WORLD CLASS programme is honoured to announce the list of the 55 finalists who will battle it out in the Global Final Competition in South Africa to be crowned “the best bartender of the world”. More than 6,000 bartenders, from more than 50 countries competed at the local contests to conquer the title of the best bartender of their countries.
It takes an outstanding bar to produce an outstanding bartender, and the 55 finalists in the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year competition
represent some of the most exceptional venues on earth. These bars and
restaurants are spread across 53 countries as well as two venues on the
open seas. More than 3 500 bars and restaurants around the globe have
been a part of WORLD CLASS this year, with their bartenders competing to
be the champions of their respective countries.
Domenico De Lorenzo, from Molecular Bars in Johannesburg, clinched the victory in the WORLD CLASS national finals
with his original creations the “Curious Case of the Malted Man” and
“Lady in Red”, and will now go on to represent South Africa in the WORLD
CLASS global finals from August 31 to September 4.
The following 55 bartenders from all over the world will be competing against each other to be crowned champion on 5th September 2015 in Cape Town!
Country Bar Bartender
Australia Boilermaker House Jack Sotti
Austria Barracuda Barcatering Philipp Ernst
Belgium Diageo Jurgen Nobels
Brazil Grupo Vegas Kennedy Nascimento
Bulgaria By The Way Dimitar Dimitrov
Canada UVA Wine and Cocktail Bar Lauren Mote
Colombia Mai Tai Bar Cesar Acero Sanchez
Costa Rica Hotel Andaz Papagayo Clark Jimenez Alvarado
Czech Republic L’Fleur Bar Vítezslav Cirok
Denmark Open/Closes Karl-Martin Edin
France Le Florian Paul Silvers
Germany Shakekings Marian Krause
Greece Theory Bar and More Emmanouil Lykiardopoulos
GTME Celebrity Cruises Santos Mercedes
Guatemala Independiente “Nomada Cocktail” Marvin Martinez
Hong Kong Quinary Antonio Lai
India Drinks on MG Alfonso del Portillo
Indian Ocean Apoteek Tristan Petit
Indonesia Sofitel Nusa Dua Bali Ayip Muhammad Dzuhri
Ireland MVP Anna Walsh
Israel Bellboy Ariel Leizgold
Italy Replay the Stage Francesco Cione
Japan Lamp Bar Michito Kaneko
Kenya Royal Orchid Hotel Akash Tomar
Lebanon Central Station Refaat Ghostine
Malaysia Omakase & Appreciate Yi Shawn Chong
Mexico Licoreria Limantour Fernanda Tejada
Morocco Sofitel Royal Bay Agadir (Accor Group) Brahim Hamouali
Netherlands Door 74 Tess Posthumus
New Zealand Racket Bar Phillip Spector
Norway Raus Jørgen Dons
Panama Taberna Rasputin Felix Cuevas
Peru Bottega Dasso David Romero
Philippines ABV Kenneth Bandivas
Poland El Koktel Mateusz Szuchnik
Portugal Cinco Lounge Jose Maria Robertson
Puerto Rico Santaella Michael Norat
Romania PPD Paul Sfirlea
Russia Mendeleev Bar Evgeny Shashin
Singapore Tess Bar Steve Leong
Slovakia Gastronomy Group Filip Navratil
South Africa Molecular Bars Domenico de Lorenzo
South Korea Speakeasy Mortar Byungjim Lim
Spain Varsovia Bar Borja Cortina
Sweden Bar25 Ted Filip Dako
Switzerland Intercontinental Geneva Olivia Hairay
Taiwan Mandarin Oriental Taipei Jacko Chang
Thailand Why97 Pongpak Sudthipongse
Turkey Nopa Kevin Patnode
United Arab Emirates Zuma Restaurants Mehmet N. Sur
United Kingdom Hawksmoor Alistair Reynolds
United States Death & Co Tyson Buhler
Vietnam Urban Kitchen Bar Duy Tu
Western Europe Central Team Sailing Yacht Marie Jasmin Rutter
Head down to World Class House in Woodstock, Cape Town, from 28th August – 5th September to catch up with one of these bartenders!