Christian Self (right) from the 39 Hotel on Oahu holds his check and tiki trophy
The 2nd annual Don the Beachcombers Mai Tai Festival was Saturday evening and 27 bartenders from around the world came to compete for $10,000 in prize money.
Amy Day of Lahaina Bar and Grill was my personal favorite... LOL
Each bartender was brought to this event from other contests that were held throughout the year, so this was truly the best of the best.
The Crowd looks on intensely
The one thing about an event like this… is the competitors only make enough Mai Tai’s for the judges themselves.
Hawaii Musician Chris Gilliom was one of the lucky judges
I had a few people ask me if I could get them a drink… lol.
"Please..."
The event was co-hosted by BACARDI and the Royal Kona Resort and one thing that I learned later on in the evening… is that in order to have a great Mai Tai… you have to have a great rum.
BACARDI was the rum of choice for all of these bartenders.
With all good drinks… you gotta have food!
From Left to Right - Maki Sushi, Crab Salad Sliders and my personal favorite... Lobster Mac & Cheese
And the winning Mai Tai being made by Christian Self of the 39 Hotel in Honolulu.
Christian Self starts the drink off
"I wear my sunglasses at night"...
Almost finished... time ticking
Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Entertainment, Food & Drink, Kona, Tourism Tagged: | 39 Hotel, BACARDI Recipes, Christian Self, Don the Beachcomber, Mai Tai Festival, Mai Tai Recipes, Royal Kona Resort
No one deserved it more than Chris. Best damn bartender PERIOD. Congrats buddy!
[…] The Winner is… Posted on August 17, 2010 by Damon On Saturday, as part of the Mai Tai Festival and Third Eye Blind concert held at the Royal Kona Resort, they had a “Battle of the […]
I was bummed that there was no way for the crowd to taste the specialty mai tais. I thought it was going to be like “taste of the range” or whatever, where maybe you got tickets you could trade for a shot of the contestant’s mai tais. Instead, it was just a big crowd and Don the Beachcomber’s normal (very good) mai tais.
So we award 10 grand to the best booze making bartender.
How many times did this bartender serve Robert W. Smith Jr.?
And Roger Christie sits in jail – denied bail and now denied a speedy trial.
And this maker of “drunks” who then drive home gets 10 grand.
Does that sound right?
“Hawaii Musician Chris Gilliom was one of the lucky judges”
that sure as hell looks like what is popularly known as Eric Gilliom.