10 minute read
TIM LAFERLA AND MAX GIUDICE DISTILLERY TRIP
The Perfect Blend 2019 Winners Meet: Tim Laferla and Max Giudice
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ENTERING THE PERFECT BLEND? KEEP ON READING THE TWO INTERVIEWS FROM MAX AND TIM - WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S GRAND FINAL, AND YOU’LL NEED NO CONVINCING. THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. VIP DISTILLERY TOURS, GLOBAL INDUSTRY EVENTS AND EXPERIENCING THE WORLD’S BEST BARS.
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TIM LAFERLA
Professional Category Winner
WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE TO WIN THE PERFECT BLEND 2019?
It was an amazing feeling to win The Perfect Blend. Knowing how much work I had put in personally, and also how much work the other competitors had put in, made it extremely rewarding. By the time you reach the final stages of the competition you know everyone is going to give it their all and produce drinks and performances of a high standard so it could have been anyone’s, I was just lucky enough to be that one this time around on the day.
WHAT WERE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT PRIOR TO NEW YORK (BAR CONVENT BROOKLYN) AND WORKING BEHIND THE BEAM SUNTORY BAR, VISITING VENUES, AND KENTUCKY VISITING THE JIM BEAM AND MAKER’S MARK DISTILLERIES?
Visiting venues is always one of my most exciting parts of seeing a new city. Even if we think of cities like New York as being more culturally similar to us, it’s super exciting to see the subtle differences and be inspired to do something different and better back home. The day you don’t think you can learn, or be inspired by anything elsewhere in the world, is the day you should leave the industry.
WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR TRIP?
The whole trip was so incredible it’s really hard to pick out one specific highlight. The facilities at Liquor Lab were inspiring, the Beam Suntory stand and
Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB) experience were great for meeting new people, the bars in New York were terrific, and Kentucky is beautiful with some of the most picturesque distilleries in the world. Take your pick!
WHAT DID YOU LEARN AT BCB?
The hospitality scene in the US is huge. It’s like a whole other world. The number of professionals, cocktail bars and brands that are only within the US is crazy and probably comparable to the rest of the western world combined. However, there does seem to be a degree of separation between the US and the rest of the world, even in this digital day and age. I think it’s great that events like BCB are going towards bridging that gap.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE BRANDS YOU DIDN’T KNOW PRIOR?
Maker’s Mark distillery is absolutely beautiful, so picturesque! Seeing in action just how manual so much of the process still is today from the label cutting to the wax dipping was pretty crazy. It just goes to show how it doesn’t matter if a product is produced on a large scale or small scale, it’s those small little details that can make a brand like Maker’s Mark unique and high quality. Our tour guide, Courtney, was a legend.
WERE YOU INSPIRED BY ANY VENUES OR TRENDS WITHIN THE USA?
Seeing the facilities at Liquor Lab. The team and support when we were doing our prep, was incredibly inspiring. All over the world this kind of co-working spaces gives hospitality professionals access to equipment and facilities otherwise out of their reach. It is something hugely positive for the industry and something I hope to see more of in the future. There are some other great examples all over the world, The Crucible in London and Worksmith in Melbourne.
HOW DO YOU FEEL NY DIFFERS TO AUSTRALIA AND OUR BAR SCENE?
New York has some amazing bars, which we all know about, but Australia equally has as much quality and diversity, even if it doesn’t get as much global recognition. The main difference for me is that Australia has embraced our more laid back culture and translated that into our best cocktail bars which tend to be less serious, but with the same emphasis on the quality of their New York counterparts.
SUMMARISE THE EXPERIENCE AND YOUR JOURNEY OF TPB WITHIN THE INDUSTRY TO DATE.
After being away living and working in London for five years, this year was the first year that I had the opportunity to enter The Perfect Blend. But over those years I’ve been watching from a distance the fantastic educational program that The Blend team puts on throughout each year, the competition and the amazing opportunities for the winners. It made me feel like I just had to enter and give it my best shot. The experience this year was incredible, getting up in front of 100+ people in your home state to present was exhilarating. Then the Grand Final in Bali was so relaxed compared to some other competitions I’ve done, and it was great to have that downtime and alternative activities to make the most of the whole experience which you never usually get to do when its just fly in-fly out for one or two nights. New York and Kentucky was just the icing on the cake, just making it over to the Grand Final in Bali felt like I had already won.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE THINKING OF ENTERING THE PERFECT BLEND 2020?
Just do it. Win or not, the networks, feedback, experience, and impression you leave will jump-start your personal and professional development immensely. If competitions are something you have always wanted to do, the only way is to throw yourself in the deepend and get the experience. The Apprentice Category gives you the chance to compete against other people of a similar experience level, so it doesn’t need to be so intimidating!
