By Sacha Delfosse
Some of the country's leading bartenders will showcase their talents at the 2013 Disaronno Mixing Star cocktail competition national finals this Wednesday at The Loft in Sydney.
The May 15 finals will be open to the public and members of the trade and will be hosted by Gracie Otto, who will be judging alongside Club Suntory ambassador Justin Strzadala and Asia Pacific commercial manager, Nicola Bini.
Guests attending the finals will also be invited to pick their favourites from the judges’ top three choices.
To enter the competition, bartenders were asked to create an original Disaronno cocktail that was linked to their favourite movie scene. All the entries were recreated by the Club Suntory team and from there the top 15 were selected.
The finalists will not only be judged on the quality and taste of their cocktail – following an acting masterclass with Otto they will be asked to act out their chosen film scene – and they will also be tested on their knowledge of Disaronno.
The winning bartender will earn themselves an all expenses paid week-long trip to Amsterdam in July to compete in the Disaronno Mixing Star Global Finals.
The 15 Australian finalists are:
– Dean Scuderi from the Heritage Bar & Grill (QLD)
– Quynh Nguyen from The Fish Shop (NSW)
– Evan Brown from Embers Bar (NSW)
– Jordan Blackman from The Loft (NSW)
– Blaire Gillespie from Stokehouse (QLD)
– James Connolly from El Publico (WA)
– Carlo Russo from Chiswick Restaurant (NSW)
– Patrick Stollery from Novotel Pacific Bay (NSW)
– Edward Quatermass from Emporium Hotel (QLD)
– Nick Focareta from King Pin (SA)
– Dean Sykes from Gardel’s Bar (NSW)
– Blake Hall from The Waiting Room (VIC)
– Perryn Collier from Alfred & Constance (QLD)
– Nick Selvadurai from Cookie (VIC)
– Hannah Moroney from Alfred & Constance (QLD)