Influential Thai bartenders show off their skills and creativity in Bartender Talent AcademyThailand, representing the country’s greatest premier nightlife venues
(In photo, center): 'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan - BKK Social Club, Winner of Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022, with the Judges; (far left) Sabrina Belletti – Head of Marketing, Alchemy Thailand; (far right) Christopher Menning - Rémy Martin Thailand Portfolio Brand Ambassador; (2nd right) Lisa Gries - Creative Content Director of Lifestyle Asia and Prestige Magazine; (2nd left) Gabriel Valdés - Villa Frantzén, Bar Manager.
Bangkok, 18th January, 2023 - The inaugural Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022 successfully concluded this week, culminating in a live display of local mixology skills and creative drinks designs, hosted at the beautiful Villa Frantzén (Restaurant & Cocktail Bar) in Chongnonsi, Bangkok. Featuring its challenge concept, “Capture the Moment,” the contest & showcase brought together 9 of the F&B and nighttime entertainment industry’s most outstanding barkeep personalities, representing some of the country’s most awarded bars. Making use of elegant ingredients such as Cognac Fine Champagne, local components, concoctions and garnishes, competitors presented their signature creations to the judges, with the overall winner being given a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the World Finals in Cognac, France.
Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022 is delighted to announce that Bartender 'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan, BKK Social Club, has been awarded the title of Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022 Winner. Bartender Ning impressed the judges with her interpretation of the theme, Capture the Moment through the captivating storytelling of her drink, “The Taste of Terroir.” This was a beautifully-presented drink reminiscent of the French territory of Cognac, creating a great-tasting, complex and interesting cocktail.
Ning’s story was deftly told in her competition video submission, which contributed to her overall award win. Ning said, “I may only be 25 years old, but with all the things I’ve been through, I’ve realized that the moment is always better when shared. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that every moment in life, good or bad, sad or happy, is all part of me; but the most important thing I never forget is the people I share the moment with, who all help me get through and grow. My concept for my drink was to Capture it all, beautifully and uniquely, those hundreds of moments expressed in hundreds of blends, like eaux–de–vie, one unique moment at a time, and uniquely me.”
(In photo, from left): First Place and overall Winner: 'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan - BKK Social Club; (front, left) Second Place and main Runner-up: 'Ploy' Siriwan Sinpan – Vesper; (front, right) Third Place Finalist: Matteo Cadeddu - Opium Bar; (top, middle) Best Creative Video: 'Leo' Parom Malakul - Independence Bar; and Final five Finalist, 'James' Kosil Kamja - Firefly Bar Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel
The full selection of Competitor videos can be found at this link
A renowned panel of Guest Jury Members included industry experts and personalities from the F&B, gastro and nightlife sector. They are: Lisa Gries - Creative Content Director of Lifestyle Asia and Prestige Magazine; Gabriel Valdés - Villa Frantzén, Bar Manager; Christopher Menning - Rémy Martin Thailand Portfolio Brand Ambassador; and Sabrina Belletti – Head of Marketing, Alchemy Thailand. The judges were impressed by Bartender Ning’s ability to put across her story in a glass, one which best represented her spirit and journey, and a taste which proved irresistible to the judges.
Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022 - Final result classification
The five finalists, representing premier bars and leading nightlife venues in Bangkok, were: 'James' Kosil Kamja - Firefly Bar Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel; 'Leo' Parom Malakul - Independence Bar; Matteo Cadeddu - Opium Bar; 'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan - BKK Social Club; and 'Ploy' Siriwan Sinpan – Vesper.
First Place and overall Winner: 'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan - BKK Social Club
Second Place and main Runner-up:'Ploy' Siriwan Sinpan - Vesper
Third Place Finalist:Matteo Cadeddu - Opium Bar
Winner – Best Creative Video:'Leo' Parom Malakul - Independence Bar
Final Five Finalist:'James' Kosil Kamja - Firefly Bar Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel
The Bartender Talent Academy Thailand is thrilled to have had the opportunity to enjoy the participation of these incredible leading lights of the industry, and together draw attention to the fact that Bangkok’s cocktail scene deserves a place on the map alongside famous cities like London and New York, especially when it comes to its bars and globally leading nightlife.
Together with the five Finalists, other esteemed bartending talents who joined the 2022 program were: Bartender ‘Boss’ Parin Raiisin - Sugarray Apartment; Bartender Kei Sawada – The White House Bar & Bistro; Bartender Davide Sambo – Zuma @ St. Regis Bangkok; and Bartender ‘Gunn’ Guntarit Ruamthongrat – Bar Scofflaws. Bartender Talent Academy Thailand 2022 has been blessed with the participation of such an incredible roster of world-class mixology talents, and the quality of the cocktails created for the competition was extremely high throughout;
(In photo): Bartender Ning impressed the judges with her interpretation of the theme, Capture the Moment with her drink “The Taste of Terroir,” which offered captivating storytelling in a beautifully-presented drink.
Full Media Photo Set is available here
Hosted at the Villa Frantzén (Restaurant & Cocktail Bar) in Chongnonsi, The BARTENDER TALENT ACADEMY THAILAND selects just one of the five finalists to advance to the international Bartender Talent Academy final. Consequently, the competition offers bartenders a chance to gain global visibility and professional prestige, boosting their career and granting them worldwide recognition.
That process, on route to the Finale of the Bartender Talent Academy Thailand, culminated locally in the live showcase of bartending skills, with cocktails created in front of judges and a live audience at Villa Frantzén Cocktail Bar.
Each bartender received a competitor’s box containing a bottle of Rémy Martin 1738 and a set of bartending tools (shaker, glass, jigger) to create their signature drink representing “capture the moment.”
Sabrina Belletti – Head of Marketing, Alchemy Thailand and Member of the Jury, said, “Bartender Talent Academy Thailand welcomed nine of the best creative forces in the business for its inaugural program in Bangkok. Our big congratulations to all of our Finalists, and especially to Bartender'Ning' Chunyanuch Yodsuwan, BKK Social Club, for her great success! It’s been incredible to see the level of commitment and creativity brought to the forefront during the competition, and this spirit of competitiveness can clearly be seen from the live skills on display, as well as the competitor’s own inspiring movie creations on the theme of Capture the Moment.”
The next application phase will start this coming August 2023, ending with a live competition which is set to be hosted in November. It will be available to a broader bartending audience (with up to 30 bartenders competing), and those will be whittled down to a select 10 of the most outstanding talents in Bangkok. They will then compete for a spot in the Global Final which is scheduled for around May (2024) in France.
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ABOUT RÉMY MARTIN
Since 1724, the House of Rémy Martin has produced premium spirits that consistently appeal to the world's most discerning connoisseurs. A profound love of the land, a continuity of family ownership and a passionate commitment to excellence has sustained Rémy Martin for nearly three centuries. As a result of its masterful production and generations of tradition in Cognac, the House of Rémy Martin today produces Cognacs Fine Champagne, including Rémy Martin® XO, Rémy Martin® Tercet®, Rémy Martin® 1738 Accord Royal and Rémy Martin® V.S.O.P. For additional information, visit www.RemyMartin.com
ABOUT RÉMY MARTIN 1738 ACCORD ROYAL
Born from the cask and named after a royal approval, Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal is a truly distinctive cognac. Its exceptional smoothness and rounded oakiness starts with the toasting of the casks, before the eaux–de–vie even begin to mature. This unique aromatic profile is then revealed through a rigorous selection of eaux–de–vie. Recognized for its outstanding quality year after year in international competitions, Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal celebrates true depth of character and the sheer indulgence of sharing good moments.
