Filipino bartender Roniel Lopez wins 2026 World Bartending Championship
October 09, 2026
MANILA — Filipino bartender Roniel Lopez of TGI Fridays Philippines won the 2026 World Bartending Championship in Orlando, Florida, beating seven competitors from around the world, the restaurant announced Friday.
Lopez topped bartenders representing the United States, Greece, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, the United Kingdom, Japan and Taiwan. Chantry Coffman of the US placed second, while Aleksandro Naksi of Greece finished third.
The competition consisted of a compulsory round, which tested technical knowledge, recipe accuracy and pouring precision, and a freestyle round that showcased the contestants’ flair bartending skills, including bottle flips, throws and catches.
Lopez began learning flair bartending in Grade 7, using taped empty glass bottles to practice spins and catches because he had limited access to professional equipment.
He later joined bartending competitions and completed a three-month Technical Education and Skills Development Authority course, where he learned traditional bartending techniques and drink mixing.
Working at TGI Fridays’ Eastwood branch in Quezon City helped him develop his performance skills and learn how to engage an audience, according to the company.
Lopez has been part of the restaurant chain’s Bar Tour since 2023, demonstrating bartending techniques and teaching guests about the craft.
His early competition results were mixed. He scored poorly in his first Best Corner Bar in Town competition in 2023 but returned to win the contest in 2024. In August 2025, he won the TGI Fridays Philippines Bartending Championship, earning the opportunity to compete internationally.
“My goal was to bring something different and original during the competition. I wanted to give the complete package: technical knowledge, accuracy, flair, personality, energy, confidence, and compelling showmanship,” Lopez said.
TGI Fridays has produced several World Bartending Championship winners, including Eric “El Terrible” Martinez in 2006, Rizza Umlas in 2015 and Jholan Peñafiel in 2017. Umlas was the first woman to win the title, according to the company.
Lopez’s victory adds to the Philippines’ record of success in the international competition and highlights the country’s presence in the global bartending and hospitality industry.
Preparing for the world championship required eight to 10 hours of daily training. Lopez memorized hundreds of drink recipes, practiced flair techniques and worked on his stage presence and audience engagement.
