Following this year’s Diageo World Class bartending competition, Julian Short has been crowned South Africa’s best bartender after competing in gruelling challenges alongside 10 of South Africa’s top bartenders.
By winning the competition, the 31-year-old has just secured his second South African Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year title, having previously won in 2017.
Ballito’s Richie Nahlaka, bar manager at Alchemy Bar, came second, and Johannesburg’s Maynard Boozen, bar manager at Ethos, claimed third spot.
Short will represent South Africa in the global final of the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from September 23 until 27.
“I am overjoyed about winning this year. I feel as though as you grow older, entering big competitions becomes about your ego. A lot of bartenders don’t enter World Class because they are afraid of losing out to someone younger or less experienced.
“When I entered this year, I told myself I was going up against myself, and I am taking that thinking through to finals in Brazil,” he said.
With constant innovation required, Short said he keeps his ear to the ground, follows bartenders on social media, reads food menus, and studies flavour combinations.
“A decade ago no one was using mushrooms in drinks. Today, bartenders are finding new ingredients – the bar is becoming a kitchen – and learning how to work with them to make a drink that’s translatable and sells.
“Going overseas as a young bartender for my first World Class was overwhelming; since then I have worked at bars all around the world. I did a small bar pop-up in Singapore and Milan.
“I have more under my belt than just making fancy drinks – I’ve run a bar for six years, I hire and fire staff, and I design cocktails. I am more prepared this time around; I’m going to keep doing my best and do my best,” he added.
Mealyn Joyce, Diageo SA’s senior brand ambassador, said World Class aimed to change the way people think about cocktails.
“It was incredible to watch the rounds as the finalists pitted their skills against each other, and the spirit of solidarity between them is truly inspiring to see. We wish Julian all the best as he flies the SA flag against the best bartenders in the world,” said Joyce.
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