Manchester bartender competes virtually in Hilton Worldwide contest

The British competitor in the Hilton Worldwide F&B Master Mixologist competition failed to be deterred from taking part when heavy snow resulted in his flight to the final in Istanbul being cancelled.

Benjamin Williams, head bartender at Cloud 23 bar at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate, went on to compete, alongside four other competitors from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, thanks to Skype.

A mixologist at the Hilton Bomonti, Istanbul, where the final was held, mirrored a cocktail Williams created from a mystery box of ingredients, as well as two signature cocktails.

Anthony Worrall, regional director of food and beverage, UK and Ireland, said: "We had to act impulsively to enable Benjamin to take part and thanks to technology we were able to do it."

Williams, whose cocktails were judged alongside all the other finalists, was awarded the bronze medal, with Wilson Pires, bartender at Gusto Bar, Conrad Algarve, taking the gold medal and title of Hilton Worldwide EMEA Mixologist of the Year. Machiel Bakker of Doubletree Marjan Island received silver.

In the F&B Team of the Year competition - in which there was no UK finalist - the Hilton Vienna Danube, led by executive chef Konrad Zellner, won gold.