GARY REGAN IN ITALY!!

Posted on August 5, 2014 by adminmax

AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FINALLY IN ITALY!

ONE OF THE MOST WELL KNOWN GLOBAL BARTENDING MASTER .
GARY REGAN HAS BEEN IN THE “FRONT ROW” FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND HE WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU IN ROME ON 29TH AND 30TH SEPTEMBER 2014!

DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE, LIMITED SEATS, MAKE SURE YOU LOCK YOURS!
Infos: eventibar@gmail.com
——–

VERSIONE ITALIANA

Un’altra spettacolare occasione da non perdere!
Finalmente in Italia uno dei piu’ conosciuti e attesi MAESTRI del bartending globale.
In prima fila da oltre trent’anni Gary Regan ti aspetta a Roma i giorni 29 e 30 settembre 2014.
I posti sono limitati, BLINDA IL TUO!!! IL PRIMA POSSIBILE.
Per info: eventibar@gmail.com

WORLD CLASS 2014 Global Winner- Charles Joly – USA

Posted on August 5, 2014 by adminmax

Charles Joly from USA serves up a week of magnificent mixes to be named the World’s Best Bartender

Charles Joly beats 47 peers to be crowned the Diageo Reserve World Class™ Bartender of the Year 2014

FRIDAY 1 AUGUST 2014, LONDON: After a week of fierce competition, incredible craftsmanship, unrivalled creativity and exceptional cocktails, Charles Joly from The Aviary in Chicago, USA, beat 47 of the best mixologists from around the globe to be crowned the DIAGEO RESERVE WORLD CLASS™ Bartender of the Year 2014.

Charles mesmerised the judges from the very first cocktail but it was his unique and show-stopping signature serve that will help cement his name in cocktail history. His signature cocktail Above the Clouds, crafted for the final Punch and Glass challenge, blew the judges away. Throughout the week Charles consistently proved his winning credentials to the esteemed panel of judges that included legends and luminaries of the cocktail scene such as Dale DeGroff, Salvatore Calabrese, Julie Reiner, Steve Olsen and Gaz Regan.

“Wow, I just feel totally overawed by this. I know it sounds like a cliché but to be announced as theDIAGEO RESERVE WORLD CLASS™ BARTENDER OF THE YEAR 2014 is like a dream – I half expect to wake up at any moment. The other finalists really are the best bartenders in the world today so for the judges to pick me as the winner is incredible” said Joly.

“This journey didn’t start today at the ceremony, this week at the finals, or even last year when I entered the heats – it started many years ago when I first started working in a local bar. The flavours, the smells, the sounds, the techniques, the history, the theatre – I realized I did not want to create just another drink. I make drinks with my heart and it makes me happy to see customers happy. The possibilities open to a bartender are limitless, not just in terms of your career but your creations – the only limit is your imagination.”

Matteo Fantacchiotti, Global Vice President Commercial, DIAGEO RESERVE, said: “Right from the beginning Charles’ passion, creativity and unrivalled mixology skills blew the judges away. His desire to create unique serves that combined sophisticated tastes with innovative modern twists never faltered at any stage of the competition. It’s a real honor to have Charles as our 2014 Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS™ ambassador, and I look forward to working with him in the future. Together we hope to inspire a new generation of mixology talent across the world, helping raise the profile of bartenders to where chefs are today.”

Charles Joly becomes the sixth bartender to be awarded the revered WORLD CLASS™ Bartender of The Year title, following in the footsteps of mixologists giants who have gone on to influence cocktail culture around the world, including David Rios, Tim Philips, Manabu Ohtake, Erik Lorincz and Aristotelis Papadopoulos.

The 48 bartenders that reached the WORLD CLASS™ Global Final 2014 had already demonstrated unwavering commitment to their craft after conquering a year-long journey of qualifiers, earning them the right to represent their country and compete against the best bartenders in the world in the industry’s most prestigious and respected mixology competition.

