Johnson Dugbey, from The Chop Bar was announced as the top bartender at Master Bartending Academy (MBA) event held at The Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra on the 28th of June, 2016.

Some 40 bartenders were chosen to compete for the title of the Master Bartender after completing the MBA training.

MBA is Africa’s largest bartending programme run by Diageo; the world's leading premium drinks business and the parent company of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL).

Kweku Sekyi-Cann Marketing Director – GGBL said “GGBL, as the leading beverage company in Ghana, has a passion for making sure its drinks are served perfectly every time all of the time, and that they meet world-class standards of service. We believe bartending is a profession that requires skill and this programme is carefully designed to provide this requisite skill.”

To date, the training programme has taken place in more than 30 cities across Africa with over 37,000 bartenders trained. In Ghana specifically, the programme was launched three years ago and has trained over 3,600 bartenders.

To be a Top Master Bartender takes dedicated work, all trainees must complete three modules.

The first module, titled MBA 101 is a one-day workshop which among others, cover key topics on bartending like customer service, bartender secrets and responsible drinking.

Each of the bartender trainees leave the workshop with a bar tendering manual and a link to a mobi-site, to complete the second module - MBA 202. Once completed only the highest scoring twenty five bartenders are selected to go through the final stage – MBA 303.

The 303 module consists of a full day of training and testing after which the final five are chosen who then complete a live showdown in front of an audience where one bartender is adjudged the Master Bartender for the year.

All the MBA 303 finalists receive an MBA certificate together with exclusive MBA merchandise that includes a special cocktail kit. The Master Bartender also gets to take home an iPad loaded with exclusive cocktail apps, $1000 (US dollars) and the title of his/ her city as The Master Bartender.