Filipino talent shone on the world stage when Roniel Lopez of TGIFridays Philippines was crowned 2026 Grand Champion at the recent World Bartending Championship held in Orlando, Florida, besting seven top bartenders from the USA, Greece, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, UK, Japan and Taiwan. Named 1st Runner Up was Chantry Coffman of USA while Aleksandro Naksi of Greece was adjudged 2nd runner-up.
The victory was sealed after an exceptional performance across both key stages of the competition. One was the Compulsory Round where he displayed technical knowledge, recipe accuracy and precision pour mechanics under strict speed and standard guidelines. The other was in the Freestyle Competition where he wowed the crowd and judges with his high-energy and captivating flair tending, executing complex bottle flips, throws and catches paired with a magnetic stage presence.
From Empty Bottles to the World Stage
Lopez’s bartending journey began when he was in Grade 7. As a young enthusiast with limited access to professional gear, he taught himself flair bartending by wrapping empty glass bottles in tape to practice spins and catches coupled with a versatile imagination.
Understandably, while he was flipping bottles, he was dropping them, but he soldiered on. To refine his craft, he joined various competitions and took a three-month TESDA bartending course where he learned the fundamentals of traditional bartending and mixing.
His work as a bartender at TGIFridays Eastwood helped him become the consummate performer. It taught him something that videos and solo practices could not impart, in short, how to work a crowd. Lopez has been part of the Bar Tour since 2023 where demonstrates techniques, teaches bartending, and shares the Fridays’ story. He passionately shares his skills and passion with fellow mixologists and guests.
His first Fridays BCBIT (Best Corner Bar In Town) competition in 2023 ended with a low score. This did not deter him from goal – to be the best bartender at TGIFridays. He improved what was needed and came back stronger, topping the BCBIT in 2024. In August 2025, he competed in the TGIFriday’s Philippines Bartending Championship and won the grand prize.
Preparing for the World Bartending Championship demanded commitment, with daily training stretching from eight to ten hours. He memorized hundreds of drink recipes, perfected high-energy flair tricks, refined stage presence and audience engagement . “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.
TGIFridays has produced several world champions on the global bartending stage. Eric “El Terrible” Martinez captured the world title in 2006. In 2015, Rizza Umlas made history as the first woman to ever win the championship, while Jholan Peñafiel was crowned Grand Champion in 2017.
And this year, it was Lopez’s turn to bring immense pride to TGIFridays Philippines and stands as a testament to world-class Filipino talent in the global F & B and hospitality industry.