Charles Joly will now become a global ambassador for Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS™, a role which will see him travel the world, educating and inspiring new talent whilst developing his own skills and knowledge through the different tastes and techniques they experiences along the way.

The 2014 WORLD CLASS™ Finals consisted of a series of innovative challenges staged around Great Britain, starting in Gleneagles, Scotland, before travelling via the iconic Orient Express to London. Discovery was at the heart of the competition, a theme brought to life by the series of innovative challenges that immersed the 48 finalists in Great British culture and inspired them to create premium serves, using the world’s finest spirits, that told stories of places, people and the local history of this year’s host nation – the birthplace of WORLD CLASS™ over six year ago.

This year, for the first time ever, consumers were also invited to participate in the WORLD CLASS™ Global Final and discover a world of fine drinking culture at the WORLD CLASS™ House. Set over five floors of a beautiful townhouse, this exclusive pop-up experience was created to coincide with Finals week, providing hands-on mixology masterclasses run by world-renowned bartenders, unique cocktails and food tasting sessions that made the WORLD CLASS™ House, the spiritual home of fine drinking experiences this summer.

In 2015, the WORLD CLASS Global Final will travel to Africa for the first time, and take place in 2014’s World Design Capital; Cape Town. This iconic city was voted the World’s Top Travel Destination by The New York Times, and boasts an abundance of natural beauty and cultural diversity. With a vibrant and cosmopolitan mixology culture, as well as thriving creative sectors, Cape Town is set to provide all the inspiration the contenders will need to thrive in 2015’s Global Final.

SOURCE: diageo.com

VIDEO: “ONE MORE” BAR – SOFIA 2014

Posted on August 4, 2014 by adminmax

DIAGEO RESERVE BULGARIA and ONE MORE BAR bring you the…

“KISS (Keep It Simple, Sir) GUEST BARTENDING NIGHT” by Max La Rocca

ENJOY!

Tales of The Cocktails 2014 Top 4 Finalists

Posted on June 25, 2014 by adminmax

CONGRATULATIONS TO The top 4 Finalists for the 2014 Spirited Awards

American Bartender of the Year

Charles Joly The Aviary Chicago, Illinois
Eric Alperin The Varnish Los Angeles, California
Leo Robitschek The NoMad Hotel New York, New York
Sean Kenyon Williams & Graham Denver, Colorado

Best American Brand Ambassador

Elayne Duff Diageo Portfolio
Jamie Gordon Absolut Vodka
Neyah White Yamazaki
Todd Richman Sidney Frank Portfolio

Best American Cocktail Bar

Anvil Houston, Texas
Clover Club Brooklyn, New York
Cure New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hawthorne Boston, Massachusetts

Best Bar Mentor

Bridget Albert Chicago, Illinois
Dushan Zaric Los Angeles, California
Francesco Lafranconi Las Vegas, Nevada
Julie Reiner Brooklyn, New York

Best Cocktail Writing – Author

Gary Regan
Ian Cameron
Paul Clarke
Robert Simonson

Best Cocktail Writing – Publication

Australian Bartender Magazine
Bar Magazine Digital
DiffordsGuide.com
Imbibe Magazine

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar

Clover Club Brooklyn, New York
Harvard and Stone Los Angeles, California
Sable Kitchen and Bar Chicago, Illinois
Saxon + Parole Restaurant New York, New York

Best International Brand Ambassador

Claire Smith Belvedere Vodka
Giuseppe Gallo Martini
Ian Burrell Rum Ambassador
Jacob Briars Bacardi Portfolio

Best New Book (Cocktail/Bartending)

Drinks by Tony Conigliaro
The Tequila Ambassador by Tomas Estes
To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion by Philip Greene
Vodka Distilled by Tony Abou-Ganim

Best New Product

Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Aromatic Bitters
Dorothy Parker Gin
Fords Gin
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

Best Restaurant Bar

Island Creek Oyster Bar Boston, Massachusetts, USA
No. 9 Park Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Saxon + Parole Restaurant New York, New York, USA
The NoMad Hotel New York, New York, USA

