THAT TIME WE ORGANISED AN
INCREDIBLE BARTENDER COMPETITION!! 🍸✨
While the prizes are thrilling, the pressure is real. The spotlight can be terrifying, and for the contestants, the stakes are high—each move has to be precise, and each cocktail needs to reflect their personality and creativity. Add in the stress of competing in a non-native language, or the challenge of executing a drink that hasn’t been fully disclosed in advance, and it’s easy to see how tough these contests can be. Oh, and let’s not forget the “black box” challenges where organisers throw in the most creative (read: tricky) curveballs to keep bartenders on their toes!
Which brings us to November 3rd, 2024—the day we had the absolute pleasure of organising the Ti' Punch Cup 2024 – Edition #2 for Rhum St Barth.
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Then, we had to think about location. And let’s be honest, the Caribbean vibes had to be on point. We wanted to create an atmosphere that transported everyone straight to the tropics, so we chose the iconic The 305 Beach Club on Palm Jumeirah. Talk about setting the stage! With its outdoor bar right on the sand, the contestants were able to serve up their creations with their feet literally in the sand, while the guests relaxed by the pool and soaked up the Miami vibes. It was the perfect backdrop for a day of cocktails, creativity, and competition.
THE CONTESTANTS:
- Antonio Rondinelli - High Society at Lana by Dorchester Collection
- Juan Carlos Dorta - La Niña
- Aleksandr Perunov - Zuma Abu Dhabi
- Miriam Guida - Alma Lounge
- Cheytan Baez - Kaspia & Kiara Lounge
- Nasser Lassissi - LPM Dubai
- Julien Michael - Clap Dubai
- Tiago Pinto - Nobu Dubai
- Cesar Ramos - Blind Tiger, Min a al Nassim
- Steve Biko - The Rare, City Walk
- Andrea Tribbia - Bvulgari Resort
- Ali Rasulzade - Opa Dubai
THE JUDGES:
- Andrea Melis - Bar & Lounge Manager at Atmosphere in Burj Khalifa
- Kevin Bradford - Co-Founder & managing Director of Craft & Culture
- Rudolf De Vos - MMI Bar Academy Trainer
- Mikael Silvestre - Owner of Rhum St Barth brand
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Challenge N'1 - Ti'Punch Interpretation🍹
To kick things off, we let fate decide the sequence of the competition with a fun “lucky draw”. The 12 contestants were eager, the energy was building, and after a quick briefing with both the judges and competitors, we all gathered for a toast with a good ol’ Ti'Punch to warm up our spirits. Cheers to that, right?
Sharp at 11:30 AM, we were off and running!
The first challenge was all about showcasing the contestants' Ti'Punch interpretation. Simple, yet powerful. Each bartender had to present their version of the iconic Ti'Punch cocktail, the heart of Rhum St Barth. It was a classic, yet challenging, format—contestants had to impress the judges with both technical skill and creativity.
Here’s how the rules went down:
- 2 serves per drink (1 for judges and 1 for pictures)
- 5 minutes to prep their station
- 6 minutes to craft and serve their Ti'Punch creation
- 3 minutes for Q&A with the judges, followed by a quick clean-up for the next contestant
For the judging criteria, we kept things pretty traditional, but with a slight twist.
The judges evaluated based on:
- Name of the cocktail
- Taste
- Story/ Inspiration behind the drink
- Originality
- Presentation (how it looked!)
- Bartender performance (how well they owned the stage)
And then there were the bonus points. This was our little innovation to make sure the scoring was as fair as possible. We’ve all been there—sometimes, the first few competitors set the bar so high that it becomes hard to score the others equally. So, we added the flexibility of bonus points, which the judges could award at their discretion after seeing all 12 contestants. This not only ensured that the scores stayed fair but also allowed for some creative wiggle room. After all, the bar kept rising as the competition went on!
Huge shoutout to the 12 contestants who absolutely crushed it. They were sharp, professional, and stayed on schedule despite the pressure. We couldn’t have asked for a more respectful and dedicated group of bartenders.
Challenge N'2 – Blindfolded Daiquiri 🍸🌀
Time: 2.45PM
And this is where we really shook things up!
We kept Challenges 2 and 3 a total secret from the contestants. No hints, no teasers—just pure, unadulterated surprise. So when we announced the second challenge, the energy in the room was absolutely electric.
What did we have in store for them? Oh, just a Blindfolded Daiquiri Challenge… and we asked them to do it on speed. Yep, you read that right. Two blindfolded daiquiris, made under time pressure.
