Monin Cup 2024 Contest Rules

General Information

1. Theme

 MONIN Cup 2024 – Low is More

Welcome to MONIN Cup, an exhilarating bartending competition designed to push the boundaries of your mixology skills to new heights.​

In a world that's embracing the No/Low ABV trend, we invite you, young and talented bartenders, to craft alternative, innovative, and unforgettable drinks.​

​As competitors, we challenge you to elevate your cocktail creations beyond mere taste and into the realm of storytelling. Creativity will be the pillar of our judging, encouraging you to think outside the glass and embrace the unconventional.

2. Calendar & deadlines

Candidates

Competitor selection process

For each competitor to take part in the competition, all the following criteria must be met :

• Competitors should be either professional bartenders or students from bar schools.
• The age limit to participate in the MONIN CUP final is 27 years old (All candidates will be born in 1997 or after).
• On the day of the competition, all competitors will have to bring their own tools and glasses and follow the exact recipe they submitted. Changes to the recipe could result in points being deducted or disqualification from the competition.
• All competitors attending the final in France must be able to speak and present their drinks in English.

Competitor Code of Conduct

The organizing committee requires that all competitors will be honest in their behaviour and will respect the rights, opinions, and culture of fellow competitors and all others involved in the competition.

Each competitor is required to use the exact drink recipe they submitted before the entry deadline and not to make any change or alteration, as this will result in points being deducted.

The International Final

1. General Guidelines

By entering this competition, each competitor is agreeing to give MONIN the full right to use all cocktail and drink recipes created and presented during all stages of the competition for use in any and all publication.

A competitor is an ambassador not only for the bar/school they are representing, but also for the bartender craft. A competitor's interaction with the public, as well as other professionals, reflects greatly on the global bartender community. Please respect this responsibility.

All competitors are expected to be committed in pursuing drink excellence and are encouraged to share information and knowledge among each other to improve the bartender craft.

MONIN wishes to take, reproduce, and use photos or videos of the event for promotional purposes in link with the event. As part of the competitor's participation in this event, MONIN asks that they read and certify the model release agreement provided and send it back fully signed and completed before competition starts.

2. Competition Format and Timings

Competitors will have 10 minutes in the pre-stage area to prepare their garnishes, finalize their ingredients, and ensure that all aspects of their drink are ready for presentation (garnishes can be prepared beforehand).

Once the competition begins, competitors will have 3 minutes to set up their station.

After the countdown, they will have 10 minutes to prepare and present their cocktail, explaining its inspiration and connection to the competition's theme. Four identical servings of the cocktail will be prepared, three of which will be served to the judges and one for photography or display purposes.

Finally, competitors will have 2 minutes to clean up their station and return all equipment and ingredients to their original places.

The order in which competitors will present their drinks will be announced on the day of the competition. 

3. Judges

Selecting Judges

The organizing committee, (i.e., MONIN) shall recruit several judges for each category requiring a judgment.

Judges can include MONIN staff or representatives, an industry professional from the bar scene, chefs, industry influencer, F&B managers, etc...

The team of judges will analyse all aspects of the competitor performance: efficiency and skills of the competitor, appearance, aroma, taste, link with the theme of the competition, and the storytelling / English oral presentation.

Judges code of conduct

All selected judges must:

• Be committed to cocktail excellence and promotion of the bartender profession. Judge each drink on its own merit and not against other drinks.
• Refuse judging in case of a conflict of interest. If a judge is deemed as biased in any way towards a competitor or perceived by others to have a conflict of interest with one or several of the competitors, then the judge may be disqualified from judging.
• Behave ethically, honestly and with integrity. Respect fellow judges, competitors, volunteers, and staff at all times.
• Appreciate and be sensitive to culturally different opinions and customs.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality. Do not misuse privileged information in areas sensitive to fellow judges, competitors, volunteers, or staff that might cause harm or embarrassment.
• Abstain from talking to each other unless all the judges have finished filling in the scoring sheet.

4. Rules & Regulations

General Considerations

When the recipe is submitted, the organizing committee will tell which ingredients can be made available and which ones must be brought by the competitor. Some ingredients may not be available at the competition location, so make sure it is taken into consideration.

Competitors will need to bring all their own glassware or serving vessels that they need, making sure there is enough for the 4 drinks to be prepared. There will be a range of glassware available for the final 'market shopping' round.

