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Monday, March 27, 2006
The flair
By Adrian Lino Arquiza
GLASSES filled with brightly-colored beverages, drinks getting spilled, bottles flying every which way, the crowd shouting and cheering. No, it’s not a bar brawl. It’s the Regional Finals of the Flair Challenge 2006, where the top bartenders in the Visayas region vie for the chance to compete in the Nationals.
While drinks and cocktails may be considered the lifeblood of bars, bartenders are definitely their hearts. These masters of mixing spend countless hours behind the bar coming up with colorful potions with interesting-sounding names to give their customers refreshing, most times intoxicating, infusions. Called “mocktails”, for non-alcoholic beverages or “cocktails”, for those containing alcohol, these drinks please the eye and slake your thirst.
These bartenders also work hard honing their skills in “flairtending”, the art of juggling bottles, shakers, and whatnot while mixing drinks and tending bar. With terms like “stall”, “snatch”, “clip”, one can see that flairtending is very technical in nature.
Organized by Del Monte Phils. in cooperation with Ginebra San Miguel Inc., SM ShoeMart and the Philippine Bartenders’ League, The Flair Challenge introduces Del Monte’s new product line, the Del Monte Party Drinks, a collection of fruit juices that can be drunk pure or mixed with other ingredients as a cocktail. The contest also aims to promote awareness of bartending, and of course “flairtending”, as a profession.
Angie Castillo, Group Product manager for Del Monte Party Drinks, elaborates. “Bartending, or “flairtending”, is fast becoming a sought-after profession. Hotels, resorts, cruise liners, and top-end bars and restaurants are willing to pay top dollar for seasoned bartenders, even more so for female bartenders. It’s not unusual for a bartender well versed in the craft to earn a salary in the five-figure range. This may go even higher when a bartender goes abroad or gets employed by a major cruise line. The contest provides a good setting for them to showcase their talents in mixing cocktails and in “flairtending”.”
The Flair Challenge is open to both students and professional bartenders, each competing in their own category. Judging is based on the taste and presentation of their cocktails as well as their showmanship in tending bar. Bagging first place in the students’ division was Sheryl Robles, a junior at the Colegio del Sagrada Corazon de Jesus in Iloilo, with her “Oriental Obsession” and ”Valkyrie’s Delight.” The professionals’ division saw Casino Espanol’s Ritchie Paquibot along with his “Green Hornet” and “Fruity Fantasy” running away with the top slot. Ernesto Ocon of Waterfront Mactan proved to be the fastest bartender in the speed round, mixing three cocktails correctly in less than five minutes.
April 19 will see Sheryl and Ritchie in Manila for the National Finals, where the champion will receive various prizes including a trip to Boracay, plus a trip to Singapore to compete in the International Bartending Championship, for bragging rights as one of the world’s top bartenders.
Until then, Sheryl and Ritchie will continue practicing their moves, honing their skills in mixing and serving drinks. With flair, of course.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 27, 2006 issue)
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