaring to victory to be crowned Sip Supernova 2026 champions were, in no particular order: Juseong Park, from Bar Soko in Seoul, South Korea; Zachary Tan Zewei, bartender at Employees Only Singapore; and Phan Cao Duy Hieu, founder of Half Half Cocktail & More in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Hieu said: “As I prepare to fly back to Vietnam, my heart is full. This journey wasn’t just about the competition; it was about the people. Thank you for turning a professional milestone into a memory I’ll carry forever. We came as colleagues, but I’m leaving with a family of brothers and sisters.”
It was evident across all the contestants how Sip Supernova transcended beyond just cocktails and a competition.
As Zewei added: “This whole experience of Sip Supernova has been a celebration (as bartenders) of what we do every single day and how precious that can be. It’s the way we connect, the way that we represent our craft, represent our history, represent who we are. The end result, you know, it’s never about ourselves, but it’s always for other people.”
Park noted: “To all the finalists, thank you for all the laughs, support, inspiration, and memories. Honestly, by the end, it didn’t even feel like a competition anymore – it felt like a family trip with insanely talented bartenders. I’m leaving Japan with so much gratitude and so many beautiful memories. Can’t wait to see where everyone goes next.”
For their prizes, each winner received a trophy and will be whisked off to visit Pernod Ricard’s Codigo 1530 Tequila distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, and an educational experience at one of the world’s best bars, Alquímico in Colombia.
“How beautiful it has been to see young bartenders from all around with such passion who are so excited to visit us in Colombia,” said Jean Trinh, founder of Alquímico and one of the Sip Supernova 2026 mentors. “And to the champions, we can’t wait to welcome you there soon.”
Sensory architecture
Contestants faced three separate challenges in Tokyo and Kyoto, each with equal scoring weight and centred on the theme of ‘sensory architecture’. They were able to showcase their creativity throughout the contest using seven Pernod Ricard brands: Código 1530, Ki No Bi, Altos, Havana Club, Absolut, Jameson, and Monkey 47.
The inaugural challenge, Creativity, asked participants to design a cocktail that not only delivered on taste, aroma and aesthetics, but that created an all-round experience for the judges. They also had to include an element that was no longer on trend or had fallen out of favour recently.
For the second challenge, Leadership, the contestants had to deliver a presentation of up to seven minutes, focusing on a hospitality subject of their choice that they felt would make a real difference to the drinks world.
The third and final challenge, Hosting, saw each bartender host the judges for six minutes, giving the judges a chance to experience each person’s hospitality firsthand while creating three classic cocktails as requested by the judging panel.
The judging panel comprised: Colin Chia, founder of Nutmeg & Clove in Singapore; Hedda Bruce, who currently leads the bar at Tjoget in Stockholm, Sweden; Coral Anderson, managing director and co-owner of the Swift bar group in London; and Keisuke Yamamoto, owner of Bee’s Knees in Kyoto, Japan.
Anderson commented: “Watching the 27 competitors arrive as individuals, then seeing them come together over the following days as friends supporting one another, was something really special.
“Many arrived nervous or shy, but as the days went on, they grew more confident, creative, and connected. By the final challenge, the team we saw had grown so much from the group that first walked through the door.
“They’ve genuinely reminded me why we all do this. Their passion and energy were completely infectious, and I’m heading home feeling inspired to bring even a little of the community spirit from this week back to the London bar scene.”
Mentorship opportunities
Mentorships – or MentorSips, as this portion of the contest was dubbed – also played an important part of the experience in Japan.
A force of on-trade talent was brought on board to share insights with the budding finalists, and included: Trinh from Alquímico; Danil Nevsky, founder of online mixology platform Indie Bartender; Juliette Larrouy, co-founder of Schmuck in New York, US; and Keith Motsi, head bartender and beverage operations at Virtu, Four Seasons, Tokyo.
Bartenders were able to take part in two mentoring sessions during the trip. The mentors provided space for the contestants to delve deeper into what hospitality really means to each of them, and to harness creativity while balancing it with creating environments in their bars that guests would want to return to time and time again.
“Sip Supernova was created to find the next generation of hospitality talent – and this year, it delivered beyond anything we could have imagined,” commented Cloé Auger, Pernod Ricard’s global trade advocacy leader.
“The three winners didn’t just impress us with their creativity and craft; they moved us. They reminded every person in that room why hospitality matters.”
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