Andre Stewart, winner of the Sandals Grande Riviera Flair Bartending Competition recently
ANDRE Stewart, with a scintillating display of creativity and showmanship, was crowned the winner of the inaugural Sandals Grande Riviera Flair Bartending Competition, staged at the resort recently.
The popular bartender, who is a huge favourite with guests and staff alike, produced a creation dubbed 'Fresh Banana', which pleased the palates of the judges, while his onstage show of flair bartending skills and choreography, had members of the large audience on their feet, saluting his performance.
Stewart received $50,000 cash prize from the resort's senior general manager, Brian Roper.
An elated Stewart said he was overjoyed at winning the competition and attributed it to not just his bartending skills, but his bubbly personality.
"I was not nervous at all. This is what I have come to expect of myself. I trained really hard at improving my flair skills. It is an honour to be the top bartender at Sandals Grande Riviera and I look forward to improving my skills and become a better team member," said Stewart.
Stewart said that the ingredients he used in 'Fresh Banana' included pineapple and orange juice, vodka, lemon and bananas.
Senior general manager Brian Roper said he was impressed with the professionalism and skills shown by his bartenders.
"We have some great team members here and the competition provided an avenue for showcasing and improving their skills. We believe in providing incentives for our team and this is just another of those projects," he said.
Roper said a number of other staff related events are in the pipeline at the hotel.
Second place and a $25,000 cash prize went to Percival Copsie for his special concoction 'Sandals Paradise'.
Judges were David Roper, Sandals' director of operations; Donald McBean, bar manager at Beaches Ocho Rios; and Fernand Zievinger , general manager at Sandals Royal Plantation.