International Bartender of the Year

Hidetsugu Ueno Bar High Five Tokyo, Japan
Jack McGarry The Dead Rabbit New York, New York, USA
Simone Caporale Artesian Bar at the Langham London, England,UK
Zdenek Kastanek 28 Hong Kong Street Singapore

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

Callooh Callay London, United Kingdom
Candelaria Paris, France
Drink Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Varnish Los Angeles, California, USA

World’s Best Cocktail Menu
American Bar at the Savoy London, United Kingdom
Pouring Ribbons New York, New York, USA
The Dead Rabbit New York, New York, USA
The Nightjar London, United Kingdom

World’s Best Drink Selection
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium Seattle, Washington, USA
Mayahuel New York, New York, USA
Saxon + Parole Restaurant New York, New York, USA
The Dead Rabbit New York, New York, USA

World’s Best Hotel Bar

Clyde Common Portland, Oregon, USA
Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The NoMad Hotel New York, New York, USA
The Zetter Townhouse London, United Kingdom

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar

Experimental Cocktail Club New York, New York, USA
Pouring Ribbons New York, New York, USA
The Dead Rabbit New York, New York, USA
The NoMad Hotel New York, New York, USA

Tales of The Cocktails 2014 Top 10 Finalists

Posted on May 24, 2014 by adminmax

The top 10 Finalists for the 2014 Spirited Awards have been Announced!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!

AMERICAN CATEGORIES:

American Bartender of the Year
Jeff Bell (New York)
Erick Castro (San Diego)
Marcovaldo Dionysos (San Francisco)
Bobby Heugel (Houston)
Sean Kenyon (Denver)
John Lermayer (Miami)
Ryan Maybee (Kansas City)
Ivy Mix (New York)
Jeffrey Morgenthaler (Portland)
Pamela Wiznitzer (New York)

Best American Brand Ambassador
Brooke Arthur (House of Spirits)
Colin Asare-Appiah (Bacardi)
Elayne Duff (Diageo Reserve)
Jamie Evans (Oxley gin)
Bernie Lubbers (Heaven Hill Distilleries)
Freddy May (Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky)
Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard USA Portfolio)
Nick van Tiel (Plymouth Gin / Beefeater)
Neyah White (Suntory Japanese Whiskies)
Angus Winchester (Tanqueray Gin)

Best American Cocktail Bar
Anvil Bar & Refuge (Houston)
The Aviary (Chicago)
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
Cure (New Orleans)
The Dead Rabbit (New York)
Noble Experiment (San Diego)
Prizefighter (Emeryville)
Smuggler’s Cove (San Francisco)
Trick Dog (San Francisco)
Williams & Graham (Denver)

Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar
Employees Only (New York)
Flatiron Lounge (New York)
Harvard & Stone (Los Angeles)
Honeycut (Los Angeles)
The NoMad (New York)
Polite Provisions (San Diego)
Sable Kitchen & Bar (Chicago)
Saxon + Parole Restaurant (New York)
Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago)
Trick Dog (San Francisco)

Best American Restaurant Bar
320 Main (Orange County)
Bestia (Los Angeles)
Clyde Common (Portland)
Gramercy Tavern (New York)
No. 9 Park (Boston)
The NoMad (New York)
nopa (San Francisco)
OAK at fourteenth (Boulder)
The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange (Kansas City)
The Silver Dollar (Louisville)

Best American Hotel Bar
Bellocq (New Orleans)
Bemelmans Bar (New York)
The Broken Shaker (Miami)
Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone (New Orleans)
Clyde Common (Portland)
The Hawthorne (Boston)
The Regent Cocktail Club (Miami)
Sable Kitchen & Bar (Chicago)
The Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Los Angeles)
Vesper Bar (Las Vegas)

Best New American Cocktail Bar
Attaboy (New York)
Cane & Table (New Orleans)
Celeste (Chicago)
Golden Cadillac (New York)
Half Step (Austin)
Kimball House (Atlanta)
Mockingbird Hill (Washington, D.C.)
Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library (Portland)
Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago)
ZZ’s Clam Bar (New York)

