Pokhara Flair Master Championship
A national level bartending competition organized by Kantipur Hotel Training Center
A national level bartending competition organized by Kantipur Hotel Training Center
The national-level 'Pokhara Flair Master Championship' was successfully conducted on Chaitra 17 at the Taj Mahal Event Center in Parsyang, Pokhara, under the organization of Kantipur Hotel Training Center, an institution that had been providing skill-based hotel management training for over two decades.
The competition brought together 37 professional bartenders from major cities including Kathmandu, Butwal, Chitwan, Itahari, and Pokhara, who showcased their expertise in two distinct categories: mixology, which focused on the scientific precision of drink-making, and flair, which highlighted the artistic spectacle of bottle-turning and showmanship.
A distinguished jury, featuring 25-year veteran Yubaraj Pun, Aila expert Suraj Maharjan, Bishnu Saru from Step Up Hospitality, and Shailendra Shahi from CTEVT Pokhara, evaluated the performances and awarded the first placer with Rs. 40,000, the second with Rs. 25,000, the third with Rs. 15,000, and the fourth with Rs. 7,000, while the best cocktail maker and best bottle-flaring artist each received an additional Rs. 5,000.
At a press conference held prior to the event, Chairman Bijay Poudel emphasized that this championship would serve as a milestone in recognizing skilled manpower's vital role in the tourism industry, stating the organization's mission to connect the unemployed with employment and employment with income, while also revealing that over 28,000 trained individuals had already been contributing to the nation's economic growth.
Department head Nischal Devkota elaborated on the global significance of bartending, noting that it was not merely about serving drinks but a unique fusion of art and science, and highlighted the growing trend in international hotels to extend tourist stays through captivating showmanship paired with exquisite cocktails and mocktails, with skilled professionals earning between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 400,000 monthly in five-star establishments both domestically and abroad.
The competition's education partner was Kantipur Tourism and Hotel Management College, the training center's sister institution, which had been operating a 2-year hotel management program and a 6-month culinary arts course accredited by the Australian government, alongside the center's own 3 and 6-month training courses affiliated with the Government of Nepal and CTEVT since its establishment in Pokhara in 2060.
The event was proudly celebrated as a landmark achievement by the sister organization, with the Top 11 finalists redefining flair, creativity, and skill, inspiring countless Nepali youth to pursue international-level careers in hospitality and ultimately reinforcing the center's enduring commitment to elevating Nepal's tourism and hospitality sector through skill-based platforms, as they continued to shake, stir, and serve excellence in the industry.
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