The iridescent swirls of mixed liquorin with a shaker is indeed difficult to master as one must be equipped with the necessary skills of a top-notch bartender! The Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartending Championship recently paved way for upcoming bartenders to put their extensive knowledge and plethora of skills to test! Held at the Big Brewsky, Sarjapur Road, on June 5, the winner of the Bengaluru round was the enterprising Abhishek Shevade.
Choosing it as a profession might not have been easy, and Abhishek says, “I got through the competition only because I had a belief in myself, it is very rightly said that it is the skills that pay your bills.”
While the championship saw many of the best bartenders around the city battle it out, testing their skills, Abhishek adds, “The contest was about testing inevitable skills that every bartender must have to be successful. These include making perfect pours, service, blind nosing, cost calculation and speed. That’s why it’s also called a competition on skills that pay bills!”
The winner’s favourite cocktail is the lazy old fashioned as he finds it’s easy to make and enjoyable with a perfect mix of sweetness and bitterness.
Many upcoming bartenders would have faced some form of social stigma in the beginning of their careers from family or peers, but Abhishek was among the lucky ones. The whiz at the bar loves playing football and wishes to secure the coveted position of brand ambassador.
Abhishek had also gone through some intense training to acquire his set of skills. He says, “I have completed my degree in hotel management from Queen Margaret University in Scotland. I have never done any bartending course, however, the hotel industry experience has contributed to my success.”
— Aamina Shabeer
