SAN DIEGO, June 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After two
challenging days of standout mixology showmanship, the United
States Bartender's Guild (USBG) World Class Sponsored by Diageo has
named Chris Cardone as the 2017 U.S.
Bartender of the Year. The acclaimed competition, now in its sixth
year, attracts the country's best bartenders who represent the
craft and elevation of the art of cocktail creation with the
ultimate goal of representing the U.S. at the global competition in
Mexico City this August.
Chris Cardone has demonstrated
that persistence and passion for the trade can truly propel one to
success, as it's the fourth year that the New York based bartender has participated in
the program. Cardone impressed the judges with his creative
showmanship and keen interest in providing the best experience for
the customer and as a result earned himself the honor of
representing the US in the global finals in August.
"I'm so honored to be named the US Best Bartender of the Year.
My experience in the program has helped to strengthen my abilities,
knowledge and connection to the bartending community in such an
impactful way and I know it will help to directly benefit the
future of my career in this industry. I'm thrilled to represent my
country at the Global Finals in Mexico
City and I am thankful that I will have the support of my
colleagues and my country behind me," commented Cardone.
The sixth iteration of the World Class U.S. competition drew in
thousands of applicants, which led to a series of grueling regional
competitions that proved that the skill of the bartending community
is at an impressive all-time high. From there, fifteen bartenders
advanced to the national competition in San Diego, CA hosted from June 13th to 14th, to impress judges by drawing
unique inspiration from their experience behind the bar coupled
with the local flavor of their respective hometowns. The bartenders
demonstrated their knowledge, skill and creativity by crafting
cocktails featuring a selection of the Diageo Reserve brands
including Bulleit® Bourbon, CIROC® Vodka,
Johnnie Walker® Blended
Scotch Whisky, Ketel One® Vodka, Tanqueray No.
TEN®, Tequila Don
Julio® and Zacapa® Rum. The finals are
judged by a selection globally acclaimed bar-industry leaders
including the 2016 Global winner Jennifer Le Nechet, 2014 Global
winner Charles Joly, past U.S.
winners Tyson Buhler, Ricky Gomez, acclaimed bartenders and educators
including Tony Abou-Ganim,
Julie Reiner and more.
The two-day competition experience put the bartenders' skills,
senses and agility to the ultimate test with a series of difficult
challenges. From crafting eight well-balanced cocktails in ten
minutes or less in 'Lightning Round'; to developing
palate-pleasing cocktail pairings for specialty culinary dishes in
the 'Tasting Menu'; to drawing inspiration from fresh,
seasonal ingredients found at a local market to craft
out-of-the-box creations in the 'Market Basket'; to
mastering the element of surprise in 'Dealer's Choice'; to
finally creating cocktails inspired by the culture and flavors of
Mexico in the 'Viva Mexico'
challenge – the 2017 World Class program allowed each competitor to
showcase their incredible depth of knowledge along impeccable and
ever-important hospitality.
"The level of skill from each of the competitors continues to
astound us and demonstrates the growing expertise of the bartenders
in today's industry. We are so proud that this program continues to
contribute to their careers and provides such camaraderie for the
community," comments Aaron Gregory
Smith, Executive Director of the USBG.
Taylor Blades Director of On Premise for Diageo North America
further comments, "The evolution of this program from the first
year to the sixth, has been truly inspiring to watch. The level of
commitment and engagement that each participant brings to the
competition exemplifies the impressive talent found in today's
bartending community. We are proud to be committed to providing
each participant with innovative new techniques, social
responsibility ethics and ongoing education to help elevate their
craft to the next level."
Cocktails featured throughout the competition have been captured
on Twitter and Instagram @WorldClassUS for creation and
inspiration. When showcasing your own mixology creations or
savoring award-winning cocktails crafted by your favorite local
bartender, USBG World Class reminds you to drink
responsibly.
For additional information about the program and for detail on
the upcoming global competition, follow @WorldClassUS on Twitter
and Instagram, use the hashtag #WorldClass and visit
www.facebook.com/WorldClassUS.
About USBG
The United States Bartenders' Guild unites the largest network
of professionals in the U.S. in its mission to empower bartenders
to take charge of their careers. The USBG accomplishes its mission
through working with committed partners to enrich the career
advancement of its members with peer-to-peer learning, expert
instruction, service projects and competition. With over 60 years
of presence in the United States
and international coverage in affiliation with the International
Bartender's Association (IBA) in over 50 countries, the United
States Bartenders' Guild is setting the standard for the profession
throughout the country. USBG members don't follow trends – they set
them and passionately advocate for bartenders nationwide to do the
same. For more information, visit www.usbg.org.
About Diageo:
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an
outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits,
wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan's
and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff,
Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and
Guinness.
Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than
180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the
New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).
For more information about Diageo, its people and its brands,
visit www.diageo.com. For Diageo's global resource that
promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice
tools, information and initiatives, visit www.DRINKiQ.com.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usbg-world-class-sponsored-by-diageo-announces-chris-cardone-as-the-2017-us-bartender-of-the-year-300474679.html
SOURCE Diageo