Naren Young Lends Name, “Cecil Baker” Legend to Bols Around the World

Challenge Two in Global Bartending Competition Emphasizes Hospitality and Storytelling.

Challenge two in the 2015 edition of Lucas Bols’ global bartending competition, Bols Around the World, is now open and centers around two bar legends: noted bartender Naren Young and fictional character “Cecil Baker.” The challenge aims to reward competitors for their hospitality and storytelling abilities.

Bols Around the World

The story goes that Young and his staff created a drink with gin, green chartreuse, pomme verte, passion fruit syrup and pulp of one passion fruit and named it after a fictional character called Cecil Baker. Each time a guest would ask who Cecil Baker was the bartenders would respond with their own fanciful anecdote. It quickly turned into a game among the bar staff and encouraged bartenders to engage in a fun dialogue with their guests. All these stories have now evolved in to a mystery about who Cecil Baker is.

Challenge two in Bols Around the World is for competitors to give their own account of who they think Cecil Baker is.

Now in its ninth year, BATW is designed to inspire and challenge the bartending community while spotlighting emerging stars. The competition consists of 12 challenges over 12 weeks with a new challenge shared every Monday at BolsAroundtheWorld.com. Each challenge is based on the 12 core principles taught at the Bols Bartending Academy including speed, efficiency and responsibility. Points are to be awarded by a panel of judges and by fellow competitors.

In a format twist, the 2015 competition will also reward hospitality-related skills such as hosting and storytelling.

Naren Young Lends Name, “Cecil Baker” Legend to Bols Around the World

“The revised competition format rewards well-rounded bartenders by taking into consideration a bartender’s entire skill set from how guests are greeted to how they’re treated during their stay to building a cocktail.”
– 2014 winner, American Kate Gerwin

At the end of week 12, the 20 highest-scoring bartenders will be invited for a one-week journey of education, inspiration and excitement during the Bols Ultimate Amsterdam Experience.

Gerwin encourages her fellow bartenders to enter. “This is a competition unlike any other. The experience I had last year was life changing and was highlighted by the trip to Amsterdam and meeting my Bols family – bartenders from all over the world who share my passion.”

Participants can create a profile and learn more about the competition’s rules and regulations at BolsAroundtheWorld.com.

Follow the competition @bolsbartending on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.