During college, one of the courses I’m considering at that time was HRM (Hotel and Restaurant Management) because I wanna become the chef of my own restaurant. I also dreamt of becoming a barista, bartender, and a flairtender.
But I think it’s not really meant for me. It’s for my brother’s. Yes, he’s the one taking it right now. So when I got an invite for the GSM Blue Flair Idol Finals, I shared this to him as this was a free event at SM Mall of Asia.
With the wits, drink mixing skills, flips, and tricks of the 15 promising young finalists from different universities…
I know my brother learned a lot from them.
Now, back to the show… and the winners are…
Flairtending -- performance art that features flamboyant bartenders who flip, throw, and juggle liquor bottles in the air, and oftentimes even dance to pulsating beats and perform close-up magic tricks.
On a mission to find the most exciting flairtenders in the country, leading liquor brand GSM Blue launched the annual Flair Idol competition in 2007. This year’s grand finals at the San Miguel by the Bay in SM Mall of Asia saw a very exciting conclusion, as Donn Mark Celestino of De La Salle University Dasma emerged as the winner, besting 14 other hopefuls to bag the grand prize of P30,000 plus an all-expense paid trip to an Asian country.
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| Donn Mark Celestino of De La Salle University Dasmarinas |
The Flair Idol competition, once limited to the Greater Manila Area, became a nationwide event this year. The tilt is part of GSM Blueniversity roadshow campaign, which brought a team of professional bartenders to hundreds of colleges and universities across the archipelago in the past year. In each road show, the GSM Blueniversity mentors gave training sessions to third year and fourth year HRM (Hotel and Restaurant Management) students and budding flairtenders on the various aspects of bartending.
“This year’s GSM Blue Flair Idol was our biggest one yet,” remarked Nelson S. Elises, Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. VP for Marketing. “We really went the extra mile to ensure that we find the most promising flairtenders in the country, who can best represent their schools in this competition. And we definitely found what we were looking for in Donn Mark Celestino, as well as the rest of the finalists.”
The most promising young flairtenders of the campaign were selected as contestants of the Flair Idol regional legs, where their drink mixing skills, originality, and style for performance were put to the test.
Leading up to the big showdown, the finalists underwent a special six-day training to further hone their skills and expertise in flairtending and the bartending business, and develop their individual performances for the finals. They then showcased their skills in a special demo performance at the GSM Blueniversity Bar in San Sebastian College-Recoletos prior to the finals.
“The training that the finalists went through goes beyond the technical aspects of their performances,” said Mr. Elises. “An important X-factor in being chosen as Flair Idol was stage presence, and that requires confidence and the ability to excite and connect with the audience. After an exciting night filled with excellent performances, the judges picked the one who has it all—skills, bravado, and charisma.”
Aside the awards given to Flair Idol 2010 winner Donn Mark Celestino, a cash prize of P20,000 was given to 1st runner up Leonard Ian Dee of St. Joseph Tech Academy, Davao, while P10,000 was awarded to 2nd runner up Robert Jorge Dela Cruz of St. Joseph Tech Academy, Davao. The school of this year’s Flair Idol, DLSU, Dasma also received a special prize from GSM Blue: a fully furnished HRM laboratory cum mock bar.
GSM Blue Flair Idol 15 Finalists
GMA
1. Mari Tonie Galanon - STI COLLEGE
2. Greg Santiago - NATIONAL TEACHERS COLLEGE
3. Dan Wico - UNIVERSITY OF MANILA
NORTH
1. Gino Carlo Simbillo - WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY CABANATUAN
2. Dan Carlo Besa - HOLY ANGELS UNIVERSITY PAMPANGA
3. Paul Ramuel Casingal - UC BAGUIO
SOUTH
1. Donn Mark Celestino - DLSU, Dasma
2. Christian Tuason - DLSU, Dasma
3. Bryan Bonifacio - UPHSL, Binan
VISAYAS
1. Andrew Gregorio - ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY, DUMAGUETE
2. Francis Angelo Nolasco - SOUTH WESTERN UNIVERSITY, CEBU
3. Jerome Macapar - WESTERN INSTITUTE, ILOILO CITY
MINDANAO
1. Robert Jorge Dela Cruz - ST. JOSEPH TECH. ACADEMY, DAVAO
2. Jor-rel Avala - UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO, DAVAO
3. Leonard Ian Dee - ST. JOSEPH TECH. ACADEMY, DAVAO
EVENT PHOTOS:
Anne Curtis, Juggy and the Kitty Girls graced the vent.
And GSM Blue for this year 2011 will be searching for the next...
GSM Blue Mix Master!
Who knows it might be YOU!
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