Covid-19 has turned the lives of many upside down. However, the gastronomy and event industry were hit particularly hard. It is therefore not a matter of course and a particularly strong sign that an award ceremony for the Swiss bar scene could take place at all in times like these.
Awards in a total of seven categories were presented in a festive setting on 16 September 2020 in the event location Chicago 1928, Zurich, in front of 150 invited guests. The Zurich bar scene can be particularly pleased this year. Five of the seven awards went to the city on the Limmat.
Dirk Hany is best Barkeeper 2020
The best result from the qualification round, the incognito bar visit at the workplace and the final was achieved by Dirk Hany from Bar am Wasser, Zurich. The 37-year-old prevailed over his fellow competitors Michael Hanke, Baur's Bar, Zurich and Ivan Urech, Atelier Classic Bar, Thun. Dirk Hany was able to celebrate twice that evening. With his Bar am Wasser team, he also won the award in the Best Bar Teamcategory.
Benjamin Hetze from Zurich, Barkeeper , also wins the Best Barkeeper Talent award. The up-and-coming talent of the Swiss bar scene works in the Onyx Bar of the Park Hyatt Zurich. The 23-year-old proved his skills in the pre-mixing of a cocktail creation of his own, in the written test and in the on-the-job assessment.
The Carlton Bar was honoured with the Best Longseller Bar award. The name Carlton has been a household name not only for 10 years, the minimum age for this category, but for over 100 years. A time-honoured pub that masters the balancing act between tradition and modernity in the best possible way.
The first Swiss Bar Award for the best hotel bar is won by the Widder Bar in the 5-star hotel of the same name in Zurich. The bar under the direction of bar manager Wolfgang Mayer has been a driving force in the bar scene for years, far beyond the city limits.
Best new opening in Bern, best bar menu in Grächen (VS)
With Asino il Bar, an award has once again gone to Bern for quite some time. Only opened at the end of December 2019, the small, innovative bar on Casinoplatz has quickly become a crowd favourite in the federal capital.
The winner in the category Best Bar Menu is Sigis Bar, Grächen. The bar from the Upper Valais convinced the jury with a bar menu with a playful design, clear information content and an attractive offer.
Two new awards
The 18th Award Night of the SWISS BAR AWARDS was held in the "Anniversary Year 25 Years of BAR NEWS Trade Magazine". For this reason, two new awards for the best bar team and for the best hotel bar were presented for the first time.
Thanks to the security efforts of the organisers, the Award Night could be held in a befitting setting, while observing the precautionary measures.
Presenter Fabienne Bamert once again led the evening with aplomb and took the pulse of the three finalists during the final of the category Barkeeper of the year.
Ruedi Zotter, initiator of the SWISS BAR AWARDS, was overwhelmed by the success of the evening: "When almost all bars had to close in mid-March, not only in Switzerland but around the world, the realisation of the Award Night was still on a knife edge. However, it was clear to us early on that we wanted to set a strong signal for the Swiss bar scene with the SWISS BAR AWARDS again this year. We are delighted that we have succeeded in doing so with the support of all those involved and our partners."
Winner SWISS BAR AWARDS 2020
- Barkeeper of the year: Dirk Hany, Bar am Wasser, Zurich
- Best Barkeeper Talent: Benjamin Hetze, Onyx Bar, Zurich
- Best Newcomer Bar: Asino il Bar, Bern
- Best Longseller Bar: Carlton Bar, Zurich
- Best Bar Menu: Sigis Bar, Grächen
- Best Hotel Bar: Widder Bar, Widder Hotel, Zurich
- Best Bar Team 2020: Bar am Wasser, Zurich
