The National Restaurant Association named Chad Brown of Sacramento’s B-Side as the 2017 Star of the Bar.
The national mixology competition is hosted by the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and Beverage Alcohol for Restaurants.
In addition to bragging rights, the 2017 NRA Convention Chair Atour Eyvazian presented Brown with a $5,000 prize for his creation.
The competition was held live at the main stage in McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center, and was emceed by Billy Dec, CEO/Founder of Rockit Ranch Productions. The Star of the Bar finals featured an all-star panel of judges, including “World Class Bartender of the Year” Charles Joly; award-winning author and President & Master Mixologist of Creative Cocktail Consultants Brian Van Flandern; and Tony Abou-Ganim, a three-time winning contestant on “Iron Chef America,” and author of the Modern Mixologist.
Brown won with the Bitter Sweet cocktail, made with Armagnac, Kronan Swedish Punsch, Aperol, Cocchi Americano, and a dash of Peychaud’s Bitters. As an added flavor element, Brown served the drink with two bites – a candied orange peel and piece of dark chocolate.
Presented by the National Restaurant Association and United States Bartenders’ Guild, Star of the Bar tasked competitors in five culinary cities — Boston, Chicago, Miami, Austin, and San Francisco — with creating an innovative cocktail for local judges. The five finalists were flown to Chicago to face-off on stage at the Beverage Alcohol for Restaurants event at NRA Show.
