Gaucho in Dubai’s International Financial Centre scored the top prize in this year’s Russian Standard and MMI Bar Academy Platinum Fusion competition held yesterday at Almanzil, Grand Hyatt Dubai.
Gaucho’s top chef, bartender and waiter beat nine other teams to first place in the competition, which involved creating and serving a creative drink and food combination — both using Russian Standard Platinum and one other shared ingredient — to a panel of seven judges in front of an audience of industry peers.
The winning team — comprising waiter Stefano Borralho Silvestre, bartender Matthew Parry and chef Tatiana Czajkowski — was awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Russia, including a trip to the Russian Standard distillery in St. Petersburg.
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Chef Tatiana also won the individual title for Best Chef, recognised for her outstanding performance and impressive Argentinean fillet dish.
The team from Ray’s Bar & Quest, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi took second place, while Watatsumi at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi in Dubai ranked third.
The remaining individual awards went to Supperclub’s waiter Jerry Forsberg and the bartender from Ray’s and Quest at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Gatis Ozols, who both took home cash prizes.
The judging panel comprised two experts from the UK; Ross Clarke, former development chef at Heston Blumenthal’s world renowned restaurant The Fat Duck, who has now set up his own consultancy, and mixologist Jake Burger, owner of Jake’s Bar and Grill, The Neon Cactus and The Portobello Star.
They were joined by Humoyun-Mirzo Hafizov, general manager of The Ivy Dubai; Tatyana Petrakova, Russian Standard Vodka brand ambassador; Felix Hartmann, F&B manager of Mina A’ Salam, Dubai; Sudeshna Ghosh, editor of BBC Good Food ME; and Louise Oakley, group editor — hospitality at ITP Business.
The finalists in this year’s competition include Calabar, The Address Downtown; Cavalli Club; Gaucho; and Wheelers of St James, all based in Dubai.
Cin Cin, Cigar Bar & The Exchange Grill at Fairmont Dubai; Watatsumi at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi; Icho Japenese Restaurant and Bar, Radisson Royal Hotel and soon to open Supperclub Dubai also made the final, while Ray’s Bar & Quest, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi and IHG’s Hotel Phoenicia / Vendome, Lebanon, completed the shortlist.
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