ORLANDO, Feb. 9, 2004 - Kwang Ho Kim, a bartender from Yokohama, Japan, was named champion at T.G.I. Friday's® World Bartender Championship, which was held Sunday, February 9th at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Orlando.
Kim competed against eight T.G.I. Friday's bartenders from the United States, Korea, Mexico, Norway and the United Kingdom.
T.G.I. Friday's World Bartender Championship features the top Friday's bartenders from around the world who compete in a behind-the-scenes comprehensive skills test, culminating in a final round of freestyle, flair competition where bartenders perform the crowd-pleasing, bottle spinning and flipping, choreographed routines for which Friday's bartenders are world renowned.
More than 6,000 T.G.I. Friday's bartenders compete annually in local, regional and national competitions. Only the "best-of-the-best" make it to the World Bartender Championship competition.
"Entertaining, fun, dramatic bartending has always been a Friday's hallmark. Our bartenders are the best in the world and this competition reminds us of just how good they are at their jobs," said Richard Snead, president and chief executive officer of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., which owns, operates and franchises more than 700 T.G.I. Friday's restaurants throughout the world. "It is amazing to see the talent and dedication of these bartenders. Kwang Ho's reaction to winning, his excitement and pride, is inspirational to all of us", says Snead. Kwang Ho, known as Mitsu to his co-workers, had the support of his family and friends who traveled from Japan to cheer him on during the competition.
Placing second was Rob Cartwright, from Tampa, Fla., and third place was awarded to Brian Zachau, from Minneapolis, Minn.
Other competitors in this year's freestyle individual competition included:
- John Fels, Towson, Md.
- John Westerfield, St. Louis, Mo.
- Kim Jong Sik (Good Man), Seoul, Korea
- Mario Altamirano, Mexico City, Mexico
- Jay Alexander Tucker, Oslo, Norway
- Max Snoxell, Kent, United Kingdom
Note to the editor: Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of TGI Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies, Inc., a world leader in the hospitality, travel and marketing industries. Carlson Restaurants operates, franchises and licenses more than 800 restaurants in 55 countries, including three divisions - Domestic Friday's Brands (T.G.I. Friday's®, Friday's Front Row® Sports Grill and Friday's American Bar®); International (T.G.I. Friday's®, Friday's American Bar® and Front Row® Sports Grill); and the newest division of Carlson Restaurants, Pick Up Stix®. Carlson Restaurants Worldwide is included in the Carlson Hospitality Worldwide division of Carlson Companies, Inc. For more information on the Friday's brands, visit www.Fridays.com.
