Cocktail Competition: Tom Cruises on the River Dee
The city’s finest bartenders pitted their mixology skills against each other this week, in the run up to the Chester Food and Drink Festival Marquee event which kicks off on Saturday. Chester Food and Drink Festival’s organisers, with sponsors Eventfrog.com and MFM 103.4, raised glasses to an intoxicating evening of fermentation and experimentation. Entering its 6th year, competitors in the Cocktail Competition showed no signs of sore arms while they continued to shake drinks and stir up the crowd throughout the night. More than 60 people attended The Groves Restaurant by the River Dee to watch the eager contestants fight for a place in a national bartender competition.
After much deliberation, the judges declared that Cino Garcia-Hernandez, bartender at Watergate Street’s Upstairs at The Grill had, won back the title, beating off last year’s winner and Cino’s co-worker Rick Warrier. Three times winner Cino was looking to reclaim his crown from Rick Warrier with an obscure milky looking blend including Johnny Walker and Madeira, perhaps aptly titled, “Not My Cup Of Tea’.
The rivalry between these Upstairs At The Grill co-workers was obvious; “I haven’t slept for a year” said Cino; “Because last year Rick Warrier won the Cocktail Competition. I know this because he tells me… everyday.”
While Cino entertained the crowd with banter directed at Rick, the amply proportioned bartender displayed reflexes like a cat and caught Cino’s egg as it rolled off the bar.
Bar Lounge’s Peter Harrison was first up in the competition and paid tribute to the new James Bond, Chester’s Daniel Craig, with a sophisticated drink called “Casino Royale’. Rick Warrier was next to man the bar, lifting a glass to the 70’s and 80’s with his retro themed cocktail, including Parma ham and melon. Rick was hoping that a mix of Johnny Walker Black Label, a history lesson and a squeeze of irony were just the twist the judges were looking for. Nathan Williams unleashed his gooseberry concoction to the strains of Top Gun, calling it “Talk to Me Goose’.
Bollicini’s Allesandro Porredda poured a long drink for the ladies, “Honey Night’, then David Sale entertained with his off-the-cuff concoction, “The 303 to Chester’, dreamt up last minute while on the train from Liverpool! The Blackhouse Grill’s Andy Graham tasted his “Golden Graham’ a cheeky seven times before passing it over to the judges. Sean Doherty brought the evening of fortified wine and wizardry to a close by piling his drink (and the bar!) with crushed ice.
For more information about other events happening over the Chester Food & Drink Festival please visit www.chesterfoodanddrink.com.
Chester’s Food and Drink Festival is organised on behalf of Chester City Council with support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Visit Chester & Cheshire; the tourism board for Cheshire and Warrington, Cheshire County Council, Made in Cheshire, North West Fine Foods and the Rural Recovery Fund.
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Chester Food and Drink Festival Taste Marquee is planned for April 7th to 9th 2007, Easter Saturday to Easter Monday. The Marquee will contain over 100 retailers and growers with samples of Cheshire, North Wales, national and international produce, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of Cheshire.
Celebrity chefs already lined up include TV chef extraordinaire & vegetarian expert Simon Rimmer, Robert Kisby newly appointed executive Head Chef at the recently refurbished Cock O Barton near Farndon and Michael Caines, one of Britain’s most acclaimed chefs and operational Partner and Director of ABode, the group of boutique hotels he co-founded.
The Food and Drink Fringe Festival will also take place around the City from April 6 to 15, 2007 with special events, restaurants, bars and hotels all helping to make Chester the focus of food and drink within the UK, with theme nights, special family offers and accommodation promotions.
Evening events include a Champagne tasting evening on Saturday April 7. The Gala Dinner and awards ceremony will ensure 250 people sample a gourmet menu sourced from leading producers in the North West. This is on Tuesday April 10 2007.
Return to Chester Food & Drink Festival 2007 listings
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