We’ve at all times had a smooth spot for the PATRÓN Perfectionists competitors. Possibly it’s as a result of we had been there from the beginning, when the competitors launched in 2015 with simply seven bartenders, earlier than increasing internationally in 2016. Possibly it’s as a result of the crew are at all times tweaking, frequently striving to showcase the assorted components of the perfectionists ethos. Possibly it’s due to the best way it evokes, helps and unites bartenders from throughout the globe. Extra doubtless it’s a mix of the entire above, plus the truth that we by no means fail to be impressed by the eagerness that goes into its creation and the best way earlier rivals proceed to enthuse about being a part of it. Put it this manner, not for nothing are they referred to as the PATRÓN Familia.
enter this 12 months’s PATRÓN Perfectionists competitors
That mentioned this 12 months, the PATRÓN crew have exceeded even our expectations. “We’re transferring from a singular bartending contest right into a devoted bartending program,” says Lauren Mote, World Director of On-Commerce Excellence for PATRÓN tequila. True to the title bestowed on her simply over 5 months in the past, she’s elevating the competition by introducing a brand new, thrilling and extremely priceless strand that focuses on training and engagement.
“Training and accessibility for bartenders around the globe at any degree has at all times been my main focus,” Lauren explains. “To that finish, we’re introducing Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists, three workshops specializing in trend-leading subjects linked to Mexico. There’s by no means been a devoted training program like this throughout any tremendous premium tequila,” she says proudly.
The goal is for bartenders to essentially immerse themselves in all facets of the class, whereas giving them extra instruments in the event that they’re trying to enter PATRÓN Perfectionists 2023. “This training is linked to the assorted challenges that can come up by way of this system,” Lauren confirms. “So whereas it’s not obligatory to have interaction within the modules so as to enter the competitors, it should undoubtedly be advantageous to take part,” she says. “All three modules have been designed to assist to raise bartenders of their craft by way of a variety of areas that come collectively in nice visitor experiences. It’s undoubtedly one thing I believe that each one bartenders will win and profit from and naturally, now we have our contest linked to it for these wishing to throw their hat into the ring as nicely.”
Introducing Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists
“The evolution of the PATRÓN Perfectionists competitors model to a bartending program, with devoted training, goes hand-in-hand with the rise of the bar scene globally,” Lauren continues. “It’s grow to be evident to all our groups that training ought to grow to be the central pillar of our program, with funding in its progress {and professional} growth of bartenders all over the place. With this enhanced format and the invaluable help of native groups and Model Ambassadors, we’re going to help them all through their journey as they try for his or her private imaginative and prescient of ‘perfection’ and of their PATRÓN tequila serves and rituals.”
The three modules:
1. Discovering deliciousness
“That is all about discovering the flavours of Mexico and the way they are often interpreted in another way by bartenders in several components of the world. We’re doing this by creating a very cool programme known as The Ingredient Encyclopedia which might be populated over a number of months in order that bartenders will ultimately have of their fingers an encyclopedia of round 150 substances which might be tailor-made for PATRÓN Tequila.
It’ll feel and look like an encyclopedia, with our Academia PATRÓN branding alongside pictograms and sketches, plus different helpful suggestions like the way to pronounce the Spanish phrase for the ingredient in addition to which area it comes from, every other identify that it goes by, how cooks and bartenders use it and issues like that.
We’re additionally providing a template for bartenders to obtain to allow them to construct their private encyclopedia with their very own substances.”
2. Mastering the weather
“That is about unlocking flavour utilizing a variety of various instruments. Usually, whenever you go to bars on the World’s 50 Greatest Bars checklist they’ve all of the equipment – a rotavap, centrifuge, sous vide and so forth, however gear like that prices hundreds of kilos. What number of bars can afford that type of outlay? However there are methods to get the identical outcomes for a fraction of the fee… What we’re doing with this module is taking the identical concepts and translating them into completely different processes to unlock flavour; we’ll be displaying bartenders how they’ll construct a bar lab for beneath $100. It actually could be very cool.”
3. Listo
“Right here we concentrate on elevating the ingesting expertise and the way bartenders interpret giant format service or completely different kinds of serving traditional tequila drinks. The goal is to get extra of the groups who work in bars actually concerned somewhat than simply standing behind the bar and serving a drink – it’s to get them considering: how will we take that very same drink and elevate it?
So for example, as a substitute of a Paloma robotically being served with a salt rim and grapefruit garnish, might that salt and grapefruit garnish be interpreted otherwise? May we paint a salt resolution on the facet of the glass for example, or maybe it may very well be one thing that the visitor provides themselves? How about involving the cooks within the kitchen and getting them to plan an fascinating facet dish or garnish? It’s about taking the traditional tequila cocktail and elevating it right into a ritual.”
To register for the Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists Training Program, go to academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists
The competitors
enter PATRÓN Perfectionists 2023
Like earlier years, the entry requirement duties bartenders with making a ‘Hometown Hero’ cocktail impressed by their native tradition. How that’s interpreted is as much as you, simply so long as you utilize PATRÓN Silver because the star of your glass, alongside supporting acts out there from a specifically chosen checklist of substances out there from the Pantry*. Submissions might be judged on enchantment, look, inspiration and originality.
Nationwide finals
Every of the taking part international locations will slender the submissions all the way down to a shortlist of as much as 10 bartenders to compete within the nationwide finals (working all through November and December). However don’t go anticipating the anticipated, right here’s the place issues get much more fascinating because the finalists will have interaction throughout a wide range of subjects and thrilling challenges.
As soon as the scores throughout all duties have been added up, the winner from every nation might be introduced. However there’s extra… A particular Wild Card entry might be determined by a worldwide decide, that means that one further individual will get to compete within the grand remaining on the really wonderful Hacienda PATRÓN in March 2023. How implausible is that?
The prize
Like per week of money-can’t-buy experiences in Mexico isn’t sufficient, the winner will obtain an beautiful trophy hand crafted by esteemed native artist Rodolfo Pailla. And there’s extra, as this 12 months’s winner Harrison Kenney will attest – his prize takes in a visit round Europe, in addition to Asia Pacific and Center East to evaluate the Nationwide Finals for varied markets. #nottooshabby.
Each entry for the PATRÓN Perfectionists competitors and the Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists workshops might be open from 1st September to seventh October. See academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists* for particulars.
PATRÓN Perfectionists in numbers
1,700
…competitors entries acquired in 2021
390
…variety of substances to select from the PATRÓN Pantry
20
…the variety of taking part international locations on this 12 months’s contest, with extra international locations signing up for the worldwide coaching modules and workshops
16
…bartenders competing within the nationwide finals on the Hacienda Patrón, Jalisco, Mexico
5
…international winners thus far: (Mike McGinty, 2016; Li Tong, 2017; Yeray Monforte, 2018; Giulia Cuccurullo, 2020; Harrison Kenny, 2022)
5
…weeks to get your entries in (entry opens 1st September, closes seventh October)
3
…modules within the new Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists training program
1
…PATRÓN Perfectionists 2023 winner. And it may very well be you!
Discover out extra about Academia PATRÓN Perfectionists and submit your entry problem by way of academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists and observe @academia_patron for the most recent updates
