Filipino bartender Gerome Firmalo has won the Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year 2015 with his cocktail Passion
Blossom 13. Firmalo, who works on Holland America’s MS Oosterdam, created a
cocktail inspired by his travels and triumphed over 2,500 other creations from
the cruise industry’s finest mixologists in this year’s
competition.
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| Gerome Firmalo, Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year 2015 |
Fantastic showcase for brands
Firmalo, who scoops a $5,000 cash prize, concocted a
floral martini Passion Blossom 13 made from equal quantities Bombay Sapphire
gin and St-Germain elderflower liqueur, combined with passion fruit syrup,
lemon sour and cranberry juice. He will now see his creation featured onboard
MS Oosterdam. Bacardi will work with Firmalo over the next year on professional
training, including a personalised Bacardi
experience.
“The Passion Blossom 13 embodies what we look for in a
cocktail,” said Zachary Sulkes, regional manager of Bacardi Travel Retail
Americas. “It achieves the perfect mix of ingredients, a well-balanced flavour
and simplicity that will appeal to cruise vacationers. This was a close battle,
and Gerome is a worthy winner.
“Cruise is an important strategic channel for Bacardi
Global Travel Retail and this competition helps drive category growth for our
cruise and ferry line partners. It’s a fantastic showcase for our brands,
especially given the increasing numbers of consumer groups from emerging
markets who are new to cruise.”
Delighted at his win, Firmalo enthused: “Winning the Bacardi
Cruise Competition gives me great personal pride with the added kudos of such
professional recognition. There’s no doubt it will help me develop my
bartending career.”
The shortlisted finalists were judged in Florida by a panel comprising: Trevor Alberts, Edition Hotel bartender and a finalist in the United States Bacardi Legacy Finals in February; Chris Gray Faust, destinations editor, Cruise Critic; and Hillary Choo and Ben Carlotto, professional mixologists from TEAM Enterprises.
The finalists participated in a three-day schedule of
events, rubbing shoulders with some of Florida’s finest bartenders and visiting
iconic bars in Miami’s South Beach to learn from on-trade professionals in
action.
The other finalists were: Kenneth Tuason from Holland
America’s Maasdam, Richard Anderson from Carnival Glory, Nilesh Patel from
Carnival Sensation and Royal Caribbean’s Oleksandr Lurchenko.
