Last week UJ descended on Ibiza with Grey Goose and 75 of Europe’s best bar industry professionals – from bar and club owners to mixologists, innovators and influencers – to see the season out with The Grey Goose Ultimate Summer Soirée.
The Ibiza event was the final in a summer of European Grey Goose Ultimate Summer Soirées, and was the result of a competition that Grey Goose ran which gave key mixologists and members of the trade the chance to submit a proposal to create their own ‘Ultimate Summer Soirée’.
Detailed proposals included creative vision, production, drinks, dinner menus and a budget, and a panel of judges (including someone from team UJ, wahey!) chose the winner, Mario Gruenenfelder (owner of Berlin’s Amano Bar, Mani Restaurant, Bar Tausend and Rocco & Sanny in Berlin, and Barcelona’s Ocaña). His winning proposal brought the French Riviera to life in Ibiza and Grey Goose kindly flew key industry in to experience it.
With innovative cocktails, an outstanding 75-person, seated ‘family style’ dinner, and cabaret performances, the renowned Blue Bay Villa (with panoramic vistas) was transformed into a chic Boulangerie Bleue with Côte d’Azur vibes. Standout cocktails by Mario’s team included The Green Mary (Grey Goose vodka, tomatillos, cucumber, mint, cilantro, jalapeño, horseradish, sal de chipotl) and the French Lemonade (Grey Goose Le Citron vodka with grilled white peaches, kumquats, vanilla sweet and sour mix and rosé).
Tunes by DJ Frank Rübcke (aka OCTUPONE), who plays global hotspots like La Granja (Ibiza), Scorpios(Mykonos) and Papaya Playa (Tulum), kept spirits high and after dinner, when the clock struck 12, the party descended to the villa’s club. Only in Ibiza.
To host your own Grey Goose Ultimate Summer Soirée, find Grey Goose vodka recipes and exclusive Riviera playlists by DJ Zimmer here.
