Following a first edition of the Food Lab last March dedicated to street food, time for mixology and mocktails for this second edition held on September at the Royal Mansour Marrakech. During this contest, the bartenders of the palace rivalled each other in their genius to surprise the members of the jury with daring non-alcoholic healthy cocktails, all the while respecting the seasonality of the products.
THE MIXO LAB: BEHOLD THE BARMEN’S CREATIVITY!
This competition, open exclusively to the Royal Mansour Marrakech’s bar staff, aims to bring a breath of fresh air to the Palace’s offer but also, and most importantly, to promote the teams’ skills. Since May, the competing teams have been working on their ingredients and giving the best of themselves to sublimate the final creations presented during a blind tasting. The verdict revealed the hidden talents of employees now celebrated for their expertise and innovative spirit.
FOOD LAB 2ND EDITION: WELL-BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT
In order to be selected as one of the winners of this second edition of the Food Lab, the participants had to submit Mocktail (non-alcoholic cocktails) creations combining audacity, colours, surprising gustatory associations, or meticulous visuals, with the ultimate purpose of astonishing the members of the jury whilst ticking each box of the demanding selection criteria. In addition to the above criteria, the Royal Mansour Marrakech’s values of eco-responsibility, well-being, healthy products, and seasonality are also taken into consideration.
The objective being the promotion of absolute ingenuity, the participants were allowed a certain level of freedom to create their Mocktails: hot, warm, or cold beverages, with mineral, vegetal or fruity notes, using the container of their choice… all to express their personality, their inspirations, and their influences by creating the ultimate concoction, to be unanimously appreciated by the palates of an exceptional jury.
THE CREATIONS REWARDED BY THE JURY
As a result of the competition, 6 contestants out of the 25 were rewarded by the Royal Mansour Marrakech jury. Thus, in addition to the top three, 3 special prizes were granted, and all will be offered on the palace’s bar menu:
- 1st prize: Soufian Haddat – Mansour Lemonade & Green Freshness
- 2nd prize: Yassine Ahmana – Royal Tom Yum
- 3rd prize: Aly Diagne – Tendance Mocktail Rouge
Jury’s special prizes
- Jury’s Favourite: Hind El Fellah – Black Desert & La vie en rose
- Creativity: Amine El Khalifa – Orange et cannelle
- Technicity: Tarik Ben Dahmane – Mansour Healthy
Thanks to their idea of combining coffee and fresh basil or goji berries, thyme and honey, these head Barmen’s assistants, Barmen, Commis and Maîtres d’hôtel all saw their originality and technicality rewarded.
THE BEST MIXO LAB MOCKTAILS ON THE ROYAL MANSOUR BAR MENU
Now included on the Royal Mansour’s bar menu, the Mocktails imagined by the winners and acclaimed by the jury are the promise of a delicious marriage of originality and audacity. An invitation to take your senses on a journey through unique creations, stimulating your curiosity.