Don Papa Rum Announces the Winners of the Chefs & Shakers 2025 UK Competition

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Don Papa Chefs & Shakers Winning Cocktail & Dish

Don Papa Rum, the premium small-batch rum from the Philippines, reveals the winners of its annual Chefs & Shakers competition, a unique nationwide search to award the UK’s ultimate chef and bartender duo.

Following an unforgettable finale at the iconic Rock Oyster Festival on 25^th July, the talented Max Hayward and Joshua Chapman have been crowned champions of Don Papa’s UK Chefs & Shakers competition. Their winning cocktail. a Don Papa Rum serve featuring banana-cello, mango skin & calamansi soda, and dish, Adobo pork croquette with Don Papa Rum banana ketchup and a Filipino mango salad, pairing was inspired by the rich, diverse flavours found in Filipino cuisine, and the Bayanihan spirit of togetherness.

Set against the backdrop of Rock Oyster’s legendary celebration of food, music, and coastal culture, the culinary heroes battled alongside four pairs to take the title and impress the judges with their bold creativity, balance, and storytelling, using a larder of Filipino ingredients such as Ube powder, calamansi and banana ketchup to create their unique pairings with.

Don Papa Chefs & Shakers Winners – L Josh Chapman R – Max Hayward

Each creation needed to capture the vibrant essence of Sugarlandia, the mystical land that Don Papa Rum hails from on the island of Negros in the Philippines, with their own culinary and mixology influences. They served up their creations to our judges, which included Filipino chef and supper club host, Mae Magnaye-Williams and renowned drinks industry talent, Cressida Lawlor, whilst presenting them to vibrant crowd of hospitality guests and festival goers, in Don Papa’s Sugarlandia inspired Balay.

Nepheli Akrivopoulou, recently named Best Mixologist 2025 at the Bar Magazine Awards and now Don Papa’s UK Brand Ambassador hosted the finals and said, “We are delighted for Max and Josh as their creativity and use of Don Papa Rum in both the cocktail and dish was incredible, the flavours perfectly represented the magic of The Philippines.”

The winning duo have won at a great moment in time for the brand as Don Papa recently relaunched in the UK. Don Papa is currently stocked across Majestic and Amazon.

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