Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Assistant Beverage Manager Wade Cleophas has won the 2017 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year title.
The competition attracted 2,500 entries from 13 cruise lines. Cleophas was one of three finalists in the competition which was decided in Miami on 13 February. He goes on to compete in the global final of the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition in Berlin in May.
Cleophas’s winning cocktail was the ‘Legend Reviver’, a creation inspired by classic cocktails with spices reminiscent of travelling to exotic places. It features Bacardi Ocho (8) Años mixed with star anise-infused sweet vermouth, caramel/cinnamon syrup with drops of whisky barrel-aged bitters and finished with a mist of Absinthe. The cocktail’s garnish resembles the sails of a merchant ship and the wings of the Bacardi bat.
NCL sold almost 2,000 serves of Legend Reviver in the three months that Cleophas was promoting his cocktail.
Cleophas started his career 12 years ago in his hometown of Cape Town. He worked with leading bartenders in Dubai and Miami before he joined NCL.
Bacardi Global Travel Retail International Key Account Manager (Cruise) Zachary Sulkes said: “Wade’s overall presentation and cocktail execution on the night were absolutely on point and he delivered a compelling story of reviving the legend of Don Facundo Bacardi. He cleverly connected it to his own personal story of travelling from port to port to find new ingredients to enhance the key ingredient of Bacardi Ocho Años.
“Wade is a perfect example of the acceleration of standards in cruise ship bartending over recent years and he truly deserves his place on the world stage.”
Cleophas commented: “This is such an exciting time for me, and moving on to compete in the global finals means for the next year I am regarded as one of the top bartenders in the world.”
Norwegian Cruise Line Vice President Food & Beverage Karl Muhlberger said the company was “incredibly proud” of Cleophas.
“To be deemed the very best amongst 2,500 cruise line applicants is a testament to Wade’s dedication to his craft and the entire beverage team at Norwegian.”
