Be At One has been on the search for their best bartenders with the return of their annual Bartender Challenge, after it’s three years absence. The winner was Adam Jennings, who works at Be At One, Berkeley Square in London.
260 Be At One Bartenders took part in the contest, sponsored by Havana Club, each competing for title of Best Bartender. The winner Adam Jennings, who also won best pourer, has been with Be At One for seven years. His special skills include ridiculously complicated pours with the most difficult bottles to hold.
This competition ran for five months starting in each Be At One bar where bartenders competed in pouring skills, spec knowledge, speed, spirit and brand knowledge and their interaction. These heats would decide who represented the bar for each category in the semi finals, which were held in Manchester, Berkeley Square, Liverpool Street and Russell Street. The best two bartenders from each Semi Final went through to the Grand Finale in Be At One, Regent Street.
Helen Charlesworth, Managing Director of Stonegate Group, said:
“Our Be At One Bartenders are really at the top of their game and this competition gave them the chance to put their showmanship and expertise on show. The contest is about more than just skills, at Be At One we hire personalities not skills and at events like these those personalities shine through.”
The winners of the contest, who all got a share of the collective £8000 prize pot, are as follows:
• Best Bartender – the highest scoring bartender overall in the final.
• 1st Place – Adam Jennings, Berkeley Square
• 2nd Place – Stevie Burton, Norwich
• 3rd Place – Desi Perricone, Liverpool
• Best Newcomer- this is the best score of a bartender who certified after April 2022 – Jack Powell, Hammersmith
• Fastest Bartender – The bartender who has the highest score in the speed round – Cassie McLeman, Hammersmith
• Best Pourer – this is the highest scoring bartender in the final pour test– Adam Jennings, Berkeley Square
• Most Knowledgeable – this is the highest scoring bartender in the final across both the knowledge test & spec test – Stevie Burton, Norwich
• Best Bar – Norwich
Helen Charlesworth continued:
“A huge congratulations to our winners and well done to everyone who took part. Stakes were high, with incredible prizes to be won. I am so proud of the hard work and commitment that went into this competition.”
