Nominations open tomorrow, July 1.

After two fun awards parties in Bangkok and Singapore, The Bar Awards is travelling to Hong Kong. This is the second time that they will be honouring the city’s best venues and bartenders, and the public is encouraged to name their favourites to win the 12 prizes.

Selecting the categories for the city this year is the Hong Kong Lead Panel. They are:
– Agung Prabowo (previously at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong)
– Arkadiusz Rybak (Zuma Hong Kong)
– Serhan Charly Kusaksizoglu (Island Shangri-La)
– Cherry Lam (Diageo)
– Jay Khan (Remy Cointreau)
– Jeremy Moreau (Proof & Company)
– Samuel Kwok (Quinary)
– Sandra Kwong (Coaster Magazine)
– Tomi Ho (Runway)
– Zoltan Konczol (Campari)

In addition to the usual awards that seek to celebrate the city’s best bartenders, restaurant, beer, wine and cocktail bars, the Lead Panel has also chosen to add on an individual award to recognise the city’s Best Hospitality Ambassador, open to anyone from bar backs, owners and even chefs working in the industry.

Here are the other categories open for nominations from July 1 to 14:

The Rising Star, presented by Perrier
Formerly the Young Bartender of the Year award, this one drives The Bar Awards’ mission to encourage new blood to join the industry, and recognising and acknowledging those who have chosen f&b as their career.

Best Restaurant Bar
This award recognises the restaurant that appreciates that diners want great beverages to accompany their food, and understands that a well-thought-out beverage program enhances an already memorable dining experience. To be considered for this category, establishments must first and foremost be a dining venue. The majority of the consumers visiting these establishments are there for a culinary experience.

Best Beer Bar, presented by Pilsner Urquell
This award recognises an establishment with a well-curated beer offering, that’s also backed by knowledgeable and passionate people. Beer culture, and especially craft beer, is continuing to grow in Hong Kong. These establishments are taking great strides in providing a great beverage, paired with an overall great drinking experience.

Best Wine Bar
The Bar Awards wants to look at wine lists, wine bars and wine experiences in a new light. This award is no longer about who has the largest collection or the biggest list of vintages. They want to appreciate those that constantly push the boundaries of how wines are enhancing an already great evening. The Best Wine Bar is an award that recognises establishments who put an effort into curating an exciting, innovative wine list, and work hard to educate with passion.

Best Bar Food
This award recognises the Hong Kong bar with the most delicious bar food. The beverage program of an establishment, more often than not, overshadows the talent and creativity of its chefs. We would like to acknowledge their hard work and passion in the kitchen and behind the scenes. To be considered for this category, establishments must first and foremost be a bar. The majority of consumers will visit these establishments to enjoy a beverage experience.

Best Hotel Bar
This award recognises the hotel bar that is able to offer a great bar and beverage experience. Hotels have always been at the forefront of any hospitality scene, leading the way in guest experience and comfort. These great hotels are now looking to enhance the experience of the guest even further by developing and managing fantastic beverage and bar programs. Establishments eligible to win this are bars that are managed and operated by hotels. Bars, restaurants or other establishments leasing space within a hotel are NOT eligible.

Most Creative Cocktail Bar, presented by Cointreau
This award recognises the establishment with the most innovative cocktail program. If there ever was an accolade that acknowledges hard work and creativity, this is it. From sourcing the best ingredients to distilling the best spirits, and to the mise en place for the most unique and complicated cocktails – it’s a lot of hard work and extremely time consuming to be creative for one drink, let alone an entire bar program.

Best Hospitality Team
This award recognises that it is teamwork that makes the difference between a good bar and an excellent one. The Best Hospitality Team awards the most hospitable service team that compliments an establishment’s already excellent beverage team. With this award, we would also like to encourage more people to join the service side of the industry with this mark of appreciation.

Best Hospitality Ambassador
This award recognises the individuals who embody the greatest values of hospitality. These individuals dedicate their lives to being the most warm and welcoming person they can be at work and outside of work. This category is open to any individual working in the hospitality industry including but not limited to bar backs, runner, waiters, bartenders, sommeliers, managers, owners and any members of the culinary team.

Best New Cocktail Bar, presented by Campari
This award recognises a new establishment that has made an impact on the local cocktail culture. Opening a bar is difficult, and takes a lot of leadership, hard work and talent. People who put together a great bar from day one and set high standards for new entrants to the bar community should be acknowledged. To be considered the establishment must be open on or after July 1 2016.

Bartender of the Year
The Bartender of the Year is an award given to the bartender whose skills, knowledge, and the ability to connect with people is extraordinary beyond measure. The level of leadership, skill and hospitality extended during and outside of work by this individual is an experience in itself. To be considered, nominees must be bartending in an establishment in Hong Kong as of their nomination date.

Best Cocktail Bar, presented by Stolichnaya Vodka
The Best Cocktail Bar is the establishment that endlessly exceeds expectations and strives for the most outstanding bar experience. The establishment does this through excellence in impeccable service, warm hospitality, superbly crafted cocktails, a well-curated beverage program, delectable food offerings and a mesmerising ambience. The combination of these factors and that always critical “x-factor” continues to impress night after night.

 

After the form closes on July 14, the longlist will next be handed over to a bigger group of city panelists to narrow down the field to their Top 10 favourites, and then a ranking of the Top 4 and winners for Hong Kong.

The winners will be announced at this year’s Bar Awards party, held on August 20 at a yet to-be-announced location.

To submit your favourites for this year’s Public Nominations, visit thebarawards.com/nominate.