Bartending his way to Las Vegas

What he only wished and prayed for was a seamless performance. What he got was the grand prize in the Asia-Pacific Bartending Championships in Beijing, China last month.

What Matthew Burgos showed in the annual regional bartending meet was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Bartending, Matthew agrees, is more than just spinning and tossing bottles in the air.

“I mix and concoct drinks basically,” describes the Hotel, Restaurant and Institute Management graduate of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde of his job. “I do flair routine to entertain guests and make them stay. Bartending is like a come-on to entice people to dine in. But what I like and enjoy about it is, I meet a lot of people and get to know them.”

Matthew’s people skills helped him win first the yearly T.G.I.Friday’s inter-store bartending competition here participated by representatives from seven branches of the restaurant chain before joining the Asia-Pacific championships. Prior to his more than a year stint as bartender at T.G.I.F.-Robinsons Galleria, Matthew was a fixture in national and inter-universities bartending contests representing his school. It’s not surprising to those close to Matthew that he would most likely take this career path and win in bigger competitions.

Matthew looks forward to quenching his customers’ thirst and aweing them with his routine night after night. This makes Matthew the perfect Philippine representative, not only to China, but also to Las Vegas for the World Bartending Championships set in March next year. Eric Martinez, Matthew’s trainer, is the current winner of the World Bartending Championships.

In the two-day Asia-Pacific competition, Matthew beat nine other bartenders and went through two elimination rounds: Compulsory and freestyle. 

Compulsory, where Matthew ranked fourth, saw participants taking a series of written examinations. It tested their technical knowledge, skills and accuracy  on bartending. The delegates even asked to study and mix drinks unfamiliar to them.

Freestyle, on the other hand, dealt with flair bartending/routine skills. Participants mixed cocktails and flipped bottles. Matthew ranked first in this round. A big percentage of the participants’ total scores came from freestyle. Matthew says his closest rival in the bartending meet was the representative from Taiwan.

With his recent win in China, Matthew has the chance to represent Asia in the World Bartending Championships and competing with contestants from Europe and the Americas.

Matthew attributes his win to his smooth performance, six times a week training and prayers.

To get the judges’ nod, Matthew had to treat them like guests who deserve 100-percent attention in their dining needs. His background music of tribal and house added pizzazz to his presentation, adds Matthew.

What’s the trick in bartending? “A seamless/dropless routine and always to the beat moves,” replies the Asia-Pacific grand champion.

Will T.G.I.F.-Philippines bring home the World Bartending Championships title for the second time?

Eric’s winning style will hopefully rub off on Matthew next year in Vegas.