We’re officially in motion with the 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown, and the first preliminary round of this year’s NC Mixology Competition of the season came in strong, shaking things up in all the right ways. It was a spirited start, pun intended. On Monday, April 14, we raised our glasses (and the bar) at beautiful Piccione Vineyards in Ronda, NC, for the Eastern NC mixology preliminary round.
While this is a vineyard tasting room and PIccione serves a terrific assortment of their award-winning NC Wines, the mission this visit was not really to drink wine well, not much, anyway; instead we concentrated on the NC spirits at hand in the competition.
If you’re keeping score, in this round we had six incredibly talented North Carolina mixologists, each paired with a local distillery, all vying to stir, shake, muddle ( in the best way possible), and garnish their way into one of two regional rounds of competition.
This season, each team competes in two categories: Cocktails and Mocktails, to showcase not only their creativity and technique but also their commitment to the use of local North Carolina ingredients. We call it the GotToBeNC factor. Because around these parts, what’s in your glass should speak to where you’re from. And these competitors came to play.
Let’s Talk About the NC Mixology Competition Pairings
Each mixologist brought their own flair to the table, but they didn’t come alone. These beverage artisans were paired with some of the best distilleries across the state—each one rooted in its own region, each one bringing something unique to the glass.
Here’s the lineup from our Western North Carolina Preliminary Round, the first six mixology teams of this year’s competition:
- Connor Schlosser (Folia, Charlotte NC) + Chemist Spirits, Asheville NC
- Gregory Dreyer (Glasshouse Kitchen) + Liberty & Plenty Distillery, both from Durham NC
- Jimmy Huynh (Shoto Japanese, Lexington NC) + Old Nick Williams Co., Lewisville NC
- Lauren Burkert (Free Range Brewing) + Great Wagon Road Distilling, both from Charlotte NC
- Sean Teague (Chief’s Modern Cocktail Parlor, Charlotte NC) + Southern Artisan Spirits, Kings Mountain NC
- Sekani Akunyun (Lorem Ipsum Listening Bar, Charlotte NC) + Mystic Farm & Distillery, Durham NC
Every drink told a story—and together, the numbers told one, too. I was blown away when I counted everything up. In just this one round of competition we featured:
- 6 mixologists
- 6 distilleries
- 9 unique NC-made spirits
- 3 North Carolina bitters companies
- 2 local breweries
- And an incredible 60 additional North Carolina-sourced ingredients.
Yes, you read that right. Sixty. And while I can’t talk specifics right now, know that, that number included local produce, products and proteins, as well. Talk about raising the bar on drinking local.
Meet The Trio of Chef Showdown Preliminary Round NC Mixology Competition Judges
Over at the Judges’ Table—sponsored this round by the fabulous folks at Remedy Cocktail Company in Holly Springs, NC—we had three cocktail professionals who know their way around a well-balanced pour:
- Amy Waas, of Bar Beej at Cheeni in Durham, 2025 James Beard Semifinalist for Best New Bar
- Esteban McMahan, of Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery in Chapel Hill and a co-founder of TOPO Organic Spirits
- Stephanie Elliott, our reigning 2023 NCRLA Mixologist of the Year, a partner in Merle’s in Wilkesboro NC and Tasting Room Manager at Piccione Vineyards
Huge thanks to Remedy Cocktail Company for not only sponsoring the Judges’ Table, but for sending along their entire line of bitters for competitors to taste and try. Their contributions helped take these cocktails (and mocktails) to the next level.
Pro Tip Re: TOPO Organic Spirits. Esteban McMahan was the first NC Distillery I ever met and TOPO was the first NC distillery I ever visited and ever wrote about. You can read one of my posts about TOPO here…. Sadly the distillery, once very much at home in Chapel Hill, is now closed; but if you are lucky, you can still find their delicious spirits in local NC ABC stores and in many bars across the state.If you see a bottle of TOPO, go ahead and grab it, you’ll want it in your home bar for sure.
#IllHaveWhatHeidisHaving
Fueling the Fun For the Judges on this day of NC Mixology Competition
Big Shout Out here, as our team and our judges cannot just live on sips of local spirits, alone. Grateful for the delicious bites that kept our judges, team, and media friends going strong between individual rounds of cocktials and mocktails.
Massive thanks to Kelly Ruttler of Quindvida, (no website just yet, but follow here on instagram here.) Kelly catered the day with a vibrant spread of savory snacks and sweet treats.
We kicked things off with individual shrimp and rice bowls, clevery served in cocktail glasses, topped with mango, cucumber, and black sesame seeds. And, then there was a stunning hummus platter that had everyone going back for more.
Kelly also wowed with roast brisket sammies, fresh veggie spring rolls, and the most playful little servings of spaghetti and meatballs. For dessert? Think chocolate cream brownies with fresh strawberries, strawberry cheesecake “cocktails,” and lemon blueberry muffins that practically disappeared before we could blink.
The Perfect Host: Piccione Vineyards
It’s hard to imagine a better backdrop for a day full of flavor than Piccione Vineyards—a family-owned gem tucked into the rolling hills of Wilkes County.
This award-winning winery served as both our host venue and home base for reigning Mixologist of the Year, Stephanie Elliott, now running the show as their Tasting Room Manager.
My hubby Tom Billotto and I have been to Piccione before and we’ll be back again, no question. Can’t wait to write about it all soon. But for now, it was the perfect place to kick off a competition that’s all about celebrating what’s grown, distilled, and poured right here in North Carolina.
Our Home Away From Home, Lodging Sponsor: Bramabella Vineyards
And speaking of Wilkes County hospitality, a heartfelt thank you to Bramabella Vineyards in nearby Moravian Falls, our lodging sponsor for this round.
Their five-bedroom Airbnb is nestled on a 40-acre property with a gorgeous view and everything our team needed to unwind and refuel—including a well-equipped kitchen and grill, both of which we made good use of for our Sunday and Monday night judges’ dinners.
In season, Bramabella is home to more than 1,500 blueberry bushes (yes, guests can pick to their heart’s content), and they also sell honey from bees that pollinate the berries, plus beautifully made local blueberry jam handcrafted from the vineyard’s own harvest. And just a ten-minute stroll from the house? A serene stream and waterfalls you’ll absolutely want to make time to explore. I know I’ll be back!
What’s Next in this year’s NC Mixology Competition?
We’re still riding high on the energy of this first round, but the fun’s just getting started. The next mixology preliminary takes us east to End of Days Distillery in Wilmington, on April 28. You might remember that in 2024, Mixologist Gus Bellavida at End of Days won the Peoples’ Choice award for best cocktail!
Follow @ncrlachefshowdown for behind-the-scenes action, competition updates, and all the local flavor you can sip on.
And keep your eyes peeled: tickets for the 2025 NCRLA Chef Showdown Grand Finale on August 4 at Bay 7 in Durham will be available soon!
Until then, here’s to supporting local. And cheers to celebrating the talent behind the bar; and to always ordering something that tells a story.
Go see all of these mixologist at their restaurants, bars and places of business soon. Its the very best way to support local. And then, visit the distilleries as well, many of them have tasting rooms and give tours. You can also make purchases while you are on site. If you can’t get to a local distillery, visit your neighborhood ABC store. Shop the North Carolina local section today! #TellThemHeidiSentYou Cheers!
2 comments