Therese Rio won the championship trophy in the 2009 Taste of Marianas Bartending Competition with her “Burnett’s Queen Freshness” concoction, besting 11 other contestants by garnering 232.5 points.
Rio said she practiced juggling for two and a half months.
“This is my first time to join a bartending competition, and it was a real challenge because most of my competitors are experienced,” Rio said.
“I just concentrated and did my best,” she added.
Rio said she joined and won some awards in mixing drinks competitions at the Nikko Hotel where she worked before, and at the Shangrila Hotel in Manila.
Finishing with 230 points is her co-worker Ji Hyun Kang who won the first runner up award for her “Island Mist” creation.
Michael Lim’s “The Green Burnetts” of Country Club was the second runner up with 227.5 points, edging third runner up Marlon Pineda of Saipan World Resort by 0.5 point.
The Best in Showmanship Award went to three contestants who got 81 points each — Rio and Ji Hyun Kang of PIC, and Willie Caron of Fiesta Resort Hotel & Spa.
Garon’s “Saipan Blue Burnett” got an overall score of 211 points.
The Best in Taste Award went to two contestants who garnered 69 points each — Emil Gammad of Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino and Jojo Solmarin of Moby Dick.
Solmarin’s “Azul de Marianas” got 223 points while Gammad’s “Little Boy” received 220.
Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Amapola Castro won this year’s award for Best in Props & Costume. Castro’s “Marianas Lady” garnered 216 points overall score.
The other contestants were Jovel San Juan of Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino with 222 points; Bernardine Aquino of Hyatt Regency Saipan, 206.5; Rommel Usi of Fiesta Resort & Spa, 205; and Ramil Eustaquio of Wonderful Bar, 163.
Jaymar Torres of Aqua Resort Club won the championship and the Best in Showmanship Award in the Battle of the Champions.
His opponent was Jay Santos of The Flair.
Torres topped the Bar Wars Bartenders Cocktail Competition and the Taste of the Marianas 2008 Bartenders Cocktail Competition “Malibu Coconut Rum Challenge.
Santos won the Best in Showmanship Award in the Taste of Marianas 2008 Bartenders Cocktail Competition.
The contestants were given five minutes to showcase their talents and prepare their entries.
They were judged based on showmanship, taste, originality, audience impact, and neatness.
The judges were Gani Benoza, manager of Bien Seiko Inc.; IT&E business sales manager John Mantanona; and IT&E marketing associate Brad Ruszala.
This year’s recipes included Burnett’s Vodka and Coco-Cola products.
Northern Marianas Bartenders Association president Lito Espino extended his appreciation to the community and the sponsors.
He said the contest aims to strengthen the bond among the bartenders in the CNMI and enhance their talents.
