Athens Hosted the European Semi-Final of the Cointreau Margarita Challenge 2026

For the sixth consecutive year, the Cointreau Margarita Challenge continues to inspire bartenders from around the world to reimagine one of the world's most iconic cocktails. What began as a competition dedicated to the classic Margarita has evolved into an international platform celebrating creativity, technical excellence, and innovation behind the bar.

This year's edition was held under the theme "Shake It Up", encouraging