Best American Bar Team – New Category
Attaboy (New York)
Clyde Common (Portland)
The Dead Rabbit (New York)
Drink (Boston)
Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks (Boston)
Employees Only (New York)
The NoMad (New York)
The Regent Cocktail Club (Miami)
Trick Dog (San Francisco)
Williams & Graham (Denver)

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES:

International Bartender of the Year
Marian Beke (London)
Monica Berg (London)
Simone Caporale (London)
Ryan Chetiyawardana (London)
Mario Kappes (Hamburg)
Zdenek Kastanek (Singapore)
Tim Phillips (Sydney)
Hidetsugu Ueno (Tokyo)
Tom Walker (London)
Jason Williams (Sydney)

Best International Brand Ambassador
Ian “Rum Ambassador” Burrell
David Cordoba (Bacardi)
Giuseppe Gallo (Martini & Rossi)
Tim Etherington Judge (Diageo Reserve)
George Nemec (Becherovka)
David Piper (Hendrick’s Gin)
Claire Smith (Belvedere Vodka)
Manuel Terron (Midori Melon Liqueur)
Camille Vidal (St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur)
Maximilian Warner (Chivas)

Best International Cocktail Bar
28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
69 Colebrooke Row (London)
Bramble Bar (Edinburgh)
Buck and Breck (Berlin)
Bulletin Place (Sydney)
Candelaria (Paris)
Chainaya. Tea & Cocktails (Moscow)
Door 74 (Amsterdam)
Eau De Vie Melbourne (Melbourne)
Happiness Forgets (London)

Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar
Big Easy Covent Garden (London)
Black Angel’s Bar (Prague)
The Attic at the Black Pearl (Melbourne)
The Cufflink Club (Singapore)
Dvars (Amsterdam)
Eau De Vie Melbourne (Melbourne)
Frank’s (Buenos Aires)
The Lobo Plantation (Sydney)
London Cocktail Club (London)
Schumann’s American Bar (Munich)

Best International Restaurant Bar
The Red Bar at Bam-Bous (London)
The Bon Vivants (Edinburgh)
Delicatessen (Moscow)
The Gilbert Scott (London)
Spitalfields Bar at Hawksmoor (London)
Hix Soho (London)
The Lui Bar at Vue De Monde (Melbourne)
Oblix Restaurant (London)
Porteno Restaurant (Sydney)
Blind Pig at Social Eating House (London)

Best International Hotel Bar
Artesian at the Langham (London)
Bar at Home Hotel (Buenos Aires)
Beaufort Bar at The Savoy Hotel (London)
Black Angel’s Bar (Prague)
Clive’s Classic Lounge (Victoria)
Connaught Bar at the Connaught (London)
Ohla Boutique Bar at Ohla Hotel (Barcelona)
Punch Room at The London Edition (London)
Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London (London)
Widder Bar at the Widder Hotel (Zurich)

Best New International Cocktail Bar
The Barber Shop (Sydney)
Blind Pig at Social Eating House (London)
Hello Sailor (Sydney)
Holmens Kanal (Copenhagen)
Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar (Tel Aviv)
The Liquor Rooms (Dublin)
Little Jumbo (Victoria)
NOLA (London)
Punch Room at The London Edition (London)
White Lyan (London)

Best International Bar Team – New Category
28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
The American Bar at The Savoy (London)
Artesian at the Langham (London)
The Baxter Inn (Sydney)
The Black Pearl (Melbourne)
Blind Pig at Social Eating House (London)
Connaught Bar at the Connaught (London)
Le Lion – Bar de Paris (Hamburg)
The Nightjar (London)
Ruby Cocktail Chronicles (Copenhagen)

WRITING CATEGORIES:

