GKCBC 2009: Introducing the Judges (to be continued…)

Visit www.gkcbc.com for the official GKCBC website and additional information

So here we are, just two weeks away from the 3rd Annual Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition…

The recipes have been submitted, finalists have been announced, and now we just have to wait to see who will be deemed the champion… But who will be responsible for determining the fate of these 11 daring mixologists?

Let’s get things started in this first installment, by introducing the first three of our five judges: Katie Van Luchene, Jenny Vergara, and Ryan Maybee…

Katie Van Luchene

Photo by Gary Rohman

A Kansas City native, and passionate one at that… Katie is an award winning author, executive editor of KC Magazine, and no doubt one of this city’s most beloved and respected evangelists.

From her bio on the GKCBC website,

Katie Van Luchene says one of her first sensory memories involves spirits. ‘I remember the sound of adult laughter around my Aunt Dorothy’s downstairs bar, Christmas tunes on the stereo, the aroma of turkey and rolls, the taste of a whiskey macerated cherry from my dad’s Manhattan and the pale green color of Mom’s Grasshopper. I’ll always equate a good cocktail with those times.’

Now, as executive editor of KC Magazine, Katie imbibes in well-crafted drinks at local establishments and calls it her journalistic duty. The magazine features articles on wine and spirits written by guest columnists, including Ryan Maybee, and one of its most hotly contested ‘Annual City’s Best’ awards is for top bartender.

Aside from her regular duties at KC Magazine, Katie has also found the time to put together the Insiders’ Guide to Kansas City (now in its fourth edition!) This irreplaceable guide details many hard to find locales as well as makes readers aware of some lesser-known gems within the city. It was named “Winner of the Mark Twain Award for ‘Best Guidebook of the Year’” from the Midwest Travel Writers Association, and has been of great help to yours truly in hunting down some priceless experiences and tasty libations!

Needless to say, Katie has had her fair share of cocktails from a number of different bartenders and establishments around the KC area… She’ll make for quite a skillful judge!

Jenny Vergara

Jenny Vergara - The Making of a Foodie

Jenny Vergara’s got one heckuva set of tastebuds… not to mention she also happens to write for Tastebud Magazine! Columnist for their popular “Table Hopping” piece, as well as successful food blogger as “The Making of a Foodie”, Jenny has definitely established her presence in the culinary world.

However, if that weren’t enough… “she is the force and Founder behind the Test Kitchen, Kansas City’s Underground Supperclub. Test Kitchen is a secret dining society where local chefs and members come together for one-night only culinary events.” Underground Supperclub?!? Secret Dining Society?!?!? How fantastic is that?!

Test Kitchen events are once in a lifetime experience. No really… they’re never the same twice. Typically not for the faint-of-foodie-heart either. Summarized from the Test Kitchen website,

The Test Kitchen is a playground for up and coming Chefs to demonstrate their mad skills … a place for seasoned Chefs to test new menu items or push new culinary boundaries and show-off new techniques … will exist as long as there are curious Chefs who want to experiment with new methods, equipment, ingredients, cuisines and dishes … is not recommended for picky eaters, people with eating disorders, people with serious food allergies or anyone claiming to be vegetarian when they really are only picky eaters in disguise.

Jenny has had the opportunity to dine with some phenomenal chefs, in some very extraordinary settings, with some even stranger pairings, and still lives (and loves) to write about it. A well-defined palate with a penchant for the extraordinary to say the least!

Ryan Maybee

B.A.R. Certified 'Bar Ready' Mixologist - Ryan Maybee

Of course we can’t leave out Mr. Ryan Maybee. Ryan is one of the founders of the Greater Kansas City Bartending Competition, a die-hard local, and one hell of a bartender himself.

Ryan’s accomplishments include being one of the first graduates of the “BAR Ready” level of B.A.R. (Beverage Alcohol Resource – Think “Wine Sommelier” but for Mixology), and currently working towards his Masters of Mixology. This course is extremely intensive, and not only tests your knowledge of classic and modern cocktails, but your knowledge of spirits, the trade itself, history, as well as your efficiency, and hospitality as a bartender. Because what good are you if you can’t keep a guest happy.

He is also a Certified Specialist of Wine and owner/proprietor of Kansas City’s “Manifesto”, a speakeasy styled club serving Gourmet Cocktails. He is also a founder of the recently formed Kansas City Bartenders’ Alliance, a small group of passionate, quality-focused, career-driven bartenders that have teamed up to promote the use of quality ingredients and spirits, as well as proper techniques and furthering education. The KCBA holds monthly meetings at various local bars featuring spirits tastings, guest speakers, and cocktail demonstrations, as well as provides bartenders a forum to interact with distributors, industry professionals, and one another.

Alongside all that… he owns and operates RoundTable KC… a consulting firm specializing in wine, spirits, restaurant and bar operation, staff training, and product development. It’s one heck of an amazing feat he’s able to find the time to put this competition together! Ryan’s professionalism, and level experience will definitely make him a very adept judge.

But that’s not all! Stay tuned… as coming up we’ll be featuring Mr. Doug Frost, our emcee, and our guest judge, Mr. David Wondrich, as well as video interviews with Dave Wondrich, Hendrick’s Brand Ambassador Jim Ryan, and our grand prize winner Arturo A. Vera-Felicie.