rum bar category, held a party on the awards night for the Tassie contingent, with the winners unveiled over a live stream on Facebook. One of Goodman’s team members Jay Heart was a finalist for rookie of the year, while Pancho Villa (tequila bar of the year), Society Salamanca (gin bar of the year) and Willing Bros Wine Merchants (wine bar of the year) were finalists in their respective categories. The creative flair which comes from inventing new drinks is a major driving force behind Goodman’s love of the industry, with Evolve regularly updating its menu to match seasonal produce. “I guess it’s just trial and error, sometimes you can just make something up in five minutes and it’s like the best cocktail that you’ve ever made,” she says. Adam Brooks, food and beverage manager for Federal Group Tourism, declared the national recognition as just reward for the effort of Goodman and her team. He believes Evolve’s ability to be driving industry standards played a role in the title. “The recognition is just wonderful. We’re really happy with that because the guys here, Bec and the team, work really hard,” Brooks says. “They make sure that the products they put out are new and always ‘in front of industry standard’ sort of drinks and adjusting with what the customers want. “Then they back it up with the five star service as well.”
(L-R) Etien Celzner from Rude Boy, Jack Turner (Void Bar @MONA), Mateo Ortiz (The Story Bar), Jay Heart (Evolve Spirits Bar at Macq01), Bec Goodman (Evolve Spirits Bar at Macq01) Ronan Sweeney-Meyer (Society Salamanca)
INDUSTRY FEATURE: BARTENDER AWARDS
Pictured: Evolve Spirits Bar at Maq01
“Sometimes, you put some ingredients together and it’s just what works well, finding a base and whether you need to add things like citrus and just finding a balance between the ingredients is really important. “Tweaking things, like adding 2.5 mils of this and your five mils of that, it makes all the difference. “The creative freedom is definitely a big part and just getting to talk to so many different people. “It’s always different, there’s always something happening and you always get to try something new or create something new.”
Photo Credit: Nikki Davis-Jones Mercury
TASMANIA’S bars have again stood tall with one local standout landing a second consecutive national award “Punching above its weight” and Tasmania so often go hand in hand on the national stage, and once again it has been proven in the hospitality industry. The 20th edition of the Bartender Magazine Australia Bar Awards were staged in September and for Evolve Spirits Bar at Macq01 Hotel, it was back to back victories in the Australian Hotel Bar of the Year category. Evolve has quickly established itself as one of the premium bars in Tasmania, specialising in high end spirits such as whisky, gin and vodka. The venue also took home Tasmania’s best cocktail bar, with bar manager Rebecca Goodman crediting her team and the uniqueness of Evolve for landing the coveted title. “These awards are great as it puts our bar on the map and gets people in, they want to come check out this award winning bar so it’s just a great thing to get our name out there,” Goodman says. “Just looking at the bar, it’s pretty spectacular and super out there and different. “The products that we make, all the cocktails and the care that the team goes into creating products and the amazing spirits that we get to work with as well, it’s all a good package. “It also comes down to the team, because we wouldn’t be here without the team that I have and am working with today.” With parents who were bakers, Goodman was jokingly self-confessed “bread” into the hospitality industry, and has worked in several establishments around Hobart, starting her bar tending career at the Story Bar – one of the contenders for Tasmania’s cocktail bar of the year alongside Void Bar @ MONA, Rude Boy and IXL Long Bar at Henry Jones Art Hotel. Rude Boy, which was crowned the state’s best bar and was also a finalist in the best Australian
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Hospitality Review: October 2021 27
Hospitality Review: October 2021 26
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