​​​We had a great savoury night at Rakı&Roll Cocktail Contest in Yosma London which is a famous Turkish Restaurant in London with the incredible creativity of seven bartenders. Congratulations to all of them and the talented winner Jon Rivera who won the prize  € 2000 and a great trip to Istanbul.

You can find creative cocktails and bios of the bartenders below.

Jon Rivera from Fifteen's Bar – Rakı​ Milk Punch

• Clarified milk

• Pineapple

• Chai

• Batavia Arrack

• Winter Spices

Bio: After many years travelling and working in bars across the globe, including a stint in Sydney, Jon moved back to London where he was part of the Barbecoa group for 7 years before being made Bar Manager at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurants and bar.

Federico Pes from Brasserie Zedel – Serefe

• 30ml Rakı

• 30ml briotte crème de cacao brown

• 30ml briotte crème de chatagne (chestnut)

• 30ml double cream

• Sparkling Wine(prosecco) top

Bio: Federico was born in 1989 in a small town in Sardinia, the Italian island in the Mediterranean. He became interested in bartending at the age of 16, where he was named the “cocktail maker" for house parties!

After finishing college Federico had the chance to spend a summer working in a sea-front bar front in his home town, before moving to Fortevillage Resort, Sardinia where he took a bartending course then worked there for the following two years. Five years ago he decided to move to the UK and has bartended in numerous establishments before moving to his current post as Head Bartender in Brasserie Zedel.

 Daniele Rubegni from Mr.Fogg – Vaha

• 45ml Rakı

• 20ml Fresh lime juice

• 15ml Elderflower cordial

• 25ml Cucumber juice

• 1 Egg White

• 6 Basil leaves

Bio: Daniele learned all of his tricks of the trade from the most famous and charismatic characters of the Italian bartending scene, where he worked in various luxury hotels. After four years he decided to embark on a new adventure and moved to London.

Radoslaw Różycki from The Cocktail Trading Company – Rawka

• 40ml Yeni Rakı

• 40ml home-made butter pistachio syrup

• 20ml coffee

• 20ml honey mix

• 10ml double cream

• 4 dashes of salt solution

Bio: Rod is from the deepest depths of south Poland, and arrived in London 4 years ago to pursue his dream to make a career in the cocktail industry. He started his professional career in Original Sin, then moved to Beagle as a Head Bartender and is now trading cocktails and smiling at The Cocktail Trading Company.

Pierre-Marie Bisson from Milk & Honey – The Lion's Share

• 10 drops Jamaican Jerk bitters

• 2 slices cucumber

• 5ml sugar Syrup (1:1)

• 10ml fresh lemon juice

• 20ml fresh pink grapefruit juice

• 20ml egg white

• 20ml elderflower cordial

• 40ml Yeni Rakı

Bio: Pierre started bartending 10 years ago in Paris in a bar called La Perla – just like the one that closed recently on Maiden Lane, to make some money whilst studying. It wasn't long before he realized that he was drawn to spirits and wanted to learn more about mixing drinks. He then moved to bartend at Curio Parlor, the second venue of the Experimental Cocktail Group then the original site of ECC in Paris where he becomes Assistant General Manager. In 2012 he then moved to the London site, and after a few years moved on to work at Happiness Forgets as a Bar Manager. He has previously also worked at Basement State, a bar specialized in cocktails and desserts, before moving Milk and Honey two years ago, and has assumed the position of General Manager for the past year.

Marc Bolton from Blanchette – Bittersweet Symphony

• 25ml Tequila Bianco

• 25ml Rakı

• 1 full Lemon

• 3 drops of Lemon Bitters

• Tarragon Syrup (Marc providing)

Bios:

Marc is from South Africa and has always had an interest in making cocktails and exploring new ingredients. He came to London 2 years ago to explore new possibilities and started off at a cocktail bar in Soho. With an interest for service and new challenges, he immediately took the position as a bartender at Blanchette where he could expand in a new environmentand focus on his interests. Arturas joined the Blanchette family last year, he wanted to take a break from his studies in Lithuania so it was the perfect fit. He is now working part-time and studying creative music production and sound engineering at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP). He shares Marc's passion for cocktail making and mixology.