CHEERS! WORLD CLASS COCKTAIL FESTIVAL SET TO SHAKE UP SYDNEY THIS SEPTEMBER

Sep 01, 2022

Roll out the red carpet, Sydney is set to step into the global spotlight as it hosts the return of the World Class Cocktail Festival, from Friday 9 to Sunday 18 September.  

An extraordinary celebration of vibrant food, drink, and cocktail culture, the festival will welcome award-winning bartenders, foodies and cocktail lovers from more than 50 countries. The festival will be Australia's opportunity to showcase the very best of its incredible homegrown hospitality scene, and the skills, creativity, charisma and talent behind its unique cocktail culture.

Across nine sensational days and nights, leading Australian food and drink venues such as Quay, Bennelong and Shell House will join forces with the world's greatest names in the global bar scene and cutting-edge culinary creatives to deliver unrivalled cocktail experiences, one-of-a-kind events, unexpected food and drink pop-ups, inspiring collaborations and seriously cool parties.

Hailing from the world's number one bar, The Connaught's 'Master of the Martini' Ago Perrone will be jetting in from London to create magic with Tanqueray No. TEN at Bennelong, for a one-night-only collaboration that will see the world's best bar meet the world's best view to deliver the world's best martini. Guests will indulge in an iconic menu prepared by the legendary Executive Chef Peter Gilmore, paired with spectacular cocktails by Perrone, a true master of his craft.

On the other side of Sydney Harbour, a sparkling whisky lounge brought to you by celebrated London bar Lyaness, hosted by none other than the world's most awarded bartender, Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan, will come to life. For a few days only, Mr Lyan will transform the Green Room of fine dining restaurant Quay into a vibrant bar and supper club, serving the icon of modern luxury: premium Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails alongside delicious and iconic bites by Gilmore. 

Queen of Cocktails, and recently-named most influential bar star in the world, Norwegian bartender Monica Berg will grace our presence to transform Shell House's stunning Clocktower Bar into a pop-up bar showcasing the skills she has honed at her very own Tayēr + Elementary, voted number two bar in the world.

A colourful feast for the senses, the Don Julio Food Truck Fiesta will assemble Australia’s most popular food trucks for a pop-up experience like no other at Hickson Road Reserve. A vibrant celebration of the enduringly-popular, always-tasty, never-out-of-style margarita, the vibrant fiesta will feature an all-star line-up of food trucks including Australia's OG '09 Beatbox Kitchen (Melbourne), Ricos Tacos (Sydney) and Taco Truck Dos (Melbourne), completed with a soundtrack by Sydney's finest DJs.

In a world first, local hospitality king and waste-free crusader Matt Whiley (Re, South Eveleigh) is on a mission to transform sustainability in hospitality by leading a week-long circular economy of participating festival bars with The Barbershop, PS40, Old Mate's Place and The Lobo using each other's unwanted food & bar waste to create tasty, one-off cocktail additions. Whiley’s initiative kicks off Ketel One’s bartender-led program, ‘Garnished with Good’, inspiring and enabling the hospitality community to create positive impact in their local community. 

Jonathan Morgan, World Class, Diageo Australia, said: “We are excited to be hosting the World Class Cocktail Festival in Sydney again this year and simultaneously hosting the Global World Class competition finals for the first time.  It is going to be a fantastic showcase of Australia’s incredibly unique food and drink scene on the global stage, supported by the attendance of over 300 international guests from over 50 countries including many global industry legends.  We believe it is another important moment of support for the hospitality industry and it will be incredible to see Sydney’s city full of life with its impressive cocktail culture booming.” 

Festivities will flow into nearby hotspots including Surry Hills, Newtown and the CBD, where, among many others, the likes of Earl’s Juke Joint, Maybe Sammy, Double Deuce, The Rover, Frankie’s, Hickson House, Dean & Nancy's, will offer a curation of unexpected experiences, as well as interstate favorites including Black Pearl, Melbourne, popping up to share their magic. More details to be announced weekly as the Festival approaches. 

Celebrating not only the best cult food and beverage trends, the World Class Cocktail Festival will also host the global final of Diageo’s World Class Bartender of the Year with Nick Tesar from Bar Liberty in Melbourne representing Australia. Joining over 50 other global finalists in Sydney, Tesar will battle it out for the title of Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year, announced on the evening of Thursday, 15 September. Notably, Australia has always batted well above its weight in the competition, with Tim Philips-Johansson and Orlando Marzo both taking home the global title since the competition started, both of whom will be joining the extravaganza to judge at this year's event.

The World Class Cocktail Festival program can be found at www.worldclasscocktailfestival.com from Friday, 12 August, with more activity to be announced weekly and secret events to pop up unexpectedly. 

Tickets and bookings are on a first-come basis and capacity is limited at selected experiences.
 

