Vespertine Group launches cocktail comp for junior bartenders

by Andy Young Sep 3, 2025

Vespertine Group, the team behind Gin Palace, bijou bottle store, Bar Ampere and Black Kite Commune, is kicking off its first-ever in-house cocktail competition, with the aim of giving its junior bartenders a leg-up in skills, creativity and confidence.

The Vespertine Cocktail Competition, which is being held today, is designed exclusively for staff who haven’t yet made the leap into management. Competitors will gain hands-on experience in cocktail creation, list writing, branding and costing – the nuts and bolts of drinks that make it from the shaker to the menu.

With support from Vanguard Luxury Brands, the bartenders will work with a curated line-up of spirits including Marionette, The Gospel and Four Pillars. Each will also receive personalised mentorship from two industry heavyweights: Nick Tesar (Creative Director of Gin Drinks, Four Pillars; Co-Director, Marionette) and Kayla Saito (Venue Manager, Mulberry Group, and preservation/fermentation specialist).

Judges on the day include Vespertine Group MD Benn Luzz, Bellicose Gin’s Trish Brew, and Seb Costello from Spirits Victoria Association.

The program isn’t just about competition, it’s structured as a learning journey. Each participant completes two workshops:

Concept Development: aligning ideas with brand identity and cost of goods.
Refinement & Technique: mastering one brand-new skill (think clarification, fermentation or foams), chosen by the competitor.

The real reward? Each venue’s winning cocktail will land on its menu from 10 September through 22 October, giving guests a chance to order the top creations – and giving bartenders the thrill of seeing their work out in the wild.

The Group said: “This comp carves out dedicated time for our junior bartenders to experiment and master new complex techniques, and having our alumni return as mentors and judges makes it even more impactful.”

Event details

Competition Date: Wed 3 Sept (in-house only)
Cocktails on menus: Tue 10 Sept – Tue 22 Oct
Venues: Gin Palace, bijou bottle store, Bar Ampere, Black Kite Commune

Andy Young is an experienced journalist and editor having made a start as a sports journalist with The Sun newspaper in the UK. Since then he’s worked in major newspaper and television...