Organised for the first time, Live Mixology Championship at FHW 2016 Bengaluru, saw fierce competition amongst participants showcasing their bartending skills through innovative mixes and presentations By Mohit Rathod
The Live Mixology Championship, organised on the second day of the exhibition, was a first of its kind special event in the history of FHW Bengaluru. The event was one of the major attractions for visitors from various segments, including F&B. The championship served as a platform for bartenders, both amateurs and professionals, to showcase their skills and innovative preparations through cocktails and mocktails. Participants were required to prepare one cocktail drink and one mocktail. A total of 19 participants presented their mixes to the jury panel. The panel included Rohan Carvalho, director, BarSquare; Alok Kumar Bharadwaj, director – F&B, The Atria Hotel Bengaluru; Raj Sethia, proprietor, Gangotree; and Chef Vikram Udaygiri, director, Excuisine Food and Beverage.
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Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Chef Kasi Vishwanathan, executive chef, The Atria Hotel Bengaluru, said, “The objective behind the Mixology Championship was to give a platform to bartenders to showcase their skills. We want to encourage them to participate more in such competitions and take them along with us.”
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The championship featured different categories for amateurs and professionals. “We didn’t want to compare students with professionals, so we had segregated the event in two categories. Even the judging basis was different for both the categories,” informed Chef Vishwanathan.
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One of the judges, Carvalho, appreciated the initiative taken by SICA and affirmed that the championship helped to highlight undiscovered talents. He said, “The event gave a platform to people who look at mixology as a career. I saw a lot of interesting amateurs with skills and talent; they did a good job. There were experienced and well-trained professionals who were really up to the mark. I think this championship has motivated the particpants.”
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Giving his perspective of the present industry scenario, Chef Vishwanathan stated, “In the Indian F&B market, beverages are taking centre stage now. Today various new drinks have come up, and it has become so important that you can’t serve food without a drink. We give equal importance to the beverage segment; and a platform like this will definitely enhance the space.”
The Winners