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS - HEADLINERS - MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Tanqueray No.TEN Evening with Ago Perrone at Bennelong
Imagine sipping on the world's best gin martini with the world's best view. This September, you can.
For one night only, cocktail lovers and culinary connoisseurs are invited to Bennelong to experience a one-of-a-kind dining experience as legendary Ago Perrone of The Connaught Bar (London) partners with Executive Chef Peter Gilmore and Head Chef Rob Cockerill to take guests on a four-hour guided culinary journey celebrating Tanqueray No. TEN.
Friday 16 September, 7.30pm
$375pp for three-course meal with arrival and dessert canapes, and paired cocktails 

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lyaness Supper Club at Quay
Be one of the few to enjoy delicious bites by Executive Chef Peter Gilmore and luxury Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails at Quay's pop-up whisky lounge. 
Quay, Peter Gilmore’s three hatted fine dining restaurant will partner with luxurious Johnnie Walker Blue Label to unveil Sydney's best Supper Club at the award-winning restaurant. The custom designed pop-up will serve signature whisky beverages and premium whisky cocktails curated by the world's most awarded bartender, Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan, who’s London venue Lyaness was recently awarded Best Bar in the World at the prestigious Spirited Awards by Tales of the Cocktail, with three dishes designed by Australia’s most celebrated chef, Peter Gilmore. 
Wednesday 14, Thursday 15 & Friday 16 September, 6 & 9pm sittings
$170pp for three dishes and three paired cocktails

Monica Berg Take Over at Shell House
Queen of Cocktails, and recently-named most influential bar star in the world, Norwegian bartender Monica Berg will grace our presence to take over Shell House's stunning Clocktower Bar, showcasing the skills she has honed at her very own Tayēr + Elementary, voted number two bar in the world.
Wednesday 14 September from 6pm

Don Julio Food Truck Fiesta
Australia's best food trucks unite for an epic food and drink fiesta. 
Designed to celebrate the ethos of Don Julio – la familia – and centered around community. Join us for a vibrant celebration of the enduringly-popular, always-tasty, never-out-of-style margarita, featuring an all-star line-up of food trucks including Australia's OG '09 Beatbox Kitchen (Melbourne), Ricos Tacos (Sydney) and Taco Truck Dos (Melbourne), completed with a soundtrack by Sydney's finest DJs.
Thursday 15 September - Friday 16 September 5:30 & 8pm sittings 
Saturday 17 September, 12 & 2pm sittings
$25pp includes your first cocktail and bite of food

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS - SUPPORT ACTS - MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED 

Ketel One ‘Garnished with Good’ on ClaREnce Street 
One bar's trash is another bar's treasure. 
For the first time, Matt Whiley will be taking the Ketel One Vodka ‘Never Wasted’ concept from his award winning venue RE and into Sydney's CBD. Four bars on Clarence Street - The Barbershop, PS40, Old Mate's Place and The Lobo - have been handpicked by Whiley to participate in this circular economy of bars using each other's waste to feature a Ketel One Never Wasted cocktail.
Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 September, 5pm until late

Bite the Bulleit at Frankie’s 
Polish your dancing shoes and get your favourite tunes ready. 
For one night only, Frankie's will take a bold spin on the Bulleit and burgers pairing, slinging a limited edition menu of legendary BBQ pizza with Frankie’s secret burger dipping sauce, alongside Bulleit Kentucky Mules and an epic night of live rock'n'roll karaoke, backed by Frankie's own live Hard Rock Karaoke Band. 
Wednesday 14 September, from 4:00pm
Free Entry

On Cloud Nine with Zacapa at Sky Bar
From Guatemala, to Sydney, Australia.
Lorena Vásquez is the powerhouse and talented master blender of Ron Zacapa rum. She fearlessly heads up the notable Ron Zacapa distillery located “Above the Clouds'' in Guatemala, and for one night only, will host an equally formidable masterclass from high above Sydney in Shell House’s Sky Bar.
Wednesday 14 September

Bundaberg Blend Your Own Rum at Harbour View Hotel 
For the first time, Australia’s most iconic rum will take its award winning ‘Blend Your Own’ experience out of its Queensland-based distillery and into The Rocks. Learn from the Master Distiller, Sarah Watson and Head of Experience and Operations Duncan Littler, to create your very own unique rum blends, and take two specially bottled bespoke blends and labeled on-site for a one-of-a-kind experience. 
Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 September, 6:30–8:00pm
$195pp includes a Bundaberg cocktail and two bottles of your very own rum blend

Seedlip loves salmon!
Sustainable practices are more important than ever, so Seedlip and cult food favourite FISHBOWL have teamed up to create a unique pop-up concept, The Seedlip Fishtank, to launch FISHBOWL's new line of premium New Zealand King Salmon. FISHBOWL will be serving a refined menu, offering a special limited-edition menu of curated spring salads paired with Seedlip cocktail collaborations with some of Australia’s best bars. 
Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 September