Cheshire bartenders to compete to be inaugural cocktail champion

Taste Cheshire is delighted to announce the contest, in association with Three Wrens Gin, and Chester Food and Drink Month.

The Taste Cheshire Food and Drink awards have been running for just over 20 years and have previously related to the Taste Cheshire Chester Food and Drink Festival. As part of the festival a young chef of the year competition has been running for well over a decade, but for the first time this year, the bartenders will take centre stage.

Bartenders have been invited to compete to find the inaugural Cheshire Cocktail Champion from 3pm on Tuesday, September 6 at the Abode Hotel, Chester.

Taste Cheshire’s Tori Hayes said: “We are so thrilled to be launching this new award as part of Chester Food and Drink Month and the Food and Drink Awards.

Three Wrens Cocktail Gin.

"Bartending, and in particular cocktail making is a very complex skill. Mixology is not a simple thing and has to be performed under the watchful eye of the customer who wishes to be entertained as well as delighted with their drink.

"We are really pleased to be able to recognise this vital part of hospitality and encourage this generation of cocktail Champions.

"In particular we are over the moon to be working with Three Wrens Gin on this, their gins are truly the Spirit of Cheshire, multi award winning, and I know that owner Nick Wadeson comes from a mixology background himself, so he is the perfect partner for this project”.

Contestants will have to create their own cocktail utilising a minimum of 35ml of any Three Wrens Gin products under the banner of 'A Taste of Cheshire'.

The Three Wrens Gin team.

Entrants can interpret this brief either in the taste of the drink, its presentation or both. They will have five minutes to create, explain and present their drink to the panel of expert judges.

The judging panel will be led by founder, creator and Distiller of Three Wrens Gin, Nick Wadeson.

Three Wrens Gin is a boutique Cheshire distillery producing a range of sustainable, premium craft gins. Founded by Nick in August 2019 after a long career in the cocktail and spirits industry.

Before turning his hand to distilling, Nick was an award-winning mixologist and spent the best part of his career developing cocktail recipes, writing innovative drinks menus, and pairing flavours together. The unique flavour combinations in his range of gins are a result of his experience. His gins have won international medals as well as numerous Great Taste Awards.

Nick said: "As a former bartender myself, I am super excited that my distillery is supporting the competition! Cocktails are the heart and soul of Three Wrens, and I’ve designed all our gins to be versatile and bring a unique approach to mixing, so I am really looking forward to seeing what this talented group create. I can’t wait to judge the final round!”

Nick will be joined on the judging panel by Rick Warrier, owner operator of RW Training & Development Ltd. He is no stranger to the local cocktail competition scene having taken part, won, and even organised numerous cocktail events over the years, he is known for his ability to design enticing cocktail menus and effectively train staff.

Rick Warrier, owner and operator of RW Training & Development Ltd.

Rick is thrilled to be joining the judging panel on this occasion and is looking forward to it, he said: "It is great to be working alongside Taste Cheshire and Three Wrens Gin.

"I’m really intrigued to discover what the bartenders of Cheshire have been tinkering with over the last couple of years. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase what the new era of bartending really looks like. Can’t wait for the competition.”

Rick will be joined on the panel by Izzy Grey, owner and operator of We Love Good Times Ltd and founder of Chester Food and Drink Week.

Izzy Grey, owner and operator of We Love Good Times Ltd and founder of Chester Food and Drink Week.

Izzy has been on the panel of many cocktail competitions previously and knows what she is looking for. She said: "There’s a new energy to Chester at the moment and the cocktail competition is all set to reflect that.

"I love how passionate and creative Cheshire’s bartenders are and they will definitely be putting on quite a show as part of Chester Food and Drink Month. We love Good Times is proud to be part of this competition and working with Taste Cheshire is always a joy. I can’t wait not only to taste these incredible drinks but also welcoming the winner on stage at both the food and drink awards and at Chester Food and Drink Festival."

The winner of the competition will be announced at the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Awards Gala Dinner at Chester Racecourse on Wednesday, September 28. Along with their tickets to the dinner, the winner will receive their trophy on stage and will be invited to host their own cocktail demonstration on the chef demonstration stage at the Taste Cheshire Food and Drink Festival, Easter weekend 2023, also at Chester Racecourse.

Members of the public are invited to come along and watch the competition at the Abode Hotel in their top floor brasserie on September 6 and are thoroughly encouraged to cheer every shake!