The all-female bartending comp hoping to spark positive cultural change 

Australian aperitif brand RHUBI has announced a new all female bartending competition in partnership with Mix Haus, a Perth-based not-for-profit charity for women in hospitality. By focusing on Australia’s female bar talent, the competition is hoping to raise profiles and ultimately drive positive cultural change in the industry. 

The competition trails a few weeks behind allegations made against toxic workplace culture at Swillhouse, one of Sydney’s leading bar and restaurant groups, and just one day after the ABC published similar allegations against Merivale group. 

“We have been working with RHUBI on this campaign since last year, and these kinds of initiatives are more important now than ever,” said Shirley Yeung, Mix Haus’ Co-Founder.

“We chose to work with RHUBI as it's a female-run brand, and we’re excited to create this new platform to highlight the amazing and talented women in our industry. If we can do that alongside raising money for on-the-ground activity, then that ultimately achieves our goals.”

To enter, female and non-binary bartenders are asked to create a drink championing RHUBI as the main ingredient, and then share it on social media and offer it in-venue. First-round judging will be based on entry forms and from there four finalists will receive a case of RHUBI, merch, flights to Sydney, and accomodation for one night.

Founded by Australian bartenders in 2018, RHUBI is a rhubarb aperitif inspired by Mistelle, a forgotten French aperitif traditionally made using grapes or apples. RHUBI is a proud supporter of Mix Haus, and the female-focus ethos is considered integral to the brand: “it’s so crucial that brands support diversity in our industry,” said Shirley Yeung.

The finals will take place on Monday 25 November at Burrow Bar, a female-owned venue in Sydney. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Mix Haus charity. 

Linn Philips-Johansson, Director at RHUBI, said “we love seeing RHUBI’s versatility in cocktails, but this year we’re even more excited to use this platform to support women in hospitality and open up those dialogues about what it means to be female and working in this industry.

This year’s competition follows on from last year’s #JustAddRHUBI secret sauce challenge, which saw a winning bartender selected from each of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. 

The 2024 #Just Add RHUBI Mix Haus Edition will run until the end of October, with finalists to be announced by the first week of November. Those looking to enter or to learn more should visit the dedication competition webpage, which provides all relevant information including judging criteria.