What to expect from this year's edition

temitope a

September 28, 2016 3:48 PM

The Lagos Cocktail week will hold from November 10-15, 2016 and the press conference for the event held today, September 28, 2016.

L-R: Mr. Adeniyi Ladipo, sales and marketing manager of Wheatbaker Hotel, Lara Rawa, CEO Eventi Cocktails, Enitan Allison, intoxicologist

The Lagos Cocktail Week started in 2014, and another edition is here.

The Lagos Cocktail Week is designed to show the best of Lagos cocktail culture through events, seminars and training sessions.

The event is organised in close relation to cocktail weeks held in major cities around the world.

The Press Conference held at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi on September 28, 2016.

For an event that was scheduled for 10am, it didn't begin until 11.20am because the expected guests did not arrive on time.

The essence of the Lagos Cocktail Week is to bring together a community of cocktail makers and their consumers closer to one another.

The aim of the 2016 edition is to look for ways to make the cocktail business a viable SME venture as well as to make it a major part of the Nigerian beverage industry.

On the high table were Mr. Adeniyi Ladipo, the sales and marketing manager of Wheatbaker Hotel, Lagos. Lara Rawa, the CEO of Eventi Cocktails and the initiator of The Lagos Cocktail Week and Enitan Allison, an award winning intoxicologist.

Speaking of the event, Rawa said, "Our aspiration at Lagos Cocktail is for cocktails and the cocktail industry at large to be recognised as an integral aspect of the Nigerian beverage industry."

Ladipo said that he is very proud that his establishment is associating with the event as major sponsor. According to him, "I have no idea how to make drinks, but if it tastes good, I will drink it". He also added that Wheatbaker wishes to partner with Lagos Cocktail Week for subsequent events.

The hotel itself has two bars and two restaurants, one of which was used as the venue for the Lagos Cocktail Week Conference.

The Wheatbaker will be serving as the official hub of The Lagos Cocktail Week; the masterclasses and the grand finale will be held there.

Enitan Allison, an intoxicologist who would be hosting a master class as part of the events lined up for the Lagos Cocktail Week said that she was loved the concept of The Lagos Cocktail Week and that she was looking forward to the competitions.

Speaking of the competitions, she said, "what we're looking out for would be creativity, originality, speed flavour profiling, sanitation, hygiene, presentation, aroma." She continued by saying,"Tourism and hospitality cannot be separated from bartending, if we are really going to be world class, we must look for ways to harness those things. Bartending is an integral part of tourism and hospitality."

Interested persons can purchase a wristband from the organisers of The Lagos Cocktail Week and it would earn them discounts at the bars partnering with the events.

Responding to a question asked by Pulse.ng's journalist, Lara Rawa assured everyone that there would be nonalcoholic drinks for teetotallers too. According to her, for every cocktail, there would be a corresponding mocktail.

Thus, whether you imbibe in alcohol or not, you can enjoy the activities lined up for the Lagos Cocktail Week.

temitope a