by Suzan Ryan: editor – bars&clubs
Congratulations to Jimmy Irvine, bar manager at Hinky Dinks in Darlinghurst, for taking out the first ever national final of the Australian Monin Cup, at Chippendale, Sydney, last night.
The event is part of the global Monin Cup, a competition designed to foster new talent, aged 18-27 years old, in the Australian bar scene.
The three finalists – Jimmy Irvine (pictured below on the cover of b&c), Perry “Pez” Collier of The Lychee Lounge and Kari Nicol of Eau de Vie Melbourne – were tasked to create two original cocktails using no less than 10ml of Monin product, which werejudged on originality, creativity, appearance and flavour. (continues below)
Irvine, 23, mixed two cocktails, Treehouse Sling for round one and The Breakfast Fizz for round two. The Breakfast Fizz was inspired by a cocktail Irvine sampled at the recent Tales of the Cocktail event in New Orleans that used breakfast cereal in a reimagining of the classic Fizz.
The second round cocktail was prepared from ingredients supplied via a ‘mystery box’, presented to finalists who were then given just five minutes to contemplate their final creation.
The Breakfast Fizz impressed the judges: Bars & Clubs publisher, Paul Wootton; Bartender magazine editor, Sam Bygrave; Tomas Vikario from Monin; and Reece Griffiths from Low 302.
Irvine’s win secures him top spot as Australia’s representative at the Asia Pacific finals in Kuala Lumpur later this year.
Despite the miserable weather outside, an enthusiastic crowd turned out to support the finalists, who whipped up their drinks in a Master Chef-type battle against the clock with entertainment provided by the Sydney Kings cheerleaders and 1950s-style waitresses offering hotdogs and rum and vodka-based Monin drinks mixed especially for the event.
A bus was supplied by Monin to ferry the crowd, judges and contestants on to the after party, sponsored by The Keystone Group, at Sweethearts Rooftop bar in Kings Cross.