A Stevenage bartender had his taste-blending skills looked over by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal on Monday in the final of a cocktail-mixing competiton.
Aaron Gilbert, who works at Salt & Good in The Plaza, was successful in a qualifying round and took on five rivals in the final at the Hind’s Head, Heston’s Michelin-starred pub in Bray. The award-winning chef and TV presenter was one of the judges for the prestigious competition.
Aaron, 26, was presented with a box containing unusual ingredients and tasked with inventing a gin cocktail out of them within an hour.
He fashioned a drink called Immortality, based on a classic gin fizz – gin, shiso leaves, prickly pear, egg white and lemon juice were coupled with a 24-carat gold syrup that Aaron made himself.
The drink was then lengthened with soda.
Competition was tough and sadly Aaron. who has lived in Hitchin all his life, wasn’t in the mix for a top three place.
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