There’s a new cocktail competition on the scene! Food24’s very own resident cocktail and spirits writer, Leah van Deventer, is competing – and you’re all invited to cheer her on.

If you’re a serious cocktail enthusiast (like me), you’ll know that there’s no shortage of awesome cocktail competitions out there. They’re usually organised by large liquor brands, and the various heats are designed to showcase the product (or product range) and test both the competitor’s brand knowledge and bar skills. For example, you have the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge, World Class and The Forager, sponsored by Angostura, Diageo and The Botanist, respectively.

While these platforms provide amazing opportunities for established bartenders to compete internationally – and perhaps win some prize money or a coveted brand ambassador position – newbies don’t usually make it past the first round, if they qualify to compete at all.

Enter the Protégé, South Africa’s first cocktail competition organised completely by bartenders, specifically for up-and-coming talent. Here, young drink slingers are invited to pair up with heavyweights, and – under their mentorship – compete with other rookies.

Each week, a master holds a masterclass for the protégés, after which the protégés compete against each other on what they’ve learnt. Ultimately, one protégé wins the competition, but everyone walks away with new skills and new friends – both other young bartenders and established professionals they can turn to for on-going guidance and support.