It's done! AND what a year it was for World Class! We've come a long way from my first year organizing the competition in 2013 - making stuff up as I went along, moving sushi fridges, chauffeuring industry celebrities around in my rusty dusty old Jeep Cherokee! Obviously it does help to have a bartender/bar manager/mixologist/World Class finalist taking on a lot of the hard work too. Thanks Simon Crompton!
Every year we hold World Class we see better, more creative bartenders coming forward! Who says you can't get a great cocktail in Cayman? Then they're obviously looking in the wrong places (Burger King maybe?). Some of the cocktails presented at the finals ASTOUNDED the judges (See below for said astoundment). The quality of our bartenders and the variety or good ingredients available in Cayman must make us one of the top cocktail destinations in the Caribbean by now.
We had 2 new challenges for the top finalists this year, testing their creativity and on-the-spot abilities with delicious beverages. The first was our own tarot card style 'Chopped' challenge! The competitors had to choose a spirit card (Ketel One vodka, Bulleit Bourbon, Zacapa rum etc), a style card (flip, classic, sparkling etc) and a flavour card (tropical, savoury, bitter etc) and create a cocktail using our pantry in 30 minutes.
I predict you'll be seeing this during Cayman Cocktail Week 2016! Well, if I have my way you will. What a fun way to order a cocktail when you're not quite sure what you want, although it'll have to be a slower night at the bar!
Congratulations to Laurie Eaton, Head Bartender at The Bistro in Grand Cayman and this year's World Class Cayman winner. I'm looking forward to watching you compete for Cayman in Miami at the World Class Global Finals! Better get some Tshirts made and a banner or 2 to hold up!
Go Cayman!!!!
