Award winning mocktail “Electric Ginger Breeze” at 7 Degrees North
Amongst Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo’s many victories at the World Spice
Food Festival 2011, was bartender Viraj Ashmantha’s EGB Mocktail
Champion of the Year Award. The 22 year old bartender impressed the
judges with his mocktail ‘Electric Ginger Breeze’ at a competition held
by Ceylon Cold Stores. Participants were required to create a mocktail
using their product Elephant Ginger Beer or EGB which was developed over
100 years ago in Sri Lanka and remains the only natural ginger beer in
the local market.
|
EGB Mocktail Champion of the Year Viraj Ashmantha receiving his
award |
Sixteen bartenders from participating hotels competed at Tthe EGB
Mocktail Championship for the coveted EGB Mocktail Trophy and cash
prizes. The panel of judges consisting of reputed personalities from the
Hospitality and Food and Beverage arenas, included Alan Palmer, Eraj
Abeywardene and Hiran Serasinghe. They were overwhelmed not just by the
winning mocktails but by the enthusiasm displayed by the competitors
when presenting their ideas.
The Champion Viraj Ashmantha of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo has
previously won gold and bronze medals at the Culinary Arts Competition
2010 organized by the Chef’s Guild of Sri Lanka.
His aspiration to enter the hospitality field was sparked by his
passion to be a pastry chef, but subsequently fell in love with the bar
and has never looked back. A student of St. Joseph’s College, Viraj has
been a part of the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo family for 4 years, with a
6 month stint at the Royal Mirage in Dubai. Viraj aims to put in every
effort to become a Food & Beverage Manager.
The Electric Ginger Breeze is created with a mix of Nelli cordial,
fresh mint leaves, lime wedges and green apple cubes topped with EGB.
Aside from the EGB Mocktail Champion award, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
was also victorious in the Chicken Curry Challenge and the Best Theme
Stall Competition at the Hawker Street leg of the World Spice Food
Festival 2011. |
