Thailand has a winner
The St Regis Bangkok's bartender heads to Rio to represent the Kingdom in the global round of the Diageo Reserve World Class Competition
One of the bar scene’s most challenging cocktail competitions, Diageo Reserve World Class Thailand Competition 2012, has finally found a winner. Supawit Muttarattana from the St. Regis Bangkok now takes on a whole new challenge as he represent Thailand in the global final round against 50 of the world’s best bartenders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next month.
The international campaign Diago World Class is in its fourth year. Diageo Thailand entered the global league in the second year, encouraging bartenders in restaurants, bars and hotels all over Thailand to “raise the bar” and go global with their skills.
Earlier this month, Bangkok’s latest luxury club Levels on Sukhumvit Soi 11 transformed its vast dancefloor into a cocktail battlefield with 10 contestants from Thailand’s prestigious food and beverage venues. The first task of the contest challenged the contestants to created Tropical Journey cocktails, with the use of premium alcohol from Diageo Moet Hennessy’s portfolio. The second part was even more challenging, as they had to cook up a cocktail for movie stars in Hollywood Star Challenge with Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky. Supawit scored the highest points in both rounds, and was crowned the winner.
The first runner-up was Somka-ne Singha from Mellow Restaurant and Bar while Adisara Wanso from Eat Me Restaurant came in third.
Supawit had Hollywood star Eva Green as his muse in creating the winning cocktail, the Striding.
“I imagined myself on a movie set, serving a cocktail to the gorgeous Hollywood star Eva Green,” he said. “The major components of the movie: the director and the leading male and female stars would be portrayed through the main ingredients of my cocktail. They are Johnnie Walker Blue Label, orange and lime peels, coffee and vanilla essences. The highlight is the ice cubes, which are made of orange blossom in plain water.
“I believe that passion, joy and faith in my profession, together with my determination and hard work rewarded me with the title in this esteemed competition,” he continued enthusiastically. “I am very thankful to this competition as it has given me useful and educational experience. It also helps to raise the profile of bartenders and elevate the cocktail craft. It makes me feel like I’ve been promoted! I will do my best in Brazil.”
