Patrick Mutua, a bartender at Kempinski hotel, won the hearts of many when he won the 2018 Diageo Kenya World Class competition in June after 40 bartenders were taken through a mixologist training program from April
Patrick Mutua then made headlines as he made history by managing to grace the list of the 2018 top 20 International World Class Bartender of the Year Awards; one of the industry’s most prestigious and respected mixology competitions worldwide.
The announcement was made at the final event in the German city of Berlin on Saturday night by a panel of eminent judges.
The three-day final started with a day of challenges designed to test a multitude of skill sets that makes a bartender truly great.
The first challenge known as Ketel One’s ‘Better Drinking’, saw Travis Kuhn, Daniel Warren, Patrick Mutua, Juan David Zapata and Lester Ligon showing off their imaginative creations featuring a classic Ketel One serve with sustainability and community spirit in mind.
Next on the line was the The Christopher Walker ‘Flavours of a Nation’ challenge that saw the bartenders creating not one, but two amazing and refreshing cocktails. The finalists were tasked to create mouthwatering cocktails taking inspiration from the four flavour pillars – smoky malt, fresh fruits, tropical fruits and creamy vanilla.
A total of 57 nations have fought to make it to Berlin, but only one bartender will be chosen and for the first time in the competition’s history, a Kenyan has made it to the top 20.
“The Diageo World Class competition, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, showcases a remarkable standard of craftsmanship and creativity, all of which we have seen demonstrated here in Berlin tonight” said Ann Joy Muhoro, Diageo’s East African Breweries (EABL) Head of Spirits.
“We want to congratulate Patrick Mutua and all the other finalists and wish them the very best of luck during the next few rounds of challenges” added Ann Joy Muhoro.
World Class bartenders and the venues where they work are synonymous with sophistication, impeccable service and pushing the boundaries of contemporary and experiential cocktail culture.
“We are delighted to support a programme which educates and inspires bartenders to deliver outstanding drinks experiences. The level of skill and expertise delivered throughout this competition, was outstanding. It’s a testimony to the quality of today’s bartenders who consistently demonstrate mastery of the Diageo Reserve luxury portfolio in their delivery of exceptional drinks experiences for their guests” said Diageo East Africa Reserve Brand Ambassador Alex Kavita.
The Global Final event in Berlin brings together the world’s best bartenders who battle it out in a series of innovative cocktail and mixology challenges, judged by the world’s most respected mixologists and taste experts seeking to be crowned ‘The World’s best bartender of the year’.
The competition is part of a fully integrated program that aims to increase the quality of consumer’s experiences in fine drinking, offering support and training to thousands of bartenders and bars to improve their skills. To date, the program has inspired and educated more than 25,000 bartenders worldwide while working in partnership with bars, restaurants, night-clubs and hotels to build their business and offer a better experience to consumers.
