World Class Australia 2017 Bartender of the Year Announced

Andrea Gualdi of Maybe Frank has won the title of 2017 Bartender of the Year at the Diageo World Class Australia finals. Gualdi beat a record-breaking 490 entrants, and was awarded the honour just hours after completing two days of competition against 19 of Australia’s best bartenders.

Gualdi leads the drinks team at Maybe Frank , an energetic pizzeria and cocktail bar in Surry Hills. Despite competing his way to third place in last year’s competition, the Italian bartender was shocked to learn he’d won this year’s top honour.

“To be honest, I called my mum to tell her that it was all over,” he said after the win. “It was such hard work, I didn’t think there was any way I would win.”

Gualdi says the experience of falling short at last year’s competition encouraged him to do better this year.

“Last year I was hopeful, and so a bit disappointed when I didn’t win,” he says. “But I don’t think I was ready for it. This year I felt much more confident in myself.”

Gualdi says he considers his win a team effort. “Before I go to the afterparty I’m heading back to the bar to celebrate with my staff,” he said. “They’re the ones who have supported me every day.”

Gualdi will now spend the year representing Australia as a World Class Ambassador. At the end of June, he will fly to Bangkok to attend the launch of the first Global World Class Partnership Bar, and participate in a World Class Boot Camp designed to prepare him for representing Australia in the Global Finals held later this year in Mexico.

The announcement celebrations took place in the grand, somewhat hidden theatre room of one of Sydney’s finest French restaurants, Hubert. In the two days prior to the announcement, it was here the top 20 bartenders took on four cocktail-making challenges: a low-alcohol cocktail; the “World Class in a Glass” cocktail showcasing the entrants’ personal creativity; a “Shared Serve” cocktail; and the “Against the Clock” challenge, which saw five different cocktails made in under six minutes ¬– designed to test their creativity, speed, presentation skills and technique before a panel of judges.

Winners of the individual challenges include Matthew Linklater from the Black Pearl (low-alcohol cocktail), James Irvine from The Swillhouse Group, which owns Baxter Inn and Shady Pines Saloon (World Class in a Glass), Jake Down of This Must Be the Place (Shared Serve), and Phil Specter, of Bulletin Place (Against the Clock). Thomas Angel of Kiyomi was awarded the Best and Fairest Award.

Before Gualdi starts his journey towards representing Australia in Mexico, try a cocktail made by the 2017 World Class Australia Bartender of the Year at Maybe Frank while you can.

This article produced by Broadsheet in partnership with World Class.