Bar Somma’s Mel John Chavez crowned winner at Woodford Reserve’s The Wonderful Race 2025 Grand Finale

CONTENT: Yiew Kai Jie

After a thrilling month-long showdown, The Wonderful Race 2025 crowned its All-Star Champion: Mel John Chavez of Bar Somma, who dazzled judges and audience alike with his winning concoction: “King’s Melon,” a cocktail that brimmed with creativity, finesse, and the unique signature of Woodford Reserve.

The competition featured two demanding rounds. In the first, the Top 10 bartenders reinvented the classic Old Fashioned, weaving their personal narratives and artistry into every glass. Only five of them advanced to the ultimate test: Chef Joel Tan’s surprise ingredient round from HighHouse, where each had just one hour to create a Woodford Reserve cocktail around challenging ingredients like blue cheese, Jamón Ibérico, baby sardines, tom yum Padron peppers, or the eventual winner’s Wakaba Mush Melon.

Mel John Chavez’s winning creation truly shone in this arena. Blending the gentle sweetness of melon with lemon, elderflower, apple tonic, and Hojicha-infused Woodford Reserve bourbon, his cocktail captured the essence of the Old Fashioned while balancing character and restraint. The thoughtful use of a crown-shaped melon garnish added a touch of playful elegance and storytelling flair.

Judged by top industry experts that included Colton Payne (Brown-Forman APAC Marketing Director), Daniel Goh (Spirited Asia Co-Founder), and Kelvin Saquilayan (St. Regis’s Head Bartender and the previous Wonderful Race 2024 Champion)—the panel praised the finalists for their inventive spirit and composure. Ultimately, it was Mel’s harmony of taste, agility, and ability to allow Woodford Reserve’s subtle sweetness to shine that earned him the trophy.

Joining Mel on the podium were Huang Geng of Origin Bar (First Runner-Up) and Chai Yu Heng of Nutmeg & Clove (Second Runner-Up), each remarkable for their distinctive take on the Old Fashioned and mastery of unexpected flavour pairings.

As the newly minted All-Star Champion, Mel John Chavez will embark on an exclusive experience at the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky to further his understanding of craft and heritage. He will also represent Singapore in the 2026 Woodford Reserve Wonderful Race Asia Final, competing with talented bartenders from across the region for the championship crown.