MAX GIUDICE
Apprentice Category Winner
WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE TO WIN THE PERFECT BLEND?
Amongst so many inspiring and talented bartenders, it was an incredibly surreal moment and a dream come true to win The Perfect Blend. After months of hard work, study and drink development, it was immensely rewarding to come away with a win and demonstrate to myself the extent of what is achievable in this industry.
WHAT WERE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT BEFORE THE TRIP BEING BAR CONVENT BROOKLYN (BCB) AND WORKING BEHIND THE BEAM SUNTORY BAR, VISITING VENUES, AND KENTUCKY VISITING THE JIM BEAM AND MAKER’S MARK DISTILLERIES?
It sounds clichéd, but I was so excited about everything! From travelling to NYC and Kentucky to meet and work with amazing people, to having the opportunity to make cocktails at BCB for other bartending and booze nerds like myself, and visiting bars that played such a big role in sparking my interest in cocktail bartending. I couldn’t believe it (and it still amazes me!). After travelling to Bali and then to the United States through bartending, it is incredible the opportunity I have been given through The Perfect Blend.
WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR TRIP?
It’s so hard to choose just one highlight, but when it comes down to it, I think the best part of the trip was the people I met that made the trip so memorable and inspiring. It was a great moment the night after BCB finished having a drink on a rooftop in Brooklyn looking over the Manhattan skyline with so many new friends that I’d made from all over the world that shared a passion for hospitality and bartending specifically, and one that I’ll never forget!
WHAT DID YOU LEARN AT BCB?
Being in the heart of NYC, I really got a feel for how alive and prosperous this industry is and the plethora of opportunities and pathways there are. Experiencing BCB lead to watching remarkable seminars, working with brand teams, meeting producers, getting an insight into some innovative and inspiring programs happening, and meeting people in the industry who I really admire. It was great pulling information from all these sources around me, and I really gained an understanding that there are so many pathways of success in hospitality.
WERE YOU INSPIRED BY ANY VENUES OR TRENDS WITHIN USA?
I was inspired by venues such as Katana Kitten, Dante and Bar Goto. Although all these venues were immensely different, they each executed their concepts exceptionally well. It’s not often that you see venues that have an idea, and execute it down to the very last detail. From the “cafe” culture at Dante and its stunning décor, service, and extensively-well thought out drinks program, to the comfortably crammed and sophisticated atmosphere at Bar Goto concentrating on Japanese minimalism and high-quality through simplicity, to the super fun split-level bar at Katana Kitten full of personality, it was great to see venues achieve what they wanted. I think this created such a microcosm within a space and generated an atmosphere that curated amazing experiences. It’s less common to see this in Australia probably due to the vastly smaller population.
HOW DO YOU FEEL NYC DIFFERS TO AUSTRALIA AND OUR BAR SCENE?
I don’t feel that the bar scene is that different. I think one of the main differences I noticed was the service relationships and resulting atmosphere that was created, as the staff are predominantly working for tips and want to impress. For the most part in Australian bars I’ve been to, my best experiences are those when the staff want to hang out and be your friend, as this creates the best relationships and leads to a great experience. Whereas in NY I felt that the service was more formalized and the staff were more there to attend to your every need. I think that the quality of bartenders and drinks in Australia is just as good and if not better than NY. Some of the best drinks I’ve had have been in Australian bars.
SUMMARISE THE EXPERIENCE AND YOUR JOURNEY OF TPB WITHIN THE INDUSTRY TO DATE.
Challenging, inspiring, eyeopening, rewarding, fun, memorable, exciting, crazy. Not necessarily in that order!
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE THINKING OF ENTERING THE PERFECT BLEND 2020.
I would whole-heartedly encourage them! My experience from start to finish of TPB was immensely positive, and the journey played a big role in developing my skills. Being an amateur in the industry, it was an amazing opportunity competing with others, developing relationships and meeting so many new people, learning so much, and challenging myself to push bartending beyond just a nighttime job. The Perfect Blend really inspired me to embrace the industry and all it has to offer, and I could not recommend it highly enough for anyone in the industry!
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WISH TO SHARE!
Just a HUGE thank you to all those who played a part in making TPB possible and creating such an incredible experience. To all the amazing bartenders I met and competed with, and to all my friends and family for supporting me on this amazing journey!
GUEST SHIFT AT BAR CONVENT BROOKLYN 2019
As part of The Perfect Blend prize, Tim and Max were able to experience Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB). For the second year running, the two-day event is a space where exhibitors get to showcase their products to people in the industry. Attendees of the Expo are able to witness demonstrations, keynote speakers and panel discussion from leaders in the industry.
During their time at BCB, Tim and Max had the opportunity to guest shift behind the Beam Suntory Bar. This allowed the guys to showcase their talent and curate drinks to other like-minded professionals and leaders in the trade.
