Feature image: Trap
Two South Australian bartenders have been named among the nation’s top eight heading to Sydney for the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year national finals.
Darren Burton of Kiin and Lachlan Gunner of Trap have both secured a place in the prestigious competition, which will take place on 30 June at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.
Burton leads cocktail development at Kiin, a classy modern Asian restaurant known for a bold, Thai-inspired menu and bright interior. At the bar, drinks are grounded in flavour harmony and deeply influenced by culture and ingredients.
Lachlan Gunner, owner of West End bar Trap, also works as a distiller and hosts local industry events. He brings a mix of hands-on venue experience and a true passion for cocktail design. Trap’s cocktail list has been described as beautiful and innovative, with playful presentation central to the experience.
The venue was also crowned SA’s best cocktail bar in September last year at the Sydney Bar Awards.
Both bartenders will represent South Australia as they go head-to-head with finalists from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. The full list of finalists includes Aidan Perkins of Milquetoast in Brisbane, Darren Leaney and Tom McHugh of Caretaker’s Cottage in Melbourne, James Irvine of Merivale in Sydney, Samuel Cocks of Saint Peter in Sydney, and Shirley Yeung of Foxtrot Unicorn in Perth.
Kate McGraw, Diageo Head of Trade Advocacy, said, “Diageo World Class stands as the ultimate showcase of bartending excellence, and the Australian competition never fails to inspire.”
“This year’s top eight finalists represent the epitome of talent and innovation in the industry. Their mastery, creativity, and dedication to the craft of hospitality promise a final round that will be nothing short of extraordinary.”
Now in its 16th year, the national finals will see the top eight take on three timed challenges to test each bartender’s creativity, speed, and technical skill. The competition will begin with the ‘Single Origin Soiree Challenge’, where competitors create an original cocktail using the rich flavours of Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.
Next comes ‘Celebration, Curated’, a round requiring finalists to craft three distinct cocktails, including one that highlights the celebratory spirit of Tequila Don Julio Minis.
And for the final event, ‘Check On! Diageo Reserve Challenge’, will push speed and precision to the limit, as participants race against the clock to make up to nine classic cocktails using Diageo’s premium Reserve range.
They’ll compete across two venues, Bar Tilda and the Wentworth Bar, both inside the Sofitel, before just one finalist is chosen to represent Australia at the global finals in Toronto this September. Let’s go South Aussies!
For more information on Diageo, the organisation behind the awards, click here.
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