Yosma, the Turkish Meyhane on Baker Street, is to host London’s first Raki cocktail contest on 26 September, Raki & Roll, which will see a line up of the City’s best bartenders compete to take home the title of Raki champion.
Each creating a Raki infused cocktail, their spin on the staple Turkish spirit will be judged by a panel of formidable experts including award-winning mixologist and Founder of Scout, Matt Whiley, Galip Yorgancioglu CEO of Yeni Raki and Yosma’s very own Hus Vedat and Levent Buyukugur.
Held in Yosma’s bar, spectators will be able to sample all of the bartender’s shaking and stirrings in the form of six Raki cocktails, alongside an array of mezze plates courtesy of Yosma’s Executive Head Chef Hus Vedat.
Throwing down the gauntlet on the night will be; Jon Rivera, Bar Manager at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, Mr Fogg’s Daniele Rubegni, Radoslaw Rózycki of The Cocktail Trading Company, Pierre-Marie Bisson of Milk & Honey, Blanchette’s Marc Boltman, and Federico Pes of Brasserie Zedel.
As well as bragging rights, the winning bartender will take home a prize of £2000 and a trip to Istanbul, courtesy of Yeni Raki, purveyors of the world’s finest Raki, and the victorious cocktail will also be featured on the Yosma menu for one year, alongside Yosma’s haul of signature Raki drinks.
Vedat said, ‘Back in Istanbul, a glass of Raki is how I start any good dinner with friends, but it isn’t as well recognised in London as it deserves to be. We want to get people tasting and talking about Raki, and having so many creative talents put their stamp on the spirit is the perfect way to put it on the map – we can’t wait to see what the guys are going to come up with.’