'Bar-obics' essential in bartender championship<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Sam, the womanizing bartender on the popular TV
\nprogram Cheers, is the epitome of a great bartender who keeps his
\nclients perched on their barstools.<\/p>\n
As international restaurants, coffee shops, bars,
\ndiscotheques, pubs and night clubs begin to multiply in town,
\nIndonesian Sam wanna-bes have started to show off their new-found
\ntalents -- not only in chasing girls, but also in the popular
\n\"bar-obic\" art most Jakartan bartenders have embraced.<\/p>\n
At TGI Friday's, for example, bartenders learn to make drinks
\nand entertain the guests with bottle flipping and drink tossing.
\nWith the skill of a juggler and the quips of a comedian, the
\nbartenders are expected to create a lively atmosphere inside the
\nrestaurant.<\/p>\n
Bar-obics are so popular that TGI Friday organizes an annual
\nbartender championship to find its best bartender. More than
\n1,700 bartenders from its 300 restaurants across the world are
\nexpected to take part in this year's competition. The competition
\nstarted 30 years ago.<\/p>\n
The championship is a comprehensive skill test for bartenders.
\nThey must answer specific questions on food items, fruit, wine
\nbottle opening, pouring techniques, and current events. In
\naddition, they must pass a pouring test in both compulsory and
\nfreestyle flair.<\/p>\n
In the compulsory event, competitors must show their
\nknowledge, skill and accuracy behind the bar, while the free-
\nstyle event gives the bartenders an opportunity to show-off their
\nbar-obic skills. They are judged on accurate pouring,
\norganization, cleanliness, working flair, guest interaction and
\nprofessionalism.<\/p>\n
The preliminaries have started in every country the restaurant
\noperates in, and the final will be held in Dallas, Texas in the
\nU.S.<\/p>\n
TGI Friday's Jakarta branch began their preliminary round on
\nSept. 1. Three young bartenders, Stanley, Alik and Dandy,
\ndemonstrated what it takes to keep the crowd happy. They moved
\nfast, flinging the bottles and tossing the drinks. Up and down.
\nRight and left. The contestants looked a bit nervous, but managed
\nto smile after the audience gave each a round of applause.
\nUnfortunately, the show did not last long. Each contestant had
\nonly 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
Each of the three bartenders were given a prize by the
\nmanagement. The winner, 23-year-old Dandy Tumawela, will go to
\nManila to compete against other Asian bartenders for the ticket
\nto Dallas.<\/p>\n
Dandy, who doesn't like drinking and prefers Koes Plus (a
\nlocal band popular in the 1970s) to loud rock music, has little
\nchance of winning in Manila. He will likely loose not because he
\ndoesn't like drinking or rock, but because he has only been
\nperforming bar-obics for five months. Worse, Dandy, who has
\nbroken seven bottles and six glasses while practicing, only knows
\nhow to make 80 drinks. A good bartender should know more than 400
\nalcoholic and non-alcoholic drink recipes.<\/p>\n
But, never mind, TGI Friday's Jakarta is only four months old.
\nPeople will understand if the Indonesian bartender looses.
\n(sim\/als)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bar-obics-essential-in-bartender-championship-1447893297",
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