Guests at the WORLD CLASS competition witnessed the pinnacle of bartending creations, new trends and the parameters of cocktail making pushed further than ever before during the Grand Finale Gala event.
From the beginning of the competition, Patrick has seen off challenges which tested every single skill that makes a bartender truly great. He battled it out in the Signature Serve challenge, going head-to-head with his opponents to create his best classic cocktail.
The competition, which started in April, saw 40 of Kenya's bartending elite go through a vigorous training programme to upskill local mixologists in order meet the growing demand for an enhanced customer experience.
Patrick survived the fire of the Heat of the Moment challenge as he showed how to break boundaries in cocktail making by incorporating the best of culinary techniques with his 'El Granjero' cocktail. El Granjero is a Spanish word meaning the farmer; which is the country of origin for Ron Zacapa; the spirit he used to make his cocktail. He took on the challenge to show how bartenders can look for new ways to create the ultimate cocktail. Over six finalists battled it out for the World Class Kenya Bartender of the year title.
"I appreciate Diageo for giving me this opportunity to learn more about becoming an exceptional mixologist. It is through working together with my fellow bartenders that I have learnt how to create the perfect balance in a cocktail, "he added.
"Patrick truly stood out as the best of the best, able to master the Diageo Reserve luxury portfolio to create ground-breaking results," said Diageo East Africa Reserve Brand Ambassador Alex Kavita.
World Class bartenders and the venues where they work are synonymous with sophistication, impeccable service and pushing the boundaries of contemporary and experiential cocktail culture.
"WORLD CLASS is on a mission to make the world drink better - it is a mark of distinction that guarantees the best in drinking experiences whether that's the world's best bartenders, bars, spirits, drinks, recipes or entertainment," said Diageo East Africa Senior Brand Ambassador Douglas Duncanson.
"Since its inception, World Class has been passionate about giving the bartenders the spotlight they deserve for being incredibly talented professionals whose skill is on a par with the world's best chefs but also supporting them to increase their skills and be able to create better and great drinking experiences to consumers", he added.
The Global Final will see the world's best bartenders battle it out in a series of innovative cocktail and mixology challenges and be judged by the world's most respected mixologists and taste experts to be crowned with the title of the World's best bartender of the year.
The competition is part of a fully integrated program that aims to increase the quality of consumer's experiences in fine drinking, offering support and training to thousands of bartenders and bars to improve their skills. To date, the program has inspired and educated more than 25,000 bartenders worldwide while working in partnership with bars, restaurants, night-clubs and hotels to build their business and offer a better experience to consumers.
