Ooty – The country witnessed a power packed finale of the 4th edition of Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship. The competition that specializes in enhancing bartending skills was spread over 3 weeks and 8 city level contests to find the top 20 bartenders in the country. The competition ended with a two-day Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship Camp Monkey 2019 at Savoy- IHCL SeleQtions, Ooty where 20 regional winners competed for the ultimate prize and experienced immersive sessions on wellness, sustainability, teamwork and global trends.
The first day kicked off with fun team building engagements followed by a curated session by Joe Petch, Global Brand Ambassador, Monkey Shoulder and Jay Gray, Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador, South East Asia on how brands are contributing towards sustainability. The day ended with a culturally enriching Badaga performance and Badaga inspired dinner to give a cultural flavor.
Day two started with a session on wellness led by running enthusiast and General Manager of Savoy- IHCL SeleQtions, Ooty,Ritesh Choudhary with an early morning run for the finalists. The active morning session was followed by an experience to witness sustainability at its best at the Glendale tea-estate with a Blue-Sky thinking session curated by Pankaj Balachandran, Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador, India and Jamie Rhind, Bamboo Bar Bangkok from Asia 50 best bars list to discuss how to get India on the global map of bars. At the close of the visit to the tea paradise, began the high-energy Grand finale of Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship 2019.
After achieving the highest score against 600+ bartenders across 8 cities in India, Sahil won the Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship 2019 and an all-expenses paid trip to “London Cocktail Week” in October, which will be attended by the best from the bartending industry globally. Working with popular bars such as Perch Wine and Coffee bar, 361 degree etc. for the past 3 years, he was one of the top scorers from the North region. The contest comprised of quizzes on spirits with rounds that tested bartenders on pouring, serving, nosing and cocktail preparation skills.
Sharing his excitement, Sahil Negi said, “I am thrilled beyond words today. I feel extremely lucky and very proud to be the winner of Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship 2019. Bartending is my true love, and it feels like all those endless nights that I spent training and improving my skills have paid off. A huge shout-out to Monkey Shoulder, for giving me this platform and recognizing my talent. The two days were curated with complete eye-opening sessions from wellness to sustainability and global trends by global personalities which will enhance my skills.”
Pankaj Balachandran, India Brand Ambassador for Monkey Shoulder said, “Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship specializes in enhancing skills of bartenders. This year we focused on honing skills on sustainability, wellness and global trends. Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartending Championship saw a really enthusiastic participation across cities in India, capturing the spirit of Skills that Pay the Bills. As a brand ambassador for Monkey Shoulder, I feel extremely proud to introduce a new face to the bartending world. Thrilled to take Sahil’s skills to a level of global recognition.”
Speaking on the occasion, Joe Petch, Monkey Shoulder Global Brand Ambassador said, “Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship has been recognizing bartenders from across the globe for over half a decade. Consumers are on the lookout for experiences that leave a mark, and this usually stems from impeccable quality and great service. This means that a bartender’s skillset has to continuously evolve, and this is exactly what the championship relays. In its fourth edition in India, the championship has successfully brought together different elements that helped hone bartender’s skill – from knowledge building sessions to decoding consumer preference to crafting the perfect drink.”
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