Marketing Promotion
Mixology Showdown: Take One
As bar manager and mixologist at Room at Twelve Centennial Park in Atlanta, Steven Kowalczuk knows a thing or two about hosting mixology classes and competitions.
His extremely successful Mixology 101, 201 and 301 programs have educated consumers by
enticing them to come in for an evening and get behind the stick. And on Nov. 1, he prepared
the ultimate challenge: The Mixology Showdown.
“Grand Marnier approached me about doing an event with local mixologists,” Kowalczuk
says. “The Grand Marnier Mixology Showdown was the first official event of a new
organization for mixologists called the Georgia Round Table of Mixology. I am one of the co-
founders of the GRT alongside Darrell Autrey. When Grand Marnier called, we decided to make
this the first official GRT event. Every attending mixologist received a lifetime membership to
the GRT, and we hope that Grand Marnier decides to make this a national yearly event.”
Kowalczuk used Facebook, Twitter and e-mails to invite consumers and past students from
his Art of Mixology classes to attend
the showdown portion of the event.
Some past students competed in the
event, with a few even making it on to
the second round. Other competitors
were invited to compete based on
attendance at previous mixology
events, Kowalczuk explains.
The idea was to make it a special
daylong Grand Marnier workshop
and competition. “The first portion of
our day was Chef Terry [Koval] and
I making the mixologists delicious
culinary dishes with Grand Marnier,”
he says. “Between each of the four
courses, the mixologists prepared
some of our favorite inspiring cocktails
made with Grand Marnier and Navan.”
At 3 p.m., the showdown began
with three rounds and 15 eliminations,
leaving one mixologist left standing.
Judges for the event were Kowalczuk,
Autry, who is a mixologist at Atlanta’s
One Midtown Kitchen, and Holly
Beach, Grand Marnier Regional
Executive. Secret ingredients and chances to block the other mixologists by employing unique
ingredients kept it challenging and entertaining.
“This space [at the hotel] worked extremely well. We had one huge classroom with two
6-foot cooking tables surrounded by a half square of tables with 22 bar stations. We also had
the lounge, which is one half of a whole hotel floor, complete with sofas. And, we had another
room overlooking the pool on the seventh floor, which was our meet and greet room and
beverage table for mixologists.”
There was no cost to attendees, which proved enticing to consumers, who had a chance
to taste Grand Marnier cocktails, Room’s food and meet and cheer on local mixologists. The
winner, Garland Raiford of Varasano’s Pizzeria, was rewarded with a handcrafted trophy, the
title and a chance to defend it next year. Although Raiford had to make three cocktails to claim
the grand prize, the one that stood out most to Kowalczuk involved Grand Marnier, muddled
strawberry, red Fresno peppers, an egg white and other “secret ingredients.”
4 Nightclub & Bar Magazine | DECEMBER 2009
Kicking Up a
Kickoff
Giving new meaning and depth to the term “kickoff,” the group at Lagasse’s
Stadium held a stellar event in honor of the
Las Vegas sports bar’s grand opening on
Sept. 25.
“Since Lagasse’s Stadium is a sports
bar and sportsbook,
hosting a book
signing event with LA
Lakers NBA all-star
Derek Fisher just
made sense. It was
a unique and fun
way to kick off the
grand opening
weekend,” says
Marc Zakin,
general manager.
The venue,
which offers
stadium
seating, sports
betting options and food by
Chef Emeril Lagasse, was full of media and
excited sports fans for the grand opening
event. Guests could enjoy drinks at the bar
before and after getting Fisher’s signature
on copies of his book, Character Driven:
Life, Lessons, and Basketball, which were
purchased outside the venue for $24.99;
to enter, guests had to purchase a copy.
Inside, the book-signing table was set up
close to the front entrance so fans could
easily access Fisher.
One-hundred-fifty people attended the
event, and it was marketed via a few radio
promotions, on-property signage, the
outdoor marquee and rack cards, as well
as postings on social media sites such as
Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.
“We easily could have doubled the
amount of invites had we had more time
to promote,” says Zakin, who intends to
host more book signings with athletes in
the future.
