Hennessy Indonesia is proud to announce that Rizky Ramdhani Razak of Hermosa Dining & Lounge has been named Global Top Three and winner of the Most Sustainable Award at the 2023 Hennessy MyWay cocktail competition. Hennessy MyWay is a global competition for bartenders to showcase their creativity and flair while celebrating their personal stories and unique perspectives. The competition is now in its fourth season, and it is open to bartenders worldwide. To join the competition, bartenders need to craft an eco-friendly cocktail, showcasing it with a distinctive service ritual and their personal touch through a video submission. The cocktails must feature Hennessy Cognac and be prepared sustainably, utilizing locally sourced ingredients while minimizing waste.
The Hennessy MyWay competition consists of two stages. In the initial phase, a panel of experts evaluate all submissions to select the Top 50 contestants. In the second phase, these top bartenders craft a new cocktail, vying for a spot in the Top 10 Live Round in Cognac, France. Once the top ten cocktail masters are selected, they will engage in a live finale, presenting their distinct cocktails to a panel of judges and a live audience. To commemorate Rizky’s excellent performance at the Hennessy MyWay finals, Hennessy Indonesia has organized a gathering at Hermosa Dining & Lounge, Rizky’s stomping ground, inviting fellow bartenders, media friends, and cocktail enthusiasts. Nestled in the vibrant nightlife hub of North Jakarta, Golf Island Pantai Indah Kapuk, Hermosa serves as a dining and entertainment hotspot. With daily live music performances and lively beats from the resident DJ, the venue is an entertainment hub with a delightful and vibrant atmosphere.
Hennessy MyWay offers an enticing prize package featuring a trip to Cognac, France, for an exclusive visit to Maison Hennessy and a personal meeting with Hennessy’s Master Blender. The champion will also enjoy a year’s supply of Hennessy cognac and more exciting prizes. A remarkable accomplishment, Rizky made it to the Global Top Three while showcasing his exceptional skills and creativity on finals and his commitment to sustainability. This dedication earned him the Most Sustainable Award for Indonesia. Rizky’s journey at Hennessy MyWay stands as a testament to his passion for the craft, cultural finesse, and a conscious approach that sets a new standard in the world of bartending.
Rizky’s Journey
Rizky Ramdhani Razak graduated from Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Bandung in 2016 with a major in Food and Beverage Management. His journey into bartending began while he was in college in 2013, and he earned his first bartending job in Bali in 2016.
For Hennessy MyWay 2023, Rizky showcased his Otan & Hennessy cocktail during the first round, drawing inspiration from Hennessy’s movements in 1875. The cocktail’s theme conveyed the importance of protecting the Kalimantan rainforest and raising awareness for its rehabilitation as a natural orangutan habitat. Hermosa Dining & Lounge supported Rizky’s quest for the orangutans in Kalimantan by donating 50,000 Rupiah for every sale of the cocktail. The captivating cocktail won the judges’ hearts, propelling Rizky to the Global Top Ten and onto the Live Finals in Cognac. Along with Rizky’s surprising achievement, the sales of Otan & Hennessy surpassed over a hundred glasses, contributing to the planting of over a hundred trees in Kalimantan.
In the MyWay Finals in Cognac, Rizky crafted the Samboja Cocktail, symbolizing critical aspects of the Hennessy MyWay competition: creativity, locally sourced ingredients, and sustainability. The concoction utilized leftover house white wine, pineapple skin and pulp, lime peel, and leftover avocado pit. Every component in the cocktail was locally sourced, aligning with Hennessy’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
“The Samboja Cocktail is the continuation of the Otan & Hennessy cocktail journey. Samboja is one of the regions in East Kalimantan and the location of Borneo’s orangutan conservation. Each sale of Otan & Hennessy cocktails resulted in a donation of 50,000 Rupiah to the BOS Foundation. This contribution serves to aid the Indonesian Government’s efforts, in this case, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, in preserving forests and saving orangutans,” Rizky shared.
The presentation of the “Samboja Cocktail” was extraordinary. Rizky employed a three-liter Hennessy Magnum Bottle in a terrarium artwork to resemble a miniature jungle, symbolizing Borneo’s jungle’s beauty and verdant greenery.
He hopes that the message communicated by his cocktail will prompt people to be more conscious of the importance of protecting the Kalimantan rainforest. Emphasizing that the island’s tropical forests are crucial to the world’s oxygen production and habitat for indigenous flora and fauna, he stresses the importance of this awareness during his presentation. Due to its profound message, Rizky garnered the Most Sustainable Award at the 2023 Hennessy MyWay finals.
Hennessy MyWay transcends being merely a cocktail contest; it is a vibrant celebration of creativity, individuality, and sustainability. Beyond the competition, Hennessy MyWay is a global movement urging individuals to embrace life fully and express their true selves. The event itself encourages bartenders to be more creative and confident. It is a homage to the diverse human experiences and how people authentically express themselves,” explained Matthew Heng, Moët Hennessy Indonesia Chief Representative.
