Three UK bartenders have made it through to this week’s world finals of the film-themed Disaronno Mixing Star competition.
Tim Laferla of Love Lust Liquor and Burn in Manchester, Ian Sanderson of Tiki Bar in Glasgow and Jimi Pearce of former London bar Wax Jambu all won the regional “casting sessions” to win their places.
They were due to compete against bartenders from across Europe at the global final in Amsterdam on Wednesday (July 4). The top prize includes a seven-day trip to the Venice International Film Festival.
Tim won the Manchester heat with Costello’s Concotion, inspired by the 2006 Martin Scorsese film, The Departed, about an Irish mob boss, Frank Costello, in Boston. Second was Roop Kahlon, co-owner of Manhattan34 in Leicester, and third was Allan Hudd, bar manager of 24 Bar & Grill in Manchester.
Ian won the Edinburgh heat with Marcello’s Old Flame, inspired by Italian film La Dolce Vita. A close second was Ben McLellan from Bond No 9 in Leith, with a cocktail based on the 2004 thriller Dead Man’s Shoes. Third was Danil Nevsky, formerly at Orchid in Aberdeen but now at Tales and Spirits in Amsterdam, who was inspired by the film Some Like It Hot.
Jimi won the London heat with his Trojan Rabbit which took its inspiration from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Second was Rod Eslamieh from The Old Fire Station in Brentford, south-west London, with a drink inspired by Life Is Beautiful. Third was Ed Belshaw, bar manager of World Service in Nottingham, with the Silver Nito, named after a character in A Fistful of Dollars.
