Bar Manager Johny Hume Shortlisted for UK World Class Bartender award

We're pleased to announce that one of our bar managers has been shortlisted for the UK World Class Bartender competition.

Johny Hume is the only bartender from the North East to be shortlisted for the semi-finals after the judges toured bars in the UK in search of the best bartenders.

After submitting his own cocktail recipe, Johny was visited by judges and told the good news. He will attend master classes in February, March and April, with the best five from each making it to the final this summer.

Johny, a bartender for 10 years, has worked here at Bonbar for 14 months and is thrilled to have been recognised for his talent.

Johny said: “I’ve been wanting to enter this competition for a while and this year just felt right. I never thought I would get this far.

“It's a great achievement for myself but more so for the North East bar reputation and development.”

Candidates had to enter a specialist cocktail, with Johny submitting one of our best sellers, the Locomotive. Inspired by George Stephenson, pioneer of the railway, the Locomotive is a blend of Ron Zapca 23 rum, Newcastle Brown Ale syrup, Picon Italian aperitif and walnut biers.

To impress the judges even further, Johny put his own mark on the cocktail, aging the bitters in leather and adjusting the beer reduction.

Owner,Antony Michaelides, said: “Johny is one of the best bartenders we’ve ever had and we weren’t surprised when he was shortlisted. We’re all behind him and are confident he will go far in the competition!”

Along with 49 others, half of whom are from bars in London, Johny will be competing for the first place prize which will see the winner taken round the world as a cocktail judge and mentor, feature on TV and have the opportunity to create their own cocktail collection book to be released globally.

The winner will also travel to Cape Town to compete for the global title of World Class Bartender of the Year 2015.