Guevara, Mendoza win Bartenders Cocktail Competition

A total of 12 bartenders showed off their talents at the Bartenders Cocktail Competition at the Taste of the Marianas last Saturday. Two divisions made up the “Malibu Rum Challenge”: the rookie and the champion division.

Winners of the champion division of the Bartenders Cocktail Competition pose with the judges and Northern Marianas Bartenders Association president Lito Espino, right, at the Taste of the Marianas last Saturday. Holding the tallest trophy is this year’s champion, Ronie Guevara of Aqua Resort Club. (Frauleine S. Villanueva)

As part of the rules, each contestant was called by their number and their names and companies were not revealed until the awarding. They were to use Malibu Rum as their main ingredient and must make five servings of their cocktail within five minutes, all the while entertaining the audience and judges with their flaring and tossing skills.

Criteria for judging were 30 percent for originality, 30 percent for taste, 20 percent for showmanship, and 10 percent each for neatness and audience impact.

For the rookie division, Jeffric Christian D. Mendoza of Hard Rock Café Saipan was named Champion and won Best in Showmanship. Diony Z. Peralta, Victor Reyes of Saipan World Resort and Grace Brooks of Mariana Resort & Spa won first, second and third places, respectively. Alice Kintoki of Hard Rock Café Saipan took home the Best in Taste award.

The champion division saw past champions competing for another title as the audience became more and more impressed with their talent and various gimmicks.

Ronie Guevara of Aqua Resort Club was hailed Champion and won Best in Taste. Guevara was also the 2012 and 2013 champion. He wasn’t able to compete last year.

Eduardo Flores of Club C and Jay Santos of Shark’s Bar won second and first runner- up honors, respectively. Santos also won Best in Showmanship for his “under the sea” set up. Joseph Solmarin of Hard Rock Café Saipan placed third runner up.

“For this competition, I practiced almost every day for a month,” Guevara said.

Judges for the competition were Joeten’s Bo Palacios, Xerox executive Nola K. Hix, Public Auditor legal counsel Ashley Kost, and United Filipino Organization president Romeo Malasarte.

“Thank you to all the managers and supervisors as well as the supporters who made the event a successful one,” said Northern Marianas Bartenders Association president Lito Espino.

Sponsors of the event were the Marianas Visitor Authority, T Galleria, Malibu Rum, Samscorp., TITAN company, Armatech, Coca-Cola, Club C, United Filipino Organization, IT&E , R&J Wines and Spirits, Mariana Resort & Spa, Pacific Island Club, Hard Rock Café, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Saipan World Resort, Aqua Resort Club, Shark’s Bar, and Grotto Restaurant & Bar.