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CAMPARI RED HANDS APAC 2026
KELVIN SAQUILAYAN CROWNED SINGAPORE’S CAMPARI RED HANDS CHAMPION AND HEADS TO MILAN FOR THE REGIONAL GRAND FINAL
With “Second Shift”, a Contrast creation inspired by the Negroni Family Tree, Kelvin Saquilayan will represent Singapore at the Regional Grand Final in Milan in January 2027.
[Photo Caption: Newly crowned Campari Red Hands Singapore Champion 2026 Kelvin Saquilayan (centre) celebrates with Campari Group Ambassador Singapore Bystik Uko (left) and last year’s champion Josiah Chee, Bar Manager and Beverage Programme Lead at Bar Bon Funk (right). Photo: Campari]
An icon born out of red passion, Campari, the flagship brand of its namesake group and the heart of the beloved Negroni, has crowned Kelvin Saquilayan, Head Bartender at St. Regis Bar Singapore, as the Campari Red Hands Singapore Champion 2026.
He won the Local Market Final at Campari’s Singapore Headquarters on 2 November, ahead of nine other finalists, and will now represent Singapore at the Campari Red Hands APAC 2026 Regional Grand Final in Milan in January 2027.
Kelvin’s winning cocktail, Second Shift, answers this year’s theme, “Contrast & Synchrony,” through Contrast. Inspired by his evolution from his barista roots to the Head Bartender at The St. Regis Bar Singapore, the drink reflects an Americano’s dual nature—coffee by day, cocktail by night. This Beer Americano twist blends Campari, cascara-infused Cinzano Bianco, and hot raspberry beer topped with cold Earl Grey cream, balancing Campari’s bittersweet notes across contrasting temperatures and textures to capture his journey across the two worlds of coffee and cocktails.
“I still can’t quite believe it—winning with the support of my team at The St. Regis Bar and my wife, just a day after we registered our marriage, makes this a double celebration for me,” said Kelvin. “I’m looking forward to representing Singapore in Milan, but for now, I’m excited to celebrate this moment with my family and team.”
THE SINGAPORE FINAL
The final brought together 10 bartenders who had come through three local rounds:
Round 1 – Local Entry Qualification: a 90-second video submission and written cocktail story, with a creation inspired by the Negroni Family Tree and built on either Contrast or Synchrony.
Round 2 – A Touch of Local Authenticity, Cocktail Menu Showcase: shortlisted bartenders brought their drinks to life on public-facing menus at bars across 10 Markets.
Round 3 – Local Market Final: a live showdown at Campari’s Singapore Headquarters on 2 November, where Kelvin was crowned Singapore’s 2026 Campari Red Hands Champion.
Each finalist presented their signature creation live to a panel of judges, which included Armando De Paolis, Campari Group Managing Director SEA, Bystrik Uko, Campari Group Ambassador Singapore, Jerrold Khoo, Owner-Bartender at Stay Gold Flamingo, Josiah Chee, Bar Manager and Beverage Programme Lead at Bar Bon Funk, Campari Red Hands SG winner 2025, and Nimmi Malhotra, Asia correspondent, The Drinks Business.
From left to right:
Hsiao Chi Su (Gigi), Tay Boon Lee
Hsiao Chi Su (Gigi) of Nobu Singapore took second place and Tay Boon Lee of Naga House placed third. Every local finalist joins the Campari Red Hands Community, an ongoing programme of gifting, regional events, guest shifts and creative exchange.
“The standard this year was impressive, and it was especially encouraging to see so many young bartenders demonstrating their talent and creativity. My advice to Kelvin is to enjoy the journey—and pack plenty of warm clothes for Milan,” said Josiah Chee, Campari Red Hands Singapore 2025 Champion.
With the venue awash in Campari’s signature red, bartenders, hospitality leaders and supporters from across Singapore gathered to cheer on the ten finalists as they presented their creations live. The afternoon brought together spirited competition, creative storytelling and a shared passion for the craft, transforming the final into a vibrant celebration of Singapore’s close-knit bar community.
“After following this journey from June to November, it was incredibly rewarding to see Singapore’s bar community come together with such energy and enthusiasm. Red Hands is more than a competition—it is a celebration of the people and connections that drive our industry, and the atmosphere at the final captured that spirit perfectly,” said Bystrik Uko, Campari Group Ambassador Singapore.
The Negroni Family Tree
THE ROAD TO MILAN
In January 2027, Kelvin joins the champions of China, Hong Kong & Macau, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam in Milan, the home of Campari. The competition runs over the Semifinals and the Grand Final, where one bartender will be crowned Campari Red Hands APAC Champion 2026.
A PLACE ON THE NEGRONI FAMILY TREE
The APAC Champion receives a cash prize of €3,000, and the winning cocktail is added to the “Negroni Family Tree” for 2027, beside the Americano, the Boulevardier and the Sbagliato.
For Singapore, a win in Milan would put a Singaporean bartender’s creation into the lineage of the Negroni for good. The 2026 champion will succeed Cris Song of Pony Up Shanghai, Campari Red Hands APAC Champion 2025.
ABOUT KELVIN SAQUILAYAN
Kelvin Saquilayan is Head Bartender at The St. Regis Bar Singapore, bringing more than a decade of hospitality experience. Before joining The St. Regis in 2025, he held head bartender roles at Republic Bar and Manhattan, where he was part of the team that brought the latter back to The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2022. He won the East Imperial Gin Jubilee in 2019 and Woodford Reserve’s Wonderful Race in 2024 before being crowned Campari Red Hands Singapore Champion 2026. His style blends refined classics, inventive techniques and locally rooted storytelling.
THE ORIGIN OF RED HANDS
Unmistakably striking with a red hue that transforms every cocktail in appearance and flavour, Red Hands is a term for bartenders who demonstrate creative flair using Campari as the hero ingredient. Originally launched in 2018 as the Campari Bartender Competition Asia, the programme ran for two years, bringing together masters of mixology to push creative boundaries.
Revived in 2024 as Campari Red Hands Asia, the competition returned to the APAC region, uniting the region’s best bartenders under the Red Hands banner for the first time. In 2025 it explored the theme “Cocktail & Senses”, and in 2026 it challenged the region’s bartenders with “Contrast & Synchrony”, placing the bartender and their imagination at the centre.
FAST FACTS
CAMPAIGN | Campari Red Hands APAC 2026 |
THEME | Contrast & Synchrony |
SINGAPORE CHAMPION | Kelvin Saquilayan, Head Bartender, St. Regis Bar Singapore |
WINNING COCKTAIL | Second Shift, Contrast |
RUNNERS-UP | Hsiao Chi Su (Gigi), Nobu Singapore; Tay Boon Lee, Naga House |
LOCAL FINAL | 2 November 2026 | Singapore |
ENTRIES IN SINGAPORE | 53 |
JUDGING PANEL | Armando De Paolis, Managing Director SEA Campari Group Bystrik Uko, Campari Group Ambassador Singapore Jerrold Khoo, Owner-Bartender Stay Gold Flamingo Josiah Chee, Bar Manager and Beverage Programme Lead Bar Bon Funk, Campari Red Hands SG winner 2025 Nimmi Malhotra, Asia correspondent, The Drinks Business |
REGIONAL GRAND FINAL | Milan, January 2027 |
APAC CHAMPION PRIZE | €3,000 cash, the title of Campari Red Hands APAC Champion 2026, and the winning cocktail added to the “Negroni Family Tree” for 2027 |
OFFICIAL WEBSITE | |
@campari.sea | |
HASHTAGS |