Participants are advised to bring their own equipment to prepare their drink and garnish (Jigger, shaker, etc). It is the competitor's responsibility to make sure their equipment and mise-en-place is complete within the 3-minute preparation time. Garnishes will be prepared separately.

Recipe and ingredient requirements

To create the final drink, competitors must include at least 10ml of any MONIN product, such as Le Sirop de MONIN, Le Concentré de MONIN, Pure by MONIN, Le Fruit de MONIN, or La Liqueur de MONIN. Multiple MONIN products are acceptable.

Competitors are free to incorporate any edible ingredients from brands not competing with MONIN (syrups, purees, or liqueurs) into their recipes. The number and quantity of ingredients used are unrestricted, as long as they are safe for consumption.

Only one homemade ingredient is permitted per competitor, but it must satisfy the following criteria:

• It can be an infusion, bitter, juice etc...
• Homemade syrups, cordials, or similar products must be based on MONIN products. For instance, "Pineapple and curry syrup" should be a blend of MONIN Pineapple syrup and curry powder.
• If using a homemade syrup, cordial, or comparable product, an unadulterated MONIN product must also be included in the recipe.
• Homemade syrups are forbidden if an identical flavour exists in the MONIN range.
• All homemade components must be thoroughly explained, including the recipe, and submitted on the registration form before the application deadline.

Garnishes can be edible or not, if they are consistent with the drink or the theme of the competition.

This year's theme emphasizes the growing popularity of No/Low ABV cocktails, so we're introducing a new requirement for the final drink's alcohol content: the beverage must have a maximum ABV of 8% before dilution.

 Any drink submitted with an ABV exceeding 8% before dilution will be disqualified from the final competition.

Judging Criteria

Judging will consider:

• The candidate's presentation: Personal presentation and ability to communicate in English.
• Cleanliness: Having an organised, clean, and efficient way of working, maintaining a clean work area, avoiding spillages.
• Technical skills: The competitor's skill and proper use of bartending techniques.
• Drink evaluation: The appearance and presentation, the aroma, taste, balance, originality, and how it links to the theme of the competition.

Penalties shall apply for exceeding the time limit.

5. Competitors

Competitors should be in the preparation room 30 minutes prior to his/her scheduled time slot. Any competitor who is not on stage at the start of their 3 minutes preparation time may be disqualified.

The organizing committee reserves the right to reject any participant, recipe or recipe name if considered unacceptable or in breach of the rules.

6. Results gathering & annoucements

Once all competitors have presented their drinks, the scoring committee will compile all the scores and determine the ranking of all the competitors. The committee will double-check all the results to avoid any mistakes.

National / Regional Competition

Competitors competing for the International Final will be chosen through smaller Monin Cup events held nationally or regionally. These events share the same theme and rules as the big final.

The winner of each country or region earns the chance to represent his homeland at the final event in France by showcasing the same cocktail they presented at their local Monin Cup. It' s crucial to stick to the theme throughout the competition stages to ensure consistency and a fair playfield.

Consistency in theme interpretation guarantees a smooth transition from local to global stages, allowing participants to showcase their cocktail expertise on an international scale.

If this is not respected, we will not be able to welcome a competitor whose recipe is not aligned with these rules & regulations.

Marketing and MONIN Branding

One of the key success factors for a MONIN Cup is to make the whole MONIN range visible (syrups, liqueurs, sauces, and Le Fruit). The MONIN Cup must be held in a MONIN environment.

Printing of the tools is recommended on laid paper, but it can also be printed on standard paper. You will find on www.moninside.com/BMS files for both uses. You will find in appendix of this document some artworks of material we would recommend you to use:

• Invitations :

Invitations must be sent to potential candidates, jury members; press etc.

Invitations to the specialized and the local press is a key point to promote the event, the brand and competitors who will attend the cup.

• Booklet with all participants and details of recipes

This booklet will be handed to any audience attending the competition.

• MONIN Brochures :

Brochures are necessary at the MONIN information desk in the main room, to communicate on the brand to all visitors, sponsors, press, etc.

Brochures include MONIN Corporate brochure and MONIN All-ln-One. These brochures are available on www.moninside.com/BMS

• Press release :

To be sent to the press, bar schools, bars (...) before and after the event.

• Posters :

Posters are necessary to make the brand visible in the show room, and to show examples of possible applications.

• Adverts :

The organizing committee should promote the event in the local press.