The Belgian Ran Van Ongevalle wins the 2017 Bacardi Legacy
Organised this year in Berlin, the 2017 Bacardi Legacy Global Competition has ended on a positive note for Belgium. For the very first time, a Belgian barman took first price during the international contest devoted to cocktails.
Ran Van Ongevalle is the first Belgian barman to win the Bacardi Legacy Global Competition. More than 10,000 barmaids and barmen from around the world tried their luck. A total of 38 of them were chosen to take part in the final in Berlin. During this contest, each candidate was asked to seduce the international jury with an original rum-based cocktail. It was his "Clarita" cocktail, prepared with Bacardi Gran Reserva 8 Anos, Xérès Amontillado, Crème de Cacao and Absinthe, that distinguished Ran Van Ongevalle.
From Knokke-Heist, Ran Van Ongevalle runs the famous bar, The Pharmacy, there, along with his sister Hannah and his father Jan. One of the most fashionable bars in the country is hidden behind an antique shop facade. After crossing the threshold of this large building, the filtered lighting, woodwork, antique furniture, old sofas and knick-knacks guarantee a journey back in time. Here, success is a family matter. In summer 2014, Hannah Van Ongevalle was elected the best barmaid in Belgium in the World Class Competition organised by the British spirits giant, Diageo.