The World’s 50 Best Bars launch “once-in-a-lifetime” global fundraising auction

The organisation behind the World’s 50 Best Bars announced yesterday that its “Bid for Recovery” auction will debut on 3^rd July, offering bar, restaurant and travel enthusiasts the opportunity to bid for out-of-this-world experiences with the world’s best bartenders. Incredible lots have been donated by the bartenders from the recent World’s 50 Best Bars lists, as well as some stellar experiences from 50 Best partner brands, in the first ever global gastronomic auction on this scale.

The 50 Best “Bid for Recovery” Auction is the largest global event of its kind, aiming to raise funds that will provide direct and tangible financial relief for bars worldwide as they emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. The auction is a key fund-raising element of the 50 Best for Recovery programme, announced last month in partnership with founding donor Perrier.

The auction will feature more than 130 lots, providing the opportunity for bidders to select from an array of the most extraordinary global gastronomic experiences imaginable, as well as rare and limited-edition items. Some of the bespoke auction lot highlights include:

Two nights in Paris and courtside seats at the French Open ladies’ final 2021 (Perrier, Paris)

Founding donor Perrier will provide two people with courtside seats at the Women’s Final of the French Open 2021 at Roland Garros, Paris. After the trophies are presented, a chauffeur will transport the winning bidders to check in at the five-star hotel George V for two nights. Enjoy world-renowned gastronomic experiences at Le Cinq and Le George for memorable dinners, as well as a fragrance workshop at one of the city’s leading perfumeries.

Three nights bar-hopping in New York with the world’s best bar (Dante, New York)

Dante owner Linden Pride will introduce bidders to his favourite NYC hotspots and hangouts on a bar crawl that might just last three days. The experience for two people will also include three nights’ accommodation in a modish New York design hotel, as well as dinner and drinks at both outposts of Dante on two different nights. A bespoke Negroni kit will be waiting in the room to get the party started.

A time capsule cocktail to define your life from Mr Lyan (Lyaness, London)

Ryan Chetiyawardana, the mixologist behind Dandelyan (the World’s Best Bar 2018), aka Mr Lyan, is donating one of his groundbreaking Time Capsule experiences. Scouring the globe, forging relationships with the world’s leading craftspeople and sifting through ancient cellars, he’s been able to accrue some of history’s finest and most enviable bottles. This Scarab Time Capsule experience involves a consultation and tasting of these spirits with Chetiyawardana, before he distils your life into drinkable form and presents you with a bespoke bottled cocktail, hand-labelled and sealed.

A private barrel selection bottling of Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon (Michter’s, Kentucky)

This is an extraordinary and unique opportunity for a discerning spirits enthusiast to acquire their own private barrel bottling of Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Yielding in the region of 120 bottles, this is the first time ever that Michter’s has offered the opportunity to select a private barrel bottling of its acclaimed 10 Year Bourbon.

Additional drinks-based auction lots include a three-night eco-hotel package in the Caribbean with Matusalem, Dominican Republic; a VIP red carpet weekend at Cannes Film Festival with Rémy Martin, France; and a week exploring Sydney with Matt Whiley of Scout, staying on Bondi Beach, Australia. In addition, rare bottles of spirits, private cocktail and cooking classes, wine region tours, sailing trips, exclusive tastings and bespoke parties will all be up for auction.

These bar-focused auction lots will join those donated by restaurants, which feature experiences such as 48 hours with 50 Best chefs exploring their neighbourhoods, exclusive personalised dining experiences, one-of-a-kind items and unique gastronomic adventures. The auction will be conducted online at the 50 Best for Recovery website. Potential bidders can view the full selection of lots from 29^th June, with the auction opening on 3^rd July and running until 12^th July.

In order to contribute to the global recovery of the hospitality industry, 50 Best will distribute all proceeds of the Recovery Fund to restaurants, bars and non-profit organisations, supporting the sector in the following ways:

• Direct grants: 50 Best will make direct contributions to bars and restaurants with grants of up to US $5,000 per establishment. Applications will be open to independent restaurants and bars from any country in July, according to a number of criteria to be published in the coming weeks. 50 Best is committed to ensuring that the funds are distributed to businesses led by individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• Non-profit organisations: 50 Best will make additional donations to a number of charitable organisations that it has identified as supporting restaurants and their staff, as well as feeding those most in need. These include: the newly founded Singapore Cocktail Bar Association; Lee Initiative’s Restaurant Reboot Relief Program and Black Urban Growers, both in the US; Nosso Prato in Brazil; the Eat Out Restaurant Relief Fund in South Africa; the National Restaurant Association of India’s Feed the Needy campaign; Horeca Next in Belgium; Italy’s Ambasciatori del Gusto; and Chefs for Spain, the Spanish arm of World Central Kitchen.
• 1 million meals: 50 Best will also join forces with Social Gastronomy Movement, a global network of organisations across 38 different countries, in its Food Solidarity Fund intending to provide 1 million meals to those most in need.

Mark Sansom, Content Editor for The World’s 50 Best Bars, said: “As soon as we started reaching out to bartenders and brands and challenged them to create amazing experiences to donate for the 50 Best ‘Bid for Recovery’ Auction, the response was unbelievable. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of these bars and brands, as we aim to raise as much money as possible to support our industry and give back to the global bar sector.

“Putting this auction together has further highlighted the solidarity of the international bar family. Now we ask all those who love bars and are blessed with sufficient resources to take part in the auction and, crucially, spread the word to friends and peers across the world.”

50 Best for Recovery will also see the publication of an e-cookbook entitled Home Comforts: Simple Lockdown Recipes from the World’s Best Chefs and Bartenders, which will be unveiled to the public for download on 1^st July in exchange for a $10 minimum donation. Money raised from the e-cookbook will also go direct into the 50 Best Recovery Fund and used to support the global hospitality sector.

The editorial unit

For further information about 50 Best for Recovery visit the organisation’s website here.