Vietnamese representatives won awards at World Signature Battle 2017
At World Signature Battle 2017 (WSB) in Korea, barista Alex Huy Tran and bartender Nguyen Thanh Trung - Champion of Vietnam Beverage Battle – was respectively awarded the 3rd prize and the "Best Taste" award. Representing the young generation and thousands of Vietnamese baristas and bartenders to compete in the international competition, Alex and Trung was able to showcase their skills, talents and made the Vietnam beverage industry proud.
To learn more about their journey to success and their feelings and memories after VBB, Rich Products Vietnam conducted an interview with the two talented young men.
Can you share with us your experience at World Signature Battle 2017?
Alex: It was a great competition. There were many challenges that the contestants had to overcome. The preparation and selection process took one month and was very thorough - from selecting contestants, receiving their video submissions to waiting for the audience’s votes. Plus, the judges were internationally famous experts. 16 contestants were then chosen to compete in the final round in Seoul, Korea. In the final round, we competed through one-on-one battles in front of the judges and the audience. This is completely different from other competitions, so the candidates were very stressed, which required a good state of mind to keep fighting. As a contestant, you have to master a lot of knowledge and skills to confidently compete, such as knowledge about coffee, alcohol, presentation skills, the process of operating a coffee machine, and especially, the ability to innovate unique drinks.
Trung: I prepared 4 drinks, including Vietnamese Breakfast, Arabica Perfume, Love on the Beach and Margarita Coffee. All four drinks used one main ingredient that is coffee. However, starting out as a bartender and having the taste buds of a wine tester, I also applied my strength to the process of creating the recipes.
During the competition, which was your most memorable moment?
Alex: There are many exciting moments in the competition, but the moment I was announced the winner of the 3rd prize is the most breathtaking moment.
Trung: I was very proud of the moment when I answered the MC that I come from Vietnam.
How did it feel to represent Vietnam and win prizes from the competition?
Alex: When I heard the judges announce the result & the MC congratulate me on the 3rd prize, I felt very proud to be the representative of Vietnam and win a high prize in the competition.
Trung: I felt regretful for only winning the "Best Taste" award. It would have been greater if the judges could try all the drinks that I had prepared.
Which innovative drink(s) helped you win the awards? Can you tell us the process of creating and demonstrating them?
Alex: I prepared 4 recipes for the competition, because it is a contest that requires lots of creativity from the contestants. For “Summer Berry Coco Coffee,” I used Rich's Non-dairy Creamer, Rich's Whip Topping Base, Rich's White Chocolate Compound, tropical berries, coconut milk and Vietnamese coffee.
The second recipe was “The Soul Perfume,” which also contained Rich’s Non-dairy Creamer. Besides, it also has ginseng, Korean chili powder, orange liqueur, bergamot perfume and Ethiopian coffee. The third recipe was Tasty Kiss for which I used blueberries, orange, tea, coffee, cranberry juice and Ethiopian coffee. The final drink was a very creative Vietnamese-style beverage that I named Bun Bo Coffee. This recipe contained Rich’s Non-dairy creamer, herbs, green pepper, lemongrass, lemon, tonic water and Kenyan coffee.
Trung: The drink that helped me win the "Best Taste" award was Arabica Perfume. There are two types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta coffee is very popular in Vietnam with a bitter taste and chocolate flavor. Meanwhile, Arabica has a lighter aroma, like wine. As a beverage innovator, I wanted to create a balanced and complex formula that nobody had ever done before.
What are your plans for the future after this competition?
Trung: After the contest, I will return to work. Specifically, I will go to Dalat to design and operate a bar there for several months, then back to Saigon to continue my job as a bartender.
Alex: I will continue to explore, learn new knowledge and create beverages as a Rich's technical sales representative. My goal is to help lift the foodservice industry to a new level. I hope in the near future, I can share many experience and values with the young generation and constantly create new applications for my customers.
If you can share a message with young people who are passionate about the beverage industry, what will you say?
Trung: Constantly learn, listen, experience and choose the right working environment where you can do many different things to help yourself accumulate experience and grow faster.
Alex: Never consider yourself the best and always try harder. Find a way to overcome your limits. Never be satisfied with yourself.
Thank you for your sincere sharing and making Vietnam proud. Good luck on the path that you have chosen. We hope to see you two in other contests both in Vietnam and abroad.
For more information, please contact: ChamSocKhachHang@rich.com
