Battle of the Bartenders: Cocktail Wars 2015 Returns to Sinclair

Cocktail Wars 2015 flyer

On November 22, Cocktail Wars returns to the Sinclair—and this time around bartending heavyweights Jared Sadoian (The Hawthorne), Peter Szigeti (Committee), Tenzin Samdo (Trade), and Daren Swisher (Hojoko) will compete in the fierce and boozy showdown. Their objective: To incorporate select secret ingredients into their cocktails and add their own signature flair to stand out. With an entry fee of only $1, you can have a night filled with drinks, food and live music from local artists Bearstronaut and DJ Ryan Brown.

The Hawthorne / Photograph by Jared Kuzia

Who will emerge victorious? Let’s take a closer look at the contestants:

Tenzin Samdo
Trade

Tenzin Samdo started bartending as a way to make some extra cash, but soon became obsessed with the tiny details and creativity he was able to put into his drinks. Trade’s mixologist is sure to bring his best with some intricate and delicious drinks.

Jared Sadoian
The Hawthorne

MIT-trained technologist-turned-bartender Jared Sadoian likes to experiment with adding new ingredients to traditional drinks. The Hawthorne mixologist is a fan of incorporating eggs into his cocktails for an added fluffy and rich texture.

Daren Swisher
Hojoko

Framingham native Daren Swisher is the bar manager at Hojoko and has almost a decade of Boston bartending experience under his belt. His signature cocktail, the Budokan, has a unique edge in that it’s served in a chilled double Old Fashioned glass rinsed with Hojoko’s housemade shiitake-infused absinthe.

Peter Szigeti
Committee

Peter Szigeti came to Boston all the way from his home city of Budapest, where one of Committee’s owners met him while on vacation; soon enough, he was tending bar at the Seaport hotspot. Mixing Asian and European influences, his drinks are a combination of culture and a little humor (he makes a Tinder-themed drink called the “Swipe Right,” which pretty much sums it up).

Proceeds from the event go to Lovin’ Spoonfuls, an organization whose mission is to save fresh and healthy food that would otherwise be thrown out and distribute it to groups in the community that need it most. So come out to support a good cause and see which one of these all-star bartenders will win it all.

$1, 21+, November 22, 6 p.m., The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Cambridge, 617-547-5200, sinclaircambridge.com. Buy tickets.