Battle of the Bartenders Is Back! Here’s Your Round One Recap.
And just like that, The Belize Collection’s third annual Battle of the Bartenders is officially underway. It kicked off on May 13th—World Cocktail Day—but if you missed the first round, fret not. You can still catch the thrilling conclusion to everyone’s favorite cocktail-making competition on July 19th at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef’s Mini Lobster Fest. It’s anyone’s guess who will be crowned 2025’s Bartender of the Year, but until then, here’s a quick recap of the competition so far.
Battle of the Bartenders: Round One Recap
The Belize Collection’s master mixologists were at it again this year at the third annual Battle of the Bartenders competition. Each year, cocktail masters from our major properties go head to head in an attempt to vie for the coveted Bartender of the Year title. The first round sees bartenders at each of our major resorts compete against each other for a chance at representing their respective property in the final round. This year, over in the rainforest, bartenders from The Banks and The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant competed to see who would go on to jointly represent the jungle properties.
The competition was fierce and featured three mini rounds. First, the Mystery Box round challenged each competitor to incorporate a secret seasonal fruit into their recipe. Cashew was the star of the show at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, while the jungle properties were presented with mamey, and Umaya Resort with starfruit. Equipped with a stocked pantry bar, each bartender had 15 minutes to prepare their mystery fruit in their own unique way and then present their cocktail to a panel of three judges.
Next, the Speed Round had our competitors craft four classic cocktails (one built, one shaken, one stirred, and one blended) in under 8 minutes. Finally, the Signature Cocktail round allowed them to put their creative flair on display. They were each allowed to introduce one signature ingredient in their drinks and were graded on appearance, creativity, and taste.
At the end of it all, three competitors prevailed: Nino L. Moreno from The Banks, Jaguar Reef’s Jerry Yaxcal, and Umaya’s Rodney Lamb, with each of them receiving a resort stay as their prize. And in just a few weeks, the three of them will face each other for a shot at some amazing prizes, the Bartender of the Year title, and plenty of bragging rights.
Join Us for The Final Round at Our Mini Lobster Fest and Artisan Market
Want to find out who will claim the title of champion this year? Join us at the Lodge at Jaguar Reef in Hopkins on July 19th to witness the Battle of the Bartenders’ grand finale first hand. We’ll be ushering in the start of Belize’s lobster season in style at our annual Mini Lobster Fest and Artisan Market—complete with food, games, and surprises.
Get the chance to watch our top three bartenders race against the clock (and each other) while showing off their mixology skills. It’s sure to be an event to remember!
And while you await the day of the competition, try crafting a Belize Collection cocktail at home with these winning recipes from the Signature Cocktail round:
Silk Market Sunset by Nino L. Moreno
The Banks
- 2 oz. Tanqueray Gin
- 1.5 oz. Spiced Purple Cabbage Juice
- 0.75 oz. Lemongrass Syrup
- 0.5 oz. Lime Juice (poured on top)
Mom’s Garden Spark by Jerry Yaxcal
The Lodge at Jaguar Reef
- ¾ oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 1.5 oz. white rum
- 1.5 oz. secret syrup (watermelon reduction infused with rosemary and ginger)
High and Wild by Rodney Lamb
Umaya Resort
- 1.5 oz. Lime
- 1 oz. Simple Syrup
- 2 oz. Coconut Rum
- A mix of juice made from pineapple skin, jalapeño, cinnamon sticks, and sorrel.