By Sacha Delfosse – editor bars&clubs
Sydney’s Keystone Group is teaming up with the Diageo World Class competition during World Cocktail Week, which runs from May 6 to 13.
As part of the exclusive partnership, the top 25 World Class bartender finalists with battle it out at Keystone’s latest venue, The Stables, showcasing their signature cocktail creations to consumer during three events run by Alex Adams of Secret Foodies.
And on May 10 Keystone's Rushcutters restaurant will be turned into the Ketel One Bloody Mary Garden, where guests will be able to create customised Bloody Mary cocktails. Lending them a hand will be Ketel One Ambassador, Chris Hysted, and Keystone group bars manager, Jason Williams.
Other Keystone venues will also be getting in on the action. The Newtown Hotel’s The Animal restaurant is set to adopt a ‘Meat meets Whisky’ theme that will include a range of meat-inspired cocktails, such as bone-luged short serves of Bulleit Bourbon and a gumbo old-fashioned.
Another one of Keystone’s venues, The Rook, will be participating in a bartender exchange with Melbourne’s award-winning Black Pearl bar. Three Black Pearl bartenders (who are also World Class finalists) – Fred Siggins, Lewis C Halls and Alan Raythorn – will be serving up their signature drinks at The Rook on May 13.
“We are thrilled to be involved in the Diageo World Class World Cocktail Week. Each activation for the Newtown Hotel, The Rook and Rushcutters has been created to appeal to the venue’s different target markets and shows the diversity of our hotels and restaurants across Sydney,” said The Keystone Group managing director and partner, John Duncan.