Big shoutout to the very first contestants who took the stage without fully processing what was about to go down! They showed incredible poise, getting into the right mindset as the crowd—and their fellow bartenders—watched eagerly. Imagine the mix of support and pressure in the air as the contestants were cheered on by their peers. There was palpable excitement, but also a sense of anticipation as everyone knew this challenge would test their skills in an entirely new way.
Here’s how we judged the blindfolded madness:
- Balance & Taste – Did the drink still taste like a proper Daiquiri?
- Garnish – Even blindfolded, a garnish still needed to be on point!
- Presentation – Did the drink look the part? And most importantly, did it have enough liquid in the glass? 😉
- Bartender Performance – How well did they perform under pressure?
- Speed – The real kicker: We started each contestant off with 50 points, and then deducted 1 point per second slower than the best time scored.
The crowd was in full swing, cheering for their peers, feeling the same tension and excitement with every drink served. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and definitely a moment to remember.
Challenge N'3 – Treasure Catch and Mystery Box 🏖️🏆
And here we are… the final challenge!
It was 5:00 PM, and the atmosphere was absolutely buzzing. The crowd was ready, the contestants were on edge, and we were about to unveil something truly special.
We started by announcing the Top 5 contestants, based on their cumulative scores from Challenge N'1 (maximum 200 points) and Challenge N'2 (maximum 150 points). These top contenders had made it through the previous tests, and now they were about to face the ultimate challenge.
THE TOP 5 🥇
Cesar Ramos
Andrea Tribbia
Tiago Pinto
Antonio Rondinelli
But here’s where things got really interesting. We told the contestants to come prepared in swimwear, which they probably thought was just to get comfy and cool off by the pool. But nope, we had bigger plans. 😎
We handed the Top 5 a treasure map, each showing five floaters scattered in the sea. Each floater was linked to special ingredients and/or tools they could use to craft a large punch bowl for the afterparty. And here’s the kicker: they had to swim out to get the floater—there was no shortcut!
Once they reached the floaters, they made their way back to the prepared tables, where they found everything they needed to create their punch—Rhum St Barth Original, a display of general ingredients (juices, sodas, syrups), and of course, their unique special ingredients. The goal was to create a delicious, large punch bowl that would serve around 80 guests at the afterparty.
But here’s the challenge twist: no personal bar tools allowed. They had to use whatever they pulled from the floaters, and if they wanted to trade ingredients or tools, they could—but only if they wished to. The catch? They weren’t required to use their special ingredient unless they felt it was necessary for the punch!
We set the starting whistle at 5:15 PM, and they had until 6:00 PM to prepare and submit their punch for the crowd.
The guest arrival window was between 6:00 and 6:30 PM for the sunset, where we greeted them with the “No Pain, No Gain” welcome drink we as Bee Leaf 🐝🍃 specially designed for The 305 Beach Club.
By 6:30 PM, the Top 5 were ready to serve their punches, and guests were given voting tokens upon arrival to cast their vote for their favourite Punch. Meanwhile, the 4 judges each ranked their top 5 punches. It wasn’t just about scores—it was about the crowd’s interaction with the bartenders and their creations.
Now, here is the thing: the final challenge score didn’t completely determine the Winner. Instead, it added a small bonus to their overall score, ranging from 10 to 50 points, just to keep things exciting and allow the crowd to play an active role in the outcome.
While the final score wasn’t the make-or-break moment, it was definitely a crowd favourite and a very enjoyable moment as the afterparty kicked off. Guests were treated to some delicious food passed around and a variety of drinks coming from the bar, making it the perfect way to unwind and celebrate after an incredible day of competition.
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THE WINNERS
After an intense day of challenges, creativity, and some truly spectacular performances, the winners of the Ti'Punch Cup 2024 – Edition #2 have been crowned!
- Challenge N'1 (Ti'Punch Interpretation): Tiago Pinto
- Challenge N'2 (Blindfolded Daiquiri): Miriam Guida
- Challenge N'3 (Treasure Catch & Mystery Box): Antonio Rondinelli
And now, the moment we've all been waiting for...
Overall Winner: Tiago Pinto! 🏆
Tiago's consistent skill, creativity, and ability to shine under pressure made him the standout contender of the day. Congratulations, Tiago, on taking the crown!
But here’s the cherry on top: The brand owners decided to extend the prize and treat all of the Top 5 finalists to an incredible trip to Guadalupe—not just the overall winner as originally planned! A well-deserved reward for their hard work and passion. 🌴✈️
What an amazing way to wrap up this incredible competition. Huge congratulations again to all the finalists, and thank you to everyone who joined us in making this event such a memorable experience.
THE COCKTAILS!!
