INTERNATIONAL. A cocktail that reflects the excitement of the airport world; a dish that captures the essence of international travel.
Those twin concepts underpin two exciting new awards at the 2017 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards in Toronto (21-23 June), for which we are now inviting entries. FAB, owned and organised by The Moodie Davitt Report, is this year hosted by Toronto Pearson International Airport.
#AiroftheDog – The Great Airport Cocktail Award
Nominations are now open for ‘#AiroftheDog – The Great Airport Cocktail Award’, sponsored by Copper Dog blended Speyside malt whisky. As reported, Copper Dog, a newly launched blend of Speyside single malt whiskies, was recently introduced to the UK on-trade and duty free markets, plus other selected travel retail locations.
An exciting international competition for bartenders and mixologists working in the airport and railway terminal food & beverage sector, #AiroftheDog puts the emphasis squarely on people, on panache, on passion and, of course, on product.
The cocktail theme for the inaugural competition is based upon air (or rail) travel. The cocktail must be themed appropriately and this concept can be brought to life in any manner of ways, from drink name or ingredients to theatre or serve garnish. Cocktails will be judged on the following criteria:
- Story & Theatre
- Originality
- Taste & Presentation
It’s easy to enter: Simply ORDER a free 70cl sample bottle of Copper Dog whisky from The Craigellachie Hotel by emailing copperdog@craigellachiehotel.co.uk with the email header #AIROFTHEDOG.
Detail your name, company and workplace plus the appropriate address (work or personal) to send the bottle to.
Submit your cocktail to the Copper Dog judging panel no later than 24 March 2017. Then NOMINATE your entry via the Airport FAB Awards nomination button here. The three short-listed finalists and their employers will be notified by 15 May 2017.
We will invite companies to fly the finalists to the FAB awards in Toronto, Canada for a two night stay and compete in an #AIROFTHEDOG ‘shake-off’ during the FAB awards on the night of the Opening Cocktail (21 June).
The entries will be assessed by a judging panel representing Copper Dog whisky and FAB. All finalists will also get to attend the full FAB Conference and enjoy a night of wonderful hospitality at the Copper Dog table at the Gala Dinner on 22 June. The overall winner will be announced on the night.
The winning prize for the successful bartender will include the inaugural FAB Cocktail Competition Trophy and a specially commissioned Copper Dog statuette. Also a ‘Copper Dog Ambassador Pack’ containing a personalised bottle of Copper Dog whisky, an actual Copper Dog, assortment of copper cocktail equipment and most importantly the keys to the The Craigellachie Hotel, home to the world-famous Copper Dog pub! This key allows you to stay at the hotel whenever you travel to Scotland free of charge.
The main prize comprises a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Scotland. You and your bar team (5 in total) will join us at the wonderful Craigellachie Hotel, home of the world famous Copper Dog pub nestled in the heartland of Scotch malt whisky production,. There you will be hosted during a two-night stay discovering the best of Scottish hospitality. You will experience local distilleries, outdoor pursuits and sample some of the greatest food & drink revered across the globe.
The spirit of travel
New and very exciting for FAB 2017, ‘La spirito de vojaĝado’ (meaning ‘The spirit of travel’ in Esperanto, the universal language) is an award that will recognise the original dish created especially for FAB 2017, one that best captures the essence of international travel. Created by chefs, judged by chefs.
Nominations can be made on this page. Entries should comprise:
· Your ingredients and preparation methods
· The name of your original dish (it should encapsulate the spirit of travel)
· Pictures and or/video
· What makes this dish so attractive and suitable for the travel environment
The short-listed finalists will be invited (at their employer’s expense) to London on 20 April for a cook-off (venue to be announced soon) in front of the FAB judges and will receive free entry to the FAB Conference & Awards in Toronto, Canada, where the winner will be named at the Gala Dinner on 22 June.
ABOUT FAB 2017
A diverse, powerful line-up of speakers is taking shape for the sixth Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference to be held in Toronto from 21-23 June.
A Gala Dinner on 22 June, hosted by Toronto Pearson International Airport and Platinum Partner OTG, will see the annual FAB Awards recognise and reward best practice in airport (and railway station) food & beverage. Other confirmed Platinum Partners are travel services group Autogrill and its food & beverage division HMSHost, SSP and Areas.
Leading Indian F&B specialist Travel Food Services and UK-based TRG Concessions are named sponsoring partners.
Top-class speakers from the world of store and restaurant design and others will offer fresh consumer insights at FAB 2017.
The following companies are included in the FAB speaker programme (with more to be named this week): Airmall USA; Autogrill/HMSHost; Copenhagen Airports; Cambodian airport F&B operator EMCAT; New York JFK T4 operator JFKIAT; Lite Bite Foods; London Gatwick Airport; OTG; San Francisco International Airport; SSP; Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver Airport.
Nominations for the FAB Awards are open, with a submission deadline of Friday 24 March. The judging criteria is available at http://airportfab.events/ along with hotel and conference registration, which has now opened.
There are a total of 16 awards, including five new ones: New Food & Beverage Concept of the Year; Customer Service Initiative of the Year; #AiroftheDog – The Great Airport Cocktail Award in association with Copper Dog; La spirito de vojaĝado’ Award (‘The spirit of travel’); Food & Beverage Disruptor of the Year. As previously announced, finalists in #AiroftheDog will be flown to FAB 2017 by Copper Dog.