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer
Jenny Adams (United States)
Sam Bygrave (Australia)
Toby Cecchini (United States)
Paul Clarke (United States)
Camper English (United States)
Jeffrey Morgenthaler (United States)
Darcy O’Neil (Canada)
Daniel Priseman (United Kingdom)
Jane Ryan (United Kingdom)
Robert Simonson (United Kingdom)

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication
Alcademics.com (United States)
Australian Bartender magazine (Australia)
BarLifeUK (United Kingdom)
DRINK (China)
Ginger Magazine (France)
Imbibe Magazine (United States)
Liquor.com (United States)
PUNCH (punchdrink.com) (United States)
The Cocktail Lovers magazine (United Kingdom)
The Spirits Business (United Kingdom)

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book (Top 9)
The Art of the Shim by Dinah Sanders
Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today by Warren Bobrow
Beachbum Berry’s Potions of the Caribbean by Jeff Berry
Cocktail for a Crowd by Kara Newman
The Curious Bartender by Tristan Stephenson
The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart
Home Bar Basics (and Not-So-Basics) Cocktail Guidebook, 2nd Edition by Dave Stolte
Wine Cocktails (Planet of the Grapes) by Jason Wilson
Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch and Irish Whiskey by Fred Minnick

OVERALL CATEGORIES:

Best Bar Mentor
Erik Adkins
Bridget Albert
Jacob Briars
Jackson Cannon
Wayne Collins
Doug Frost
Francesco LaFranconi
Jim Meehan
Andy Seymour
Dushan Zaric

Best New Product
Ancho Reyes
Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve gin
Crawley’s Imperial Shaker Machine
Del Maguey Ibérico mezcal
iSpoon by Monkey Shoulder
Martini Gran Lusso Vermouth
Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky
Plantation Original Dark Rum
Sipsmith VJOP Gin
Small Hand Foods Tonic Syrup

World’s Best Cocktail Menu
69 Colebrooke Row (London)
The Aviary (Chicago)
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
Eau De Vie (Sydney)
The Nightjar (London)
The NoMad (New York)
Polite Provisions (San Diego)
Pouring Ribbons (New York)
Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago)
Trick Dog (San Francisco)

World’s Best Drinks Selection
Baba Au Rum (Athens)
Connaught Bar at the Connaught (London)
The Dead Rabbit (New York)
Eau De Vie Melbourne (Melbourne)
Hard Water (San Francisco)
Liberty Bar (Seattle)
Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library (Portland)
Old Crow (Zurich)
Scopa Italian Roots (Los Angeles)
Tommy’s (San Francisco

Breakfast, Lunch and..HUGS

Posted on March 20, 2014 by adminmax

“Restaurant owner with down syndrome runs the friendliest eatery ever!”

Travelling the world nearly every week and having the chance to interact with amazing Bartenders, sometimes I get the feeling that something is missing in the approach with their guest and this is something as “easy” as really having FUN in what we do , without taking ourselves TOO seriously!!

I know that what we do is very serious stuff, like handling money, dealing with people, sometimes also arrogant people, so we need a looot of patience, but everything will be so much easier and run much smoother if we manage to have a bit of FUN on the way, in my opinion, so..

..dont’ forget to have FUN this stuff is too important to be taken seriously!!

To enforce the point of what I’m talking about , I want to share with you this video and story that really drew my attention, increasing my awareness that all of us seriously are

“A GIFT TO THE WORLD” – I hope you’ll enjoy this story too and you’ll bring FUN as a serious concept in your day-by-day work behind the Bar!!!

Max La Rocca

Source: Amazingoasis.org (read the comments below the source Page)

and if you’re interested, Read more about Tim.

Max La Rocca @ VENUEZ Barshow Benelux

Posted on March 14, 2014 by adminmax

VENUEZ14 is the most inspiring Benelux trade event in the field of design, concepts, drinks & experience. It is the meeting place for hospitality entrepreneurs, brand managers, suppliers, consultants, designers, architects, concept developers, bartenders, chefs, and trend spotters.

Click here you can find more information about VENUEZ14