Kansas City Food Blog

​Ten local bartenders put their cocktail knowledge and mixology skills to the test this Sunday on-stage at the Uptown Theater during the third annual Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition.

"We're working really hard to showcase bartending as a serious profession and elevate bartenders in Kansas City to that level," says Ryan Maybee, the event organizer and partner in Manifesto.

The group of 10 finalists was selected based on an original cocktail, with the ingredients ranging from ginger beer to a ponzu citris marinade. Among the contestants are 2008 GKCBC winner Chris Conaster of Justus Drugstore, Missy Koonce of The Piano Room and Shawn Moriarty of the R Bar & Restaurant.

"There was a lot of culinary influence. A lot more bartenders are taking their cues from chefs in the kitchen, rather than just using spirits and liqueurs," says Maybee.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and the competition starts half an hour later. First, the judges will be introduced -- this year's panel features spirits writer David Wondrich, author of Imbibe and one of the preeminent cocktail historians in America. 

"We're really looking for a great bartender overall. Mixology is only one part of that. There's knowledge of classic cocktail history, good presentation and how they carry themselves behind the bar," says Maybee.

There will be two bars set up on stage and each bartender will be wearing a microphone. As they mix their drinks, an MC will announce what's happening in what Maybee terms "Food Network-style," with close-up camera shots of the action projected onto an 8- by 10-foot screen.

Bartenders will make their original cocktail for the judges while talking about what they're doing. After that, they'll be asked to make a classic cocktail and field rapid-fire questions about distillation methods and the history of cocktails. Audience members should pay attention because they'll have a say in the final results. 

"This year we introduced a way for the audience to vote via a text-messaging system -- that should help the audience feel more engaged and let the contestants feel a bit more at ease," says Maybee.

While the audience vote is only a portion of contestants' scores, Maybee expects to have a fan favorite or people's choice award in addition to the contest winners. Off-stage, a cash bar and silent auction benefits the Halo Foundation. Maybee has also promised a signature cocktail made with Hendricks Gin, one of the event's sponsors.

"The cocktail culture has changed dramatically and the competition is part of that -- it's an attempt to identify a group of bartenders who really care about what they do. We've created a way for bartenders to have a friendly competition to challenge and learn from each other and that helps elevate the entire community," says Maybee.

Tickets are $5 at the door and also benefit the Halo Foundation.

[Image via Flickr: opyh]