Beyond The Rail Cocktail Competition

CALLING ALL BARTENDERS! Beyond the Rail 2025 is back—show us what fuels your craft! Winners will have a chance to win up to $5000 worth of cash prizes.

The Restaurants Canada Beyond the Rail Cocktail Competition is back, and this year, we’re raising the bar higher than ever! We’re elevating bartending with refined techniques, local flavors, and championing community-led initiatives. Competitors will showcase creativity, skill, and sustainability—whether crafting crystal-clear cocktails or letting simple ingredients shine. And with none other than world-renowned bartender Shingo Gokan as a judge, expect a competition that pushes boundaries and sets new industry standards.

Let’s fuel local talent, celebrate innovation, and raise the bar together!

Application deadline: March 14, 2025 at 11:59 pm 

APPLY NOW

This year’s theme, ‘Fuel,’ ignites the future of our industry—celebrating talent, innovation, and passion. The competition challenges bartenders to showcase their ability to fuel creativity through locality, technique, and ingenuity. Each competitor will present a storied flight of three cocktails, demonstrating technical mastery, personal style, and a commitment to local ingredients and community support.

 

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

We're looking for bartenders who:
✅ Master technique with precision
✅ Celebrate local ingredients and sustainable sourcing
✅ Tell a compelling story through their cocktails
✅ Champion community-driven initiatives

Think you’re up for the challenge? Apply now and be part of the movement shaping the future of bartending in Canada!

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2025 Competition Details

Wednesday, April 9 - 11AM- 1PM - Bar & Beverage Stage

  • Finalists will be notified by email that they will be competing in the 2025 Beyond The Rail Competition at the RC Show.
  • Finalists will travel to RC Show to partake in the live competition on Wednesday April 9. Winners will be chosen by competition judges and announced live on the Bar and Beverage Stage at the end of the competition.
  • Any travel or accommodation required is the responsibility of the competing bartender
  • All finalists will be provided with a badge to gain admission to all three days of the RC Show. The show floor opens daily at 10am.
  • This competition is open to all bartenders in Canada of legal drinking age
  • There is no entry fee for this competition.

Prizes

  • 1st place - $3,000
  • 2nd place - $1,500
  • 3rd place - $500