On the eve of Bartender of the Year 2026, Tanguy Charbonnet reflects on his year carrying the title.
Nearly a year after being named 2025 Australian Bartender of the Year, Jackalope Hotels food and beverage director, Tanguy Charbonnet, talks brand collaborations, building a low ABV program on the Mornington Peninsula, and why the next generation needs to get out of its own head.
The morning after Tanguy Charbonnet was named 2025 Australian Bartender of the Year, his phone started ringing. It kept ringing for weeks.
“I was getting messages from everyone in the industry in Australia. Just beautiful words.
“I wasn’t expecting so many people to reach out to say well done. I was just like, wow, that’s a big thing,” he says.
For a bartender 20 years into his career, the recognition landed deep.
“I’ve been bartending for 20 years, so winning a prize like this was mind-blowing. I’m just very thankful to all the people who supported me and believed in me. I’ve been very blessed,” Charbonnet says.
Charbonnet will mark 10 years in Australia in February. He left France wanting a change of scenery and to improve his English, and a friend, already living in Melbourne, talked him into making it his landing spot.
“He told me, ‘come to Melbourne, the weather is good’. I’m still mad at him. We’re still friends, but I’m still mad at him,” he says.
He stayed anyway. He met his wife here, and the couple now have two children. Professionally, he has built his name at Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula, where he now oversees food and beverage across Jackalope Hotels.
The title brought a new kind of visibility. Once the congratulations settled, the pitches, briefs and invitations started arriving for tailored drinks lists, bespoke serves, and masterclasses for brands wanting a piece of the reigning champion.
“Brands started to reach out wanting to do things with me. I’m having a lot of fun sharing my passion and seeing people participating and asking questions. It’s a great feeling,” he says.
The approaches have come from names including French fruit purée producer Boiron, but the collaboration that stands out came from outside the liquor industry altogether.
Tea company, T2, approached Charbonnet with a brief that upended his usual process to create drinks with no alcohol at all.
“The challenge they set was to work on drinks that are non-alcoholic, and I found it very interesting, especially as we see that space growing more and more. I like to showcase a spirit in my drinks. In this case, I needed to showcase the tea. It was a great challenge, very unique,” he said.
“When I see something interesting, I want to work with that concept, but my way. It’s all about being curious.”
That thinking has followed him back to the Jackalope bar. Charbonnet has just launched a new beverage program pushing further into low ABV and non-alcoholic territory, working with kombucha and tea-infused sodas alongside the cocktail list.
“There’s clearly an audience looking for non-alcoholic or low ABV drinks, and I’m trying to get my team working towards this. I made my first kombucha a couple of days ago. It’s a journey we’ll be on for a while,” he said.
“But I like to make things my way. Even if it’s a non-alcoholic drink or a kombucha, I still want to bring something that is my touch. Something different from what you can find somewhere else.”
That instinct for individuality shapes how he develops his team. New bartenders at Jackalope start with the classics, but once the foundations are in place, Charbonnet pushes them towards their own palate.
“I always say my grandma’s recipes were the best because she put her love into them, but they were her recipes. If you enjoy what you’re doing and put enough love into it, it’s going to be good. But think outside the box sometimes,” he says.
He points to a conversation with Alex Francis, the English bartender who ran Paris institution Little Red Door, as a lasting influence on his own creative process.
“I asked him where he got his creativity from. He said, sometimes I just read something, and I want to pick one element, whether it’s fermentation, whether it’s an infusion, and bring it to my own concept, my own drinks. I kept that in mind. When I see something interesting, I want to work with that concept, but my way,” Charbonnet says.
“It’s all about being curious. I spend so much time in books and on social media looking at things. When I find something interesting, I save it and know that I’m going to try it.”
Summer will bring a run of brand activations at Jackalope, including a white pool party, and Charbonnet credits the hotel for the creative freedom to make them his own. The longer game is bigger.
“The ultimate goal would be to have my own bar here in Australia, to showcase my drinks and my identity. I’m still working towards it.”
With Sydney Bar Week approaching, and a new field of Bartender of the Year hopefuls preparing to compete, Charbonnet has already been fielding messages from entrants asking what to expect. His advice is simple.
“Whatever happens, be confident, believe in yourself, and surround yourself with people who support you. Don’t overthink, because overthinking is the enemy.
“Have fun, meet people, and whatever round you’re in, enjoy what you’re doing. We learn from everyone, so take what you can from it. It’s a great competition and a great moment to share. If you choose to be there, it’s because you want to show yourself. Keep that in mind.”