Bannie Kang from Singapore is the world’s best bartender 2019. And no, this wasn’t something I decided; she was named the world’s best bartender at the biggest cocktail competition held on Earth, the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year.
To be where she is, Bannie Kang had to work hard for over 10 years in the area of bartending. She discovered her passion for it while waitressing at a Singapore bar City Space. Kang went back to her native land of South Korea to do a bartending course before returning to Singapore to join the craftsman team at Anti:dote in 2013. She fought her way through the unsettling prejudices that exist against female bartenders, where guests preferred her male colleagues over her while ordering drinks at the bar station.
She went on to compete at numerous bartending competitions, winning the title of ‘Best Female Bartender’ at Bar Awards Singapore in 2014 and 2015, and becoming Singapore’s representative to the Bacardi Legacy Global Competition in 2016. She was also the First Runner-Up at Diplomático World Tournament in 2017 and a Finalist at Speed Rack Asia in 2017.
At this year’s Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year competition, thousands of bartenders from six continents competed against each other. Bannie Kang won the competition by showcasing her skills in a series of competition rounds held over four days.
The participants were asked to create cocktails that had a positive impact on the environment, create a Talisker serve with a mystery box of ingredients and bar tools, and create cocktails in a time-bound challenge along with creating cocktails with The Singleton single malt scotch and Tanqueray No. Ten.
She was judged on her technique, temperament and artisanship by a judging panel consisting of former title-holders, award-winning mixologists and drinks-expert writers and journalists.
As the winner, Bannie Kang will be the ambassador for Diageo’s Reserve brands for a year, will judge World Class national heats, be a guest bartender at some of the world’s best bars and be a part of Diageo’s global partnership with IMG’s Taste Festivals.
Bannie Kang looks forward to winning the Diplomático World Tournament 2019 after making it to the top 8 in 2015. We can’t wait to see what this talented, formidable bartender does next!
