We are thrilled to announce the 36 bartenders who will be moving forward in the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Most Imaginative Bartender Competition presented by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin regional finals in the weeks to come. To narrow the field, a special committee spent the summer journeying across the US and Canada to seek out the top 100 bartenders in their home bars. There, they scored each bartender on the imagination, balance, flavor and appearance of their cocktail. From Montreal to Honolulu, Portland to St. Pete—each bartender brought their passion, creativity and hospitality to the fore.
The following 36 bartenders will be advancing to compete in person at the regional finals in Portland, Nashville and Philadelphia; we wish them the best of luck:
West
Cameron Holck
Cocktail: The Downwinder
City: Portland
Estanislado Orona
Cocktail: Bomb L’Bee
City: Portland
Lydia McLuen
Cocktail: Sue’s Courage
City: Portland
Jamie Socci
Cocktail: A Thousand Ships
City: Portland
Emilio Salehi
Cocktail: In Bokeh
City: San Francisco
Christian Suzuki
Cocktail: Imaginary Folklore
City: San Francisco
Derrick Li
Cocktail: Blue Face
City: San Francisco
Shaun Dunn
Cocktail: The Solent
City: Los Angeles
Alex Jump
Cocktail: Sailor’s Paradise
City: Denver
TJ Vong
Cocktail: Miaka
City: Denver
Andrew Woodley
Cocktail: Blue Beyond
City: Honolulu
Danielle Pingert
Cocktail: Going Coastal
City: Saskatoon
Central
Maggie Morgan
Cocktail: Southern Belle
City: New Orleans
Terance Robson
Cocktail: Home or Away
City: Austin
Nikolas Zoylinos
Cocktail: Oops I Forgot My Line
City: Austin
Alexis Mijares
Cocktail: Gitana
City: Austin
Christa Havican
Cocktail: Arms Painted in Glass
City: Houston
Marlowe Johnson
Cocktail: Market Walk
City: Detroit
Tripper Duval
Cocktail: Sea Foam Fizz
City: Milwaukee
David Yee
Cocktail: Short Story
City: Columbus
Marta Ess
Cocktail: Inward Turn
City: Toronto
Holly Caverly
Cocktail: Paper Flower
City: Toronto
Jayare Wuo
Cocktail: Martha O’Neill
City: Chicago
East
Edward Hansel
Cocktail: Down By The Shore
City: New York
Mark Tubridy
Cocktail: Songbird
City: New York
Arianna Shaljian
Cocktail: Wylde Flower
City: New York
Solomon Thomas
Cocktail: Sapphire Switch
City: Philadelphia
Valentino Longo
Cocktail: Through the Light
City: Miami
Derek Stilmann
Cocktail: Culture to Culture
City: Miami
Peter Hannah
Cocktail: Conversation Piece
City: Orlando
Cody Henson
Cocktail: Seaside Rendezvous
City: Savannah
Niall McCourt
Cocktail: Portrait of a Lady
City: St. Petersburg
Keyatta Mincey-Parker
Cocktail: Eve’s Pot Liquor
City: Atlanta
Sam Treadway
Cocktail: Mango Market
City: Somerville
Michael Rizk
Cocktail: Remixer
City: Montreal