In the discussion, co-initiator Michael Zotter already reveals what will be in store this time for Barkeeper, producers and importers at Switzerland's largest cocktail competition.
The Swiss Cocktail Open is in the starting blocks. All good things come in threes?
Michael Zotter: That's right. The Swiss Cocktail Open is already taking place for the third time, but it shouldn't stop there. There are firm plans to make the competition a permanent institution. We strongly hope that we can continue to implement it in this form as well as with innovations. If improvements or adjustments are necessary, we will implement them.
What was the idea behind it, and did it manifest as such?
The original idea was born during Corona, because nothing took place at all and everything was canceled. So we launched the Swiss Cocktail Open and tried to set up something new. We succeeded. But it should also be shown that you can create excellent cocktails with Swiss, but also international products. For the competition, it also means that in each recipe, both a Swiss product and an international brand must be combined. With the title Open we try to convey that the competition conditions are as open and attractive as possible for many bartenders and Barkeeper . As many bar professionals as possible should feel addressed by this.
The Swiss Cocktail Open may be a "Corona baby", but it is now firmly established in the Swiss bar universe.
That's right, we have succeeded in making this competition part of our bar culture. After all, the event has above all a business-to-business and networking character. We want to take this perspective into account and intensify it. Last year, we therefore also integrated a table fair for the first time, literally put it on its feet. In this context, partners of the Swiss Cocktail Open could present their products on site, taste them, exchange ideas and network.
But the competition is not in competition with the Swiss Bar Awards.
No, not at all. The Swiss Cocktail Open is about the best cocktail. Everything about it is decisive. Be it the ingredients, the taste experience during tasting or how the cocktail is served. A competent jury of experts evaluates all these factors. In comparison, the Swiss Bar Award sum is about people or places that are awarded. It is very important for us to say that in the Swiss Bar Awards, it is not the daily performance that is decisive or decisive. Here, the potential award winners are judged over a longer period of time. The Swiss Cocktail Open is mainly about the cocktail. The person preparing the cocktail or the Barkeeper/- in is not in the foreground, although of course attention will be paid to him or her afterwards.
Who will be on the jury?
That has not been finalized at this point. We want to integrate people with different backgrounds and expertise, men and women, young talents as well as experienced Barkeeper and bartenders. We want to engage a balanced jury that will judge the drinks as objectively as possible.
Info for Barkeeper
Dates: March 10: Start of call for entries / March 31: Closing date for recipes / May 8: Grand final with 24 finalists in Hall 550 (Zurich-Oerlikon).
Conditions of participation: All Barkeeper (m/f/d) working part-time or full-time in Switzerland.
Cocktail: short drink or long drink
Recipe: minimum 3 products, maximum 6 products, of which:
- at least 1 product of an international brand (products according to Competition Partner list)
- at least 1 product from a Swiss producer (products according to the Competition Partner list)
- maximum 1 product "Home-Made"
- Maximum 1 special or niche product (no official partner)
Registration: Registration form and regulations: From March 10 at swisscocktailopen.ch
The Swiss Cocktail Open is timed between Nullpromille Trophy and the Swiss Bar Awards. So it's the third competition brand from Bar News?
That's correct. Together they form a trio of Nullpromille Trophy in January, the Swiss Cocktail Open in May and the Swiss Bar Awards in the fall. We are very happy about the diversity of these three competitions.
What is the feedback from the industry on this unique competition?
There has never been a competition of this kind in Switzerland before. In our projects, we attach particular importance to not copying anything that has already been done or exists. We want to break new ground and be innovative, and I think we've succeeded in putting together an exciting competition. And a final with 24 bartenders underlines the character of a competition even more.
The competition is aimed at the whole of Switzerland. How was the response from French-speaking Switzerland, for example?
It's very pleasing that at last year's Swiss Cocktail Open we had a very large number of entries from French-speaking Switzerland. In this respect, we strive to take into account all parts of the country as well as linguistic regions. That is a very positive development.
What is the feedback from the industry?
The industry is showing a great deal of interest in this competition. We already had around 80 participating brands when it was launched. We have deliberately tried to keep the costs for the industry as low as possible in order to create a winwin situation, but the competition should be attractive for all participants, an exciting platform for Switzerland and international manufacturers.
