Lorenz Struchen is Barkeeper of the year 2023

This year's Swiss Bar Awards started at the beginning of May with the call for entries. By the closing date at the beginning of June, a record-breaking number of bars and bartenders had once again applied.

The professional jury, consisting of experts from the Swiss bar scene, reviewed and evaluated the applications received and visited the nominated establishments on the shortlist. In the categories Barkeeper of the year and Best Barkeeper Talent (born 2000 - 2004), the Barkeeper had to prove their knowledge as well as their creative and professional skills in August. For the candidates of the supreme discipline Barkeeper of the year, the final test was now on the agenda at the Award Night - the presentation of two cocktail creations (one short drink and one long drink) in front of around 300 invited guests and a top-class jury of experts.

With a convincing performance in the qualification on August 28, Lorenz Struchen had already proven his skills. In the grand finale at the Award Night, the 34-year-old Barkeeper of Twentys Cocktailbar in Biel went one better and conquered the palates and hearts of the jury with his personal cocktail creations "Art of a Geisha" and "Rêves de vacances". He thus bears the title Barkeeper of the year 2023 for one year.

Other Bar Awards go to Zurich, Aargau, St. Gallen and Central Switzerland

Timo Schulz , a young talent from Lucerne, has won the title of Best Barkeeper Talent. The 21-year-old from Adligenswil works at the Capitol Bar and beat his competitors with an impressive performance in the qualification on August 28, 2023.

The Best Newcomer Bar award goes to the canton of Aargau, or more precisely to Baden. The award for the best new opening or reopening went to Paradies Bar. Opened in September 2022, bar manager Marcus Rosenburg and his team succeeded in proving themselves within a very short time and showing that there is also a cultivated bar culture at a high level in Baden.

The Widder Bar in Zurich received the Best Longseller Bar 2023 award. With excellent service, outstanding quality and a selection of over 1,200 different spirits, the Widder Bar has been known far beyond the country's borders for over 25 years. For 11 years now, Bar & Lounge Manager Wolfgang Mayer has been looking after the well-being of his guests, making the Widder Bar a place-to-be.

The award for the best bar menu 2023 goes to the JoJo Bar in Aarau. The bar menu was developed with a lot of passion from A to Z by the team itself. It not only contains information on the selection of drinks, but also on the production of the spirits, as well as on the bar utensils and glassware that can be found in the JoJo Bar. With the creative details, it was enough for the title in the category Best Bar Menu.

The Dolder Grand in Zurich is the best hotel bar 2023. The Canvas Bar & Lounge with the bar manager and his team of eleven secured the coveted trophy. The unique artistic atmosphere, innovative cocktail creations and interactive art experiences with regular live music characterize the bar of the 5-star hotel.

The team of the Einstein Bar in St. Gallen was awarded the Best Bar Team 2023. The bar's core team, led by Erik Koren and last year's Best Barkeeper talent Valentin Matter, has been working together for over 5 years and has raised the bar to a new level. Products, processes and communication have been continuously perfected so that the bar is now a permanent address in Eastern Switzerland.

Overview Winners SWISS BAR AWARDS 2023

Barkeeper of the year 2023
Lorenz Struchen, Twentys Cocktailbar, Biel

Best Barkeeper Talent 2023
Timo Schulz, Bar Capitol, Lucerne

Best Newcomer Bar 2023
Paradies, Baden

Best Longseller Bar 2023
Widder Bar, Zurich

Best Bar Menu 2023
Jojo, Aarau

Best Hotel Bar 2023
The Dolder Grand, Zurich

Best Bar Team 2023
Einstein Bar, St. Gallen

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