Filipino TGIFridays Bartender Roniel Lopez named World Bartending Champion in Florida, USA

 


Filipino talent shone on the world stage when Roniel Lopez of TGI Fridays Philippines was crowned 2026 Grand Champion at the recent World Bartending Championship held in Orlando, Florida, besting seven top bartenders from the USA, Greece, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, the UK, Japan, and Taiwan. 

Chantry Coffman of the USA was named 1st runner-up, while Aleksandro Naksi of Greece was adjudged 2nd runner-up.

The victory was sealed after an exceptional performance across both key stages of the competition. The first was the Compulsory Round, where he displayed technical knowledge, recipe accuracy, and precise pour mechanics under strict speed and standard guidelines. The second was the Freestyle Competition, where he wowed the crowd and judges with high-energy, captivating flair, executing complex bottle flips, throws, and catches paired with a magnetic stage presence.


 Filipino TGIFridays Bartender Roniel Lopez 



From Empty Bottles to the World Stage

Lopez’s bartending journey began in Grade 7. As a young enthusiast with limited access to professional gear, he taught himself flair bartending by taping empty glass bottles to practice spins and catches, using his imagination.

Understandably, he dropped bottles while flipping them, but he soldiered on. To refine his craft, he joined various competitions and took a three-month TESDA bartending course where he learned the fundamentals of traditional bartending and mixing.

His work as a bartender at TGIFridays Eastwood helped him become the consummate performer. It taught him what videos and solo practice could not: how to work a crowd.
Lopez has been part of the Bar Tour since 2023, where he demonstrates techniques, teaches bartending, and shares the Fridays’ story. He passionately shares his skills and passion with fellow mixologists and guests.

His first Fridays BCBIT (Best Corner Bar In Town) competition in 2023 ended with a low score. This did not deter him from his goal: to be the best bartender at TGI Fridays. He improved what was needed and came back stronger, topping the BCBIT in 2024. In August 2025, he competed in the TGIFriday’s Philippines Bartending Championship and won the grand prize.





Preparing for the World Bartending Championship demanded commitment, with daily training stretching from eight to ten hours. He memorized hundreds of drink recipes, perfected high-energy flair tricks, and refined stage presence and audience engagement. “My goal was to bring something different and original during the competition. I wanted to give the complete package: technical knowledge, accuracy, flair, personality, energy, confidence, and compelling showmanship,” Lopez said.

TGIFridays has produced several world champions on the global bartending stage. Eric “El Terrible” Martinez captured the world title in 2006. In 2015, Rizza Umlas made history as the first woman to ever win the championship, while Jholan Peñafiel was crowned Grand Champion in 2017.

This year, Lopez brought immense pride to TGI Fridays Philippines and stands as a testament to world-class Filipino talent in the global F&B and hospitality industry.

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