wed, april 9 | bar & bev stage | 11AM
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 be showcasing 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, you can expect to watch a competition that pushes boundaries and sets new industry standards.
Join us at RC Show 2025 to fuel local talent, celebrate innovation, and help finalists raise the bar!
Applications are now closed.
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.
GET READY TO WATCH BARTENDERS WHO:
Master technique with precision
Celebrate local ingredients and sustainable sourcing
Tell a compelling story through their cocktails
Champion community-driven initiatives
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
2025 Judges & Hosts
JUDGE
Shingo Gokan
Founder, SG Group
JUDGE
Juliana Wolkowsk
Beverage Consultant, CJMW Consulting
JUDGE
Lindsay Jones
Founder, Ostrich Club
HOST
Monique Godhino
Bar Manager, Sunnys Chinese