Student Samuel Lynch announced winner of School Wide-Diageo Cocktail Competition
The School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology with the support of Diageo Ireland held a school wide cocktail competition on 27th April. This competition was open to all students across our School which covers our programmes on the Grangegorman, Tallaght and Blanchardstown Campuses. The final of the competition took place in our new training bar in Grangegorman. Students were asked to invent a cocktail, showcasing a spirit from the Diageo Ireland portfolio. The cocktail also had to have a sustainability element to the drink.
On the day students presented and explained the story behind the ingredients and flavours of their cocktail to a panel of expert judges which included: Cal Byrne (Brand Change Project Manager at Diageo), Fergus O'Leary (Beverage Operations, Press Up Hospitality Group), Margaret Connolly (Beverage Lecturer, TU Dublin) and Warren Mcelhone (Beverage Lecturer, TU Dublin). This competition was extremely close, and two students were picked to go to a second round and represent their cocktail using the feedback for improvement from round one, to decide the top spot.
The overall winner was Samuel Lynch (2nd Year student from the BSc (Hons) Culinary Entrepreneurship degree who took the top spot with his Orange and Rhubarb Sour focusing on Tanqueray Gin. Close second went to Nathan Farrell (2nd year Culinary Arts degree) with Sustained Revolution focusing on Ron Pampero Anejo. Third place was presented to Ethan Holohan with The Alfonso a cocktail which utilised the orange citrus flavours in Roe and Co. Irish Whiskey.
The competition was a great success in showcasing the students' ability. Well done to all the finalists, the winner Samuel and to lecturer Judith Boyle who organised the competition. Thanks also go to Diageo Ireland who supported this competition.