Charleston Wine + Food to host regional finals for popular Speed Rack

Which Female Bartender Rocks the Most?

Speed Rack, the all-female, high-speed bartending competition, is mixing it up at Charleston Wine + Food, bringing their nationally-recognized competition to the high-performance festival. Female and female-identifying bar professionals throughout the Southeast are invited to apply to compete.

Applications are due by January 24. Semi finalists will compete in round 1 at downtown Charleston’s Last Saint. On March 5 and 6, finalists will mix it up on the Demo Stage at The Lawn @ Culinary Village. Competitors are put head-to-head in round robin style timed and judged challenge in front of a crowd of Culinary Village attendees. Judges will base their decisions on speed, accuracy, taste and creativity as contestants work with a pantry of spirits, mixers and amendments.

Now in its 10th season, Speed Rack taps top female bartenders worldwide to compete head-to-head in timed challenges. Speed Rack is the first competition to highlight the up and coming generation of strong women in the spirits industry. Charleston Wine + Food hosts a plethora of top cocktail talent during the festival and the inaugural Speed Rack @ Charleston Wine + Food is sure to produce a competitive competition.

Regional competitions ultimately yield 20 mixologists in each market, vying for one of 167 slots in the nationals. This is the first year CHSWF plays host to the competition. Regional winners receive an honorarium, and the ultimate national winner is crowned Miss Speed Rack.

MORE ABOUT CHARLESTON WINE + FOOD

Charleston Wine + Food is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports Charleston and the Lowcountry’s diverse culinary + hospitality community. The organization champions the region’s unique culinary community 365 days a year through world-renowned culinary experiences that bring people together to share stories, create connections, and inspire curiosity. Fueled by a contagious passion for the people and places that make Charleston worth celebrating, the annual festival infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, authors, storytellers, artisans, and food enthusiasts from around the globe for a five-day event that spans the first full weekend each March. Over the last 16 years, the festival has welcomed nearly 335,000 guests and generated more than $112.2 million in economic impact. Our mission is to celebrate, educate, enrich, and promote the Lowcountry’s diverse culinary + hospitality community through world-class experiences.