กรุงเทพฯ--26 มี.ค.--Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Vesper celebrated its first anniversary in partnership with Diageo by hosting exclusive dinning and drinking evenings with two of the world’s best bartenders from New York
Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand), Thailand’s leading importer and distributor of premium wines and spirits, and Vesper Cocktail Bar & Restaurant, winner of numerous awards and one of the best fine dining and cocktail venues in South East Asia, came together on March 16th and 17th to celebrate Vesper’s one year anniversary.
To mark this special milestone, Diageo and Vesper invited Igor Hadzismajlovic and Steve Schneider from the 5thBest Bar in the World – Employees Only – to serve world class craft cocktails and bring New York’s vibes to the Thai cocktail scene.
“This is a very special day for us at Vesper,” said Mr. Chotipong Leenutaphong, owner of Vesper Cocktail Bar & Restaurant on the final evening of the celebrations. “In only a year, we gained such tremendous recognition in the region, which often takes years to achieve. With our trusted partner Diageo, we remain firm in our commitment to deliver the best and the most innovative cocktail-making trends to our guests, while also encouraging our bartenders to make a name for themselves in Thailand and abroad. Bringing Igor and Steve was another effort to showcase true bartending artistry and to spark the hearts of aspiring bartenders across the country.”
“Events like this reflect everything Diageo and the World Class programme stand for – setting new trends in our city’s refined cocktail culture, supporting new talents and creativity of emerging bartenders, and promoting responsible drinking,” said Mr. Pornseak Pharksuwan, Diageo Reserve Channel Director. “We are always excited to help bring together such remarkable events that help advance our industry and we congratulate Vesper on their achievements and wish them more success in the years to come.”
On the afternoon of March 16th, bartenders from over 20 top outlets in Bangkok gathered at Vesper to participate in a special World Class training session by Igor and Steve that provided
them with handful tips and knowledge on the most recent cocktail trends.
Later in the evening, guests savoured Igor and Steve’s masterful mixology creations, which included eight uniquely crafted cocktails from Diageo’s multi-award winning portfolio of fine spirits, including Johnnie Walker Gold Label Whisky, Tanqueray Gin, Ron Zacapa Rum, Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Ketel One Vodka, and Singleton 12 Single Malt Scotch.
Things got even more extravagant on the night of March 17th, when the World Class certified veteran bartenders teamed up with the acclaimed Italian cuisine master Chef Luca Appino and transformed the venue into a place where New York’s decadence meets Italian passion. Guests who were lucky enough to book reservations in time were delighted with a special four-course cocktail pairing dinner.
Igor and Steve charmed the crowd with their unique cocktail creations, starting with “Ready, Fire, Aim” that combined Don Julio Reposado, Honey syrup, Pineapple, Lime and Habanero bitters. This sweet and sour cocktail was complimented by Chef Luca’s refreshing appetizer Black Grouper Ceviche with Chili and Basil. The dinner continued with a “Provencal” cocktail, mixing Lavender Tanqueray, Herb de Provence vermouth and Cointreau, which accompanied Linguine Tartare with Lavender, Lemon and Red Tuna, giving the guests a real goût de Provence. The mouth-watering main course featuring Seared Kurobuta Pork with Cocoa Nibs and Pistachio crust was presented with a delicious concoction of Singleton 12 single malt, Bianco vermouth, Averna and Chocolate bitters in a “Common Sense” cocktail. To culminate the remarkable evening of gustatory indulgence, the duo from Employees Only served “Amelia” cocktail made with Ketel One Vodka, Lemon, Elderflower Liqueur, Blackberry Puree, while Chef Luca matched it perfectly with a delicious Raspberry and White Chocolate Tart.
The two evenings also fall under the umbrella of Diageo World Class 2015 Thailand - the world’s largest and most exclusive mixology education programme that celebrates the skills and creativity of bartenders and introduces the latest cocktail-making trends to the global community.
“We are extremely proud to see these two nights be such a success,” concluded Mr. Pharksuwan. “Since the launch of this year’s World Class competition in Thailand in January, our goal has been to not only educate and sharpen the skills of bartenders all across Thailand, but also to inspire venues to seek out the newest and finest cocktail-making trends and to provide the highest-level of service to Thai consumers.”
World Class 2015 Thailand will culminate at the end of April when four most talented and inspirational bartenders from across the Kingdom will be chosen to advance to the 2015 Southeast Asia World Class Final, which will be held between July 1-2 at EmQuartier in Bangkok.