Johannesburg has once again shown that Africa’s creative talent is not waiting for permission to take up space on the global stage.
The city recently hosted the Hennessy MyWay Africa Regional Finals, bringing together leading bartending talent from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania for a high-pressure celebration of cocktail craft, creativity and sustainability.
But this was about much more than who could make the best drink.
It was about putting the people behind the bar — their ideas, personalities and cultural perspectives — firmly in the spotlight.
More Than What’s in the Glass
For many cocktail drinkers, the bartender can become almost invisible. You order, the drink arrives and the moment moves on.
Hennessy MyWay is challenging that dynamic by positioning mixologists as creators with their own stories and creative identities.
As industry professional Mmiso “Mmisology” Luphondo highlighted during the event, the platform gives bartenders an opportunity to be recognised for the talent behind the drinks.
That shift matters in an African hospitality industry where young creatives are increasingly turning specialised skills into careers, businesses and international opportunities.
Johannesburg Becomes the Creative Battleground
Held at Nook, inside the acclaimed SOLO restaurant, the regional finals brought together finalists for a week of mentorship before the competition reached its climax.
The challenge demanded more than technical bartending ability.
Competitors had to recreate their signature Hennessy Very Special-based cocktails while developing an innovative VSOP-based creation, with sustainable mixology practices forming part of the brief.
That combination of flavour, storytelling, presentation and conscious creativity reflects how modern cocktail culture is evolving.
Aimee May Donofrio, one of the judges, noted that flavour comes first, but charisma and pride in one’s creation can elevate a cocktail into something memorable.
Africa’s Next Cocktail Chapter
The regional competition ultimately crowned three finalists who will carry African cocktail creativity into the global Hennessy MyWay Finals in Paris and Cognac in October 2026.
South Africa’s Roxanne Read joins Kenya’s Brian Ohadha and Nigeria’s Happiness Cletus as the African representatives heading to France.
Their journey places African bartending talent in a global conversation — not simply as participants, but as creators capable of shaping where contemporary cocktail culture goes next.
The global finals also offer more than the overall title. Competitors will have the opportunity to chase awards including Most Sustainable Champion and Best Ritual, with trips to France among the prizes.
For Africa’s hospitality and creative industries, that exposure can be significant.
The bigger story is that the cocktail is becoming a canvas — one where heritage, personality, sustainability and innovation can all meet.
And Johannesburg has helped set the stage.
