Everything You Need to Know About The World Class Australia Competition

Jan 11, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About The World Class Australia Competition

With the New Year comes the return of the World Class Australia Competition; celebrating the excellent bartenders and venues that they work at nationwide. This year we are committed to providing more education and training than ever before because World Class is career-changing, regardless of where your journey in the competition takes you.   

As members of our community here in Australia, we’re giving you a first look at World Class Australia 2024! We caught up with World Class Ambassador Kate McGraw to get her advice on how to prepare for World Class this year.

 

  • What is World Class? 
     

World Class is the largest and most prestigious bartending competition in the world. It celebrates bartenders of all skill levels and stages of their career and is the ultimate test of your hospitality skills, creative thinking, and technical skills, all grounded in Diageo Reserve Brands. 

 

  • What is the entry-round challenge? 
     

We’ll be announcing our entry-round challenge at the World Class Roadshow, which will be travelling around Australia in the coming weeks. There will be one challenge that you may enter as many times as you like using one selected Reserve Brand spirit. As a member of the Diageo Bar Academy community, we can exclusively reveal the brands for the entry round challenge, just head over to our website to find out.

 

  • I have never entered a cocktail competition before, should I enter?
     

Yes! Cocktail competitions are for everyone, and each one you enter will make you a better bartender. We encourage everyone to attend the World Class Roadshow, enter the entry round, meet like-minded bar professionals and have fun!

A good starting point is to ensure you have a solid understanding of classic cocktail formulas and how to balance flavours in a drink. If you haven’t already, make sure you attend one of the monthly training sessions with our Brand Ambassadors, where they will show you the key techniques behind classic cocktails. Check out the next training dates here.

 

  • What can I do to start getting prepared? 
     

The best way to give yourself a head start is to learn as much about the selection of spirits above as possible. The great news is that the Diageo Bar Academy website has all the information that you need!  

In addition, there are several online masterclasses to pick up tips, tricks and trends that will help you get set up for success. We recommend World Class Cocktails with previous World Class Global Winners Kaitlyn Stewart and Adrian Michalcik to get an insight into how two of the best bartenders in the world approach competitions. 

 

 

 

 

 

  • What’s one thing I need to know to be successful in World Class? 
     

The most important thing is reading and understanding the judging criteria and ensuring that your cocktails and storytelling are grounded by the brands themselves. We don’t need you to write the entire history of a spirit but tell us what resonates with you – maybe it’s the strong ties to the community, and family of Ketel One Vodka, or the innovation and excitement of Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.  

 

  • How do I get involved? 
     

The good news is that you’re already at step one! If you want to find out more, the best course of action is to get in touch with your local Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador. 

Kelsey Blacksmith (NSW/ACT) - @kelsey_ontherocks 

Tracy Gardner (VIS/TAS) - @tequilatracy 

David Brosnan (QLD/NT) - @davesonlydrinks 

Simone Sanna (WA/SA) - @thesbagliatoontour 

Kate McGraw (World Class Australia) - @katelikescocktails 

 

 

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