Today sees the global announcement of The World’s 50 Best Bars Scholarship, in partnership with The Blend. One lucky bartender will become the first-ever 50 Best Bars Scholar and win the opportunity to intern at two of the world’s finest bars in London and New York, undertake an experience with Beam Suntory in Madrid and receive £500 per week to enjoy the host cities. Read on to learn more and start planning your application…
In an international first, the launch of the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship will offer an opportunity like no other to one aspiring bartender. Following on from the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Scholarship, which has seen three scholars complete stages (internships) at eight of the world’s finest restaurants, sister brand 50 Best Bars follows suit as it launches a Scholarship programme for aspiring bartenders.
The 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship is open to any bartender from anywhere in the world aged 21 or over and with fewer than three years’ professional experience. The winner will be rewarded with a trip to complete two bar stages with two of the finest bars slinging drinks in the world today.
The first will take place in London at Connaught Bar, the two-time winner of The World’s Best Bar title, in 2020 and 2021. The second will be at New York’s Katana Kitten, a previous winner of the Best New Opening Award in 2019 and currently ranked No.10 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2021. The winner will then be hosted by The Blend Global Team for a one-of-a-kind experience in Madrid.
Flights between these destinations are included and the lucky winner will receive £500 per week living expenses to enjoy the host cities. The scholarship recipient will be announced at the ceremony for The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 and the stages will take place in early 2023.
Katana Kitten's signature Hinoki Martini and Connaught Bar's Magnetum
The details
Applications opened on 19th May via
The launch of the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship represents a key moment in the brands’ drive to prioritise development opportunities and experiences for aspiring bartenders across the globe. The theme of the Scholarship for 2022 is ‘Future Positive’, which comes with the ambition to cultivate practices and attitudes that will have a positive impact on the planet, guests and the hospitality community.
The Future Positive theme will reward bartenders who take a low-waste or local approach to ingredients and push for greater diversity, better representation and balance within workplaces. Applicants will need to show a readiness to contribute to this outlook in order to be selected by the illustrious judging panel as the inaugural 50 Best Bars Scholar.
Some of The 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship judges: Masa Urushido, Jean Trinh, Ashish Sharma, Vijay Mudaliar and Luke Whearty
The selection process
The 50 Best Bars Scholar will be selected after a three-stage judging process, which will feature leading lights of the bar industry:
Round One
Applicants will be asked to share their vision of Future Positive and what it tangibly means to them as a bartender as part of a video application and questionnaire format. A total of 25 applicants will be selected to go through to Round Two.
Round Two
The shortlisted candidates will be asked to design a drink inspired by the theme and that heroes one local ingredient as well as documenting the research, development and process that goes into making their chosen cocktail.
For this second stage, 50 Best has recruited previous winners of its Sustainable Bar Award and other stalwarts of the bar industry. The guest judges include: Vijay Mudaliar (Native and Analogue, Singapore), Ashish Sharma (The Surf Club, Miami), Jean Trinh (Alquímico, Cartagena), Kelsey Ramage (The Trash Collective, USA), Claire Sprouse (Hunky Dory, Brooklyn) and Luke Whearty (Byrdi, Melbourne), to help select the top five applicants who will make it to the final round.
Round Three
For the five selected candidates, the third stage will comprise a rigorous interview process with 50 Best; The Blend by Beam Suntory; a representative from B-Corp; Director of Mixology for Connaught Bar, Agostino Perrone; and Masahiro Urushido, Managing Partner of Katana Kitten.
All three of the finalists will be hosted at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 where the lucky winner will be announced. If you know someone looking to set their bartending career into overdrive, share this opportunity with them today. The application window is open between 19th May and 20th June and can be accessed here. For help and information in crafting your application, see www.theblend.world. Good luck!
