Matt Mixes Up Double Winner |
Extracted from the Birmingham Mail Friday October
27, 2006 A Birmingham Bartender is causing a stir with the cocktails he shakes up for his customers. Matt Marriott, General Manager of island bar on Suffolk Street, has just won two competitions in as many days for his cracking cocktail creations. The 28-year-old has been making and creating cocktails for several years and decided to put his skills to the test in two gruelling competitions. In the first, organised by Goslings rum, he was pitted against a dozen of the best bartenders in Birmingham, including most of his own bar team! Matt said: "At island, serving the best cocktails is central to our ethos. We have assembled the best team in town, and I actively encourage them to prove it at any opportunity. The majority of the team have won competitions and awards at both local and national level, and they are all more than happy to create new drinks for our guests' own tastes." Matt won over the judges by mixing up a Gander - his own creation of berries and citrus peel flamed in aged rum. He was presented with a bottle of rare old rum for taking first place. Not wanting to rest on his laurels, Matt travelled to Leeds the next day to compete in the Grand Final of the Buffalo Trace bourbon competition. This national event started back in March with over 250 entrants, with Matt winning all the preliminary rounds to reach the Grand Final against 9 bartenders from around the country. He prepared four cocktails, each with a seasonal theme and was subjected to written and verbal examination. Matt was pronounced winner, earning himself an all expenses trip to the world famous Kentucky Derby. Matt said: "It's great to win such a prestigious national competition. Hopefully my success will help put Birmingham's bar culture on the map by highlighting the talent that exists in the city. Join Matt for a cocktail or two at island, open from 5pm daily |