Lap of Luxury: Belvedere

Lap of Luxury: Belvedere

Luxury vodka brand Belvedere came up with the ultimate prize for its recent contest: a $100,000 global ambassador role. No wonder the London semi-finals were so exciting

The crowd cheers for the contestant, but he’s not mixing a cocktail. He’s just challenged one of the judges to a table tennis contest. Moments later, another participant is giving the judges Spanish lessons. The next waxes lyrical about the ‘Face melting properties of music’ while yet another teaches judges how to tie a bow tie. Is this a cocktail competition or a showcase of The Drinks Industry’s got Talent?

Actually it is both. It is the Australasian and European semi-finals of the Belvedere Global Ambassador: A Bartender’s Dream Job competition, held in November at the Cuckoo Club, and it is a contest with a difference. Those present are taking part for a chance to win the best job in the world, one where they would live in New York, travel the world, attend exclusive club openings, visit the coolest bars, play a part in educating international bartenders about Belvedere – and get paid $100,000.

A month later, the three semi-finalists from London joined four others from the Americas and faced a panel of judges who had their destiny for the next year in their hands. Among them was Claire Smith, head of spirit creation and mixology at Belvedere.

Personality & Panache
It’s been quite a battle to get to these final stages. In the first round, entrants sent in video applications showing off their personalities and their love of Belvedere. Entries ranged from the madcap to the moving, but ultimately it was those who seemed to best encapsulate the brand’s values that were chosen to compete. ‘We weren’t looking for something too gimmicky,’ says Smith, ‘it’s not a gimmicky brand.’

In the London semi-finals, it was still about personality and passion, but the contestants’ mixing skills were also put to the test. Round one – the Speed Round – was fast and furious. While the crowd went mad, contestants had to prepare 10 cocktail staples in 10 minutes. On order were a cosmopolitan, a Belvedere Orange Moscow Mule, a Belvedere Citrus Aviation, a Cuba Libre, a daiquiri, a mint julep, a caipirovska, a Glenmorangie 10 Year Old whisky sour and, naturally, a classic vodka martini with a lemon twist. Contestants were marked for their speed and accuracy, and of course, the quality of their drinks.

Second came the Signature Drink Round. Here, bartenders had to use their own recipe – one that highlighted Belvedere’s character and luxuriousness. (see right for the Australasian/European semi-finalist winners’ recipes).

Third up: the I Love/I Hate Round. Contestants had to present the judges with something they loved or loathed, always showing their passion and conviction. ‘I didn’t want just a traditional cocktail competition,’ says Smith. ‘Each round showcased the participants’ different strengths and weaknesses. Our format really showed the diverse skill set required in order to pass muster as a great brand ambassador.

‘Making good drinks is no longer the only prerequisite,’ Smith added. ‘The ability to communicate on a brand vision as well as to speak with knowledge and enthusiasm on a variety of topics are also necessary for modern brand advocates. The London semi-final winners were those that combined these skills and delivered their messages with comfort and ease! Clearly being a great brand ambassador is more difficult than some would have us believe.’

Low-down on the finalists
Lee Potter Cavanagh, Sydney
Lee has been working in bars since 2001, from beachfront bars to pizza joints. He cut his teeth at Hugo’s Bar Pizza and went on to work behind the stick at such Sydney cocktail hotspots as Lotus and The Rum Diaries. He now manages the Victoria Room. ‘It would be an honour to be the ambassador for such a massive market leader,’ he says about working for Belvedere. ‘I am so excited about New York!’ And in case you’re wondering: no, it’s not just for Movember. He calls his moustache his ‘little bit of lip luxury’, just like Belvedere is a bit of liquid luxury.

Petr Dvoracek, Sydney
Petr D started working in bars in 1997 back home in the Czech Republic. In 2002, he went in search of sunnier climes and arrived in Sydney, where he started working for J Gilligan’s Bar & Grill. From there he went onto the Water Bar at what was the W Hotel (now Blue Sydney), Hemmesphere and Lotus where he is now. He has a whole host of cocktail competition nominations under his belt, but his dream is to work for Belvedere. ‘I’ve been making Belvedere cocktails for a long, long time now and I love everything about it,’ he says.

Stuart McClusky, Edinburgh
Stuart pulled his first pint over 14 years ago, and instantly fell in love with booze. He already had plenty of international drinking experience:, having worked behind bars in the UK and Australia and as a brand ambassador in Ireland and America. He now runs his own bar, The Bon Vivant in Edinburgh, but looks forward to the possibility of another stint across the pond with Belvedere. ‘I really wasn’t expecting to get this far,’ he says. ‘It’s an amazing prospect to work for a brand that just screams luxury.’

What the winners did

.Round Two.
.Signature Cocktail.

Lee Potter Cavanagh
Belvedere Noir
60ml Belvedere Pure
10ml dark agave syrup
30ml fresh espresso, extracted with 2 small pieces of chilli with the coffee grinds

Shake (hard!) over ice and strain into cut glass coupe. Garnish with a vanilla pod smeared around the rim and dust with freshly grated nutmeg.

Petr Dvoracek
Saint charles Martini
50ml Belvedere Vodka
15ml Cinzano
dash apricot brandy
dash Campano Antica Formula

Stir over ice and garnish with a pink grapefruit twist.

Stuart McClusky
A Pretty Intense Martini
50ml Belvedere Intense
5ml Hennessy Fine de Cognac
25ml Limousin Reserva
Vermouth with a pinch of clove, cinnamon, wormwood, grape seed, citrus peel, star anise, juniper and cardamom.

Put all the ingredients into a creamer with nitrous oxide to make a Belvedere Intense martini with ‘á la minute vermouth’. Pour into a mixing glass, chilled to perfection, then serve in a pretty glass and garnish with pretty stuff and secret potions.

.Round THREE.
.I LOVE/I HATE.

Lee Potter Cavanagh
One day Lee might be known for being the face behind the Belvedere brand, but right now he claims he is known around Sydney for his moustache and bow tie. He therefore showed judges how to tie a bow tie!

Petr Dvoracek
His props of choice today might be a bar spoon and Boston shaker but once upon a time Petr was a pro table tennis player and preferred a paddle and a pair of short shorts (okay so maybe he still wears the shorts). For his ‘I Love/I Hate’ round, he challenged Claire Smith to a match. She likes to think she won.

Stuart McClusky
Stuart’s big passion when he’s not behind bars is music. But it doesn’t stop at bands and guitar chords. In his presentation, he showed the judges the magical ability of music to melt faces. He apparently melted the judges’ hearts too – awww…

Belvedere is available in top nightclubs, bars and restaurants around the world and at all fine wine and spirits retailers

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine – January/February 2011