Viva Marini Bartending Competition 2024 Final: A day of good twists

KUALA LUMPUR (15 November 2024) – The 2024 edition of the Viva Marini Bartending Competition (VMBC) saw 10 of Kuala Lumpur’s best bartenders bringing their A-game and demonstrating their expertise at the Marigin Bar at One KL on 11 November 2024.

From creative concepts to entertaining presentations, the VMBC – the annual cocktail crafting challenge by acclaimed dining and entertainment conglomerate The Marini’s Group – saw a varied display of skills as the finalists built their drinks according to theme under the watchful eyes of the judges at this year’s live event. The cocktail themes this time around were “Italian Twist” for the first drink and “Glitterati” for the second. This provided an interesting challenge as the contestants vied to create the perfect cocktails to reflect the themes and impress the panel of judges.

Each bartender was given 5 minutes for bar preparation and 10 minutes to build their two drinks while elaborating on them. The afternoon of cocktail slinging ended with the youngest contestant claiming a narrow victory over the rest to be declared the 2024 champion.

Rosyam Hakimi, 21, of Here & Now took home the trophy and the RM10,000 cash prize for Breakfast in Italy, a Negroni twist inspired by a Caprese salad, and Mama Gua, inspired by nostalgic childhood memories. Breakfast in Italy is a meticulously crafted cocktail that explores the depths of flavour and subtleties with its use of Roku Gin infused with basil and cheese, then sweet vermouth, and mixed with tomato water and Campari. Mama Gua, on the other hand, is a blend of clarified guava juice, Havana Club Rum, Roku Gin, sugar and a few drops of saline.

Jason Dennis D’Cruz of Te Amo had to settle for a bridesmaid finish again after placing second once more. D’Cruz, who was first runner-up in last year’s competition, walked away with a trophy and RM5,000 cash. His first drink, Sapori d’Italia celebrates the essence of Italy and blends Martell Noblige with parsley-infused sweet vermouth, Sambuca and rosemary syrup. For the “Glitterati” theme, D’Cruz built Mint BonBon, a cocktail inspired by perfectly cut emeralds and the world’s finest chocolates. The cocktail is a combination of Havana Rum, Roku Gin, Creme de menthe, Creme de cacao and almond syrup, clarified with full cream milk for a velvety texture.

Third place went to a returning contender – Tan Xun of Reka Bar, who crafted, Cham Ponce, a twist of the classic Italian cocktail, Livorno Punch, and Eternal Temptation which uses chocolate and rose to symbolise two temptations. Cham Ponce incorporates both tea and coffee – otherwise known as “cham” – with dark rum, Irish whiskey, Oloroso sherry, Angioletto hazelnut liqueur, salted caramel and lemon zest. The aromatic Eternal Temptation is a concoction with rose gin, white rum, Tio Pepe sherry, Cacao Blanc, chocolate bitters, rose water and prosecco.

In addition to the trophies and cash prizes, all three winners will also have their winning cocktails listed on the Marini’s on 57 Bar and Lounge cocktail menus.

“It is always a pleasure to see the creative concoctions that the finalists come up with for the competition. There were high standards once again with several interesting concepts and techniques, which underpins why we created this event. Mixology is a science while bartending has a physical aspect to it – there is so much hard work and dedication involved. We at The Marini’s Group recognise and respect that these bartending talents have taken the time to learn and cultivate knowledge and skills to be the best that they can be in their craft,” said Cavaliere Modesto Marini, founder and owner of The Marini’s Group.

“We decided to be the first F&B group in the country to organise and run a bartending competition because as bar owners, we know that bartending goes beyond practice and accuracy – it’s also about personal connections on many levels. It is an honour to be able to provide this platform for the bartending community where industry professionals and upcoming talents get to exhibit their skills and be seen and supported by their peers and people in the industry,” he added.

The Viva Marini Bartending Competition was introduced in 2022 as part of the 10^th anniversary celebration activities for The Marini’s Group and Marini’s on 57. This cocktail challenge is open to professional and home bartenders and mixologists from all over. It has become an exciting annual event and allows the talents behind the bar to prove they are masters of their craft by showcasing their knowledge, skills, passion and good palate.

To enter, participants must to submit their original recipes in the form of a video/reel on Instagram where they have to post a creative video of themselves crafting one cocktail based on the current year’s theme. Once submissions close, a total of 10 finalists are shortlisted for the final showdown where they must recreate their entry cocktail and another cocktail based on a second theme during a live event in front of a panel of judges who will taste the drinks and score them on their presentation, flavour profiles and more.

The 2024 finalists and their drinks (in competing order) were:

The judging panel for the 2024 Viva Marini Bartending Competition comprised Jon Lee, founder and head bartender of Penrose KL; Nicholas Ng, F&B journalist of Food for Thought; and Affie Adut, the winner of the inaugural Viva Marini Bartending Competition in 2022.

The spirits partners for this year’s event include brands from Luen Heng F&B Sdn Bhd, Pernod Ricard Malaysia and Beam Suntory.

About The Marini’s Group

Founded by restaurateur and entrepreneur Cav. Modesto Marini in 2012, The Marini’s Group prides itself on its F&B and entertainment brands for the different audiences – Marini’s on 57, Marble 8, M Marini Grand Caffè & Terrazza, Marigin Bar, Maristar and now, Mesa on 51. Each F&B outlet offers a unique dining and sensory experience.

Multi-award winning Marini’s on 57 is Malaysia’s most iconic rooftop destination with a rooftop bar, Michelin Select Italian restaurant and whisky lounge. It sits 876ft (267m) above sea level in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City and offers the city’s closest view of the Petronas Twin Towers and panoramic views of the city. A luxury establishment with an unparalleled level of service and exceptional contemporary Italian cuisine, it has become the preferred venue for numerous events and celebrations and a beacon for international celebrities, tourists, and socialites since opening in June 2012.

The three distinct spaces at Marini’s on 57 have each been designed to encapsulate and project different moods and energy to enthral all five senses. The establishment houses an extensive cigar and whisky collection and is the only luxury F&B venue in Malaysia to have released its own Sunset Hours compilation albums with music greats Jose Padilla, Chris Coco, Afterlife, and Simon Mills.