Bartender Joseph Pate of Nauti Crab Bar and Grill in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, is the champion of Belize’s fourth National Bartender Cup. The competition was held on Saturday, July 30th, at Caprice Restaurant in downtown San Pedro. Last year, Pate was also the top bartender in this competition and represented Belize in Colombia. This time, Pate will represent the country at the annual Pan American Cocktail competition on September 23rd in Venezuela.
Pate is honored to represent the country once again in this international competition. He says, like last year, the task is not easy, but he will give his best. Pate is a veteran bartender and will be preparing to be in tip-top shape and ready to represent Belize in the international arena.
The Belize Bartenders Association hosted the event at Caprice. The competition saw several top bartenders from the Cayes and other parts of the country. The competition’s criteria included judging all aspects of creating a cocktail, including original recipe, garnishing, preparation of ingredients, technicality on stage (how equipment is used, preparation stage/bar area), taste, and quality of the drink. In the end, scores were tallied, and the bartender with the most points won.
It was a tough fight, but there could only be one winner. Following a break and having tallied all the scores, the judges handed over the names of the three top bartenders. In third place was Yoni de la Rosa of Playa de Sala resort south on Ambergris Caye. The second-place prize went to an independent candidate out of Caye Caulker, Yhaneli Alfaro. Minutes later, the 2022 champion in bartending was announced. To the roll of drums, Pate emerged victorious. He impressed the judges with his original drink, Princess Peach, based solely on Tiburon Gold and other secret ingredients.
We join the island community in congratulating Pate and wish him the best at his next international competition in Venezuela.
