Contestants entered their designs inspired by the question ‘What does the industry mean to you?’
5 finalists have been selected and their designs have been shared for public voting
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DESIGNS
Kelsey Liu
The Maven
Leeds
The industry to me means creativity and collaboration.
Behind every meticulously crafted cocktail, garnish, dish or pairing, is the imagination and understanding of how flavours, textures, tastes and techniques interact with each other.
To me, with the panther head being a traditional symbol in the tattooing world, I thought it well portrayed huge amounts of creativity, as well as the red hearts to symbolise collaboration that comes with the industry.
Baillie Armstrong
3 Session Street
Dundee
I have met, served and worked with a widespread and diverse group of people, finding inspiration in every one of them. From interesting stories, introductions to new flavour combinations and lasting friendships.
To me, the industry thrives on being a melting pot of backgrounds and cultures.
Each arm represents an aspect of those engaging in the industry and the camaraderie between us all, with the message “All Walks Of Life” reaching to my core belief that those who inspire you can come from anywhere.
Louis Moon
Hideout Bar
Bath
What makes hospitality so amazing is the people, whether that be the bartenders, bar backs, floor staff, back of house or guests.
To deliver the best service we can, sometimes we need a breather.
“OUR SAVING GRACE” for me and so many other bartenders can come from that shot of Fernet-Branca. It gives us that moment to recompose ourselves, to step back and breathe, helping us to keep calm and strive on together when we are deep in the weeds of a crazy shift.
Jonny Fawcett
The Alchemist
Newcastle
For me, the industry is all about human connection. Interaction with guests to ensure they have the best time in your bar as well as camaraderie with coworkers and friends in the industry. This is what the clasped hands in the centre of my design represent. I feel like these values are perfectly captured and encouraged by Fernet’s coin challenge which is why I decided take part.
Charlotte Patterson
Burnt Milk Hotel
Liverpool
To me, the industry means two things, connection, and creativity, fostering unlikely relationships that start with an empty bar stool and a shot of Fernet.
My design is inspired by two vintage Fernet Branca posters.
I have reimagined the iconic fernet “mas-croc” Fernando, and the monkey from the “Monkey See Monkey Do” advert. In my version, the monkey is no longer trying to copy Fernet, instead taking part in a bartender’s handshake; representing those unlikely friendships that form through working in bars.
About Fernet-Branca
Fernet-Branca is a brand for bartenders. We celebrate family, community and creativity, the very core of what the UK hospitality industry is all about. The Fernet-Branca coin is an unwritten code of bartender friendship, a collectable item that connects the different cities of the world that Branca exists, connecting bartenders worldwide.
make your mark on a global community…
#IYKYK
The Fernet-Branca Coin History
The first ever Fernet-Branca coin was created in 2013 to consolidate what had long since been a common habit in the bartender community of San Francisco. Bartenders were accustomed to having a shot of Fernet-Branca when they changed shifts, and it became known as the ‘bartender handshake’ whose purpose was to mark the moment in which bartending duty was passed over to a colleague. Being naturally close to the bartender community and people in the know, Fernet-Branca took the chance of taking this ritual further with the creation of a coin to celebrate this precise moment. Since then, the ritual has been extended to bars all over the world, so when a bartender visits another bar and shows a Fernet-Branca coin to a colleague behind the counter, he is offered a free shot of Fernet, unless he is presented with another coin in response and the ‘bartender handshake’ takes place in celebration of their joint membership in the guild. Fernet-Branca coins rapidly came to symbolize bartender community membership. They travelled across oceans and continents to the most remote corners of the world. They not only represented a momentary achievement but an authentic collectible, jealously guarded as a status symbol and a privilege.
The concept of this tradition goes as far back as World War 1 when a wealthy lieutenant ordered bronze medallions, to help identify his squad. The coin had to be on the squad at all times. To ensure that this rule was followed, they invented a drinking game. A challenger would ask to see the medallion of another member of the squad and if that member couldn’t producer a coin, they were on the hook to buy a round of drinks. Today the Fernet Coin takes the same approach, when you lay down a Fernet Branca coin on the bar, you’re making a statement. It’s like a knock on the door of a members only club.