Cape Town named World Cocktail Capital for 2015

Source: Traveller 24, 21/08/2015

Cape Town - Cape Town's status as the World Cocktail Capital has been
set as South African prepares to welcome 55 of the most talented
bartenders in the world for the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year
competition.


Taking place from August 31 to September 4 in Johannesburg and Cape
Town, this year`s event is the biggest WORLD CLASS competition yet,
with bartenders from over 50 countries – including more female
contestants than ever before – competing to be crowned the best
bartender in the world.




Diageo Reserve, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, said in a
statement the landmark week on the luxury calendar will be attended by
hundreds of industry experts and media representatives from around the
world - boosting SA international representation and attention
considerably.


"Over 28 million people in 123 countries have watched the TV show
documenting the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year competition in
London last year."


"Cape Town`s designation as World Cocktail Capital follows on the
city`s status as World Design Capital 2014 and we`re looking forward
to hosting talented bartenders from around the world, showcasing Cape
Town`s commitment to innovation, cutting-edge trends and global
events," said Garreth Bloor, Cape Town`s mayoral committee member for
tourism, events and marketing.


The event, now in its seventh year, is the biggest and most
prestigious mixology event in the world, providing a platform to
celebrate the crème de la crème of the world`s bartenders – those who
will set industry trends and standards at the world`s best bars while
elevating the craft and building the luxury drinking industry around
the world.


"We are pleased to be a part of the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year
Global Final taking place in Cape Town – it`s a perfect complement to
our efforts to make Cape Town the premier events and tourism capital
of Africa. The international exposure around the city and South Africa
is going to be phenomenal – the whole world will see what Cape Town
has to offer," said Enver Duminy, chief executive officer of Cape Town
Tourism.


WORLD CLASS is to cocktails and bars, synonymous with the Michelin
Star status for food and restaurant, sees Domenico de Lorenzo, of
Molecular Bars in Johannesburg, competing as South Africa`s champion
and representative at the Global Finals.


De Lorenzo recently spent four days at a mixology boot camp in Turkey
to prepare to take on 55 of the most skilled cocktail makers in the
world.


"WORLD CLASS is a global celebration of the bartender`s craft – the
competition has travelled to Athens, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro and
London, with the 2013 finals taking to the open seas on a
Mediterranean cruise ship. Now WORLD CLASS is coming to Africa for the
first time, to one of its most beautiful countries, South Africa.


Against such a backdrop, there is no doubt this is going to
be one of the most stunning and successful competitions in WORLD CLASS
history," says Johanna Dalley, global director for WORLD CLASS.



Launched in 2009, WORLD CLASS has inspired more than 35 000
bartenders, representing more than 10 000 bars and restaurants
worldwide. The number of countries participating in the competition
has nearly tripled between 2009 and 2015 – from 18 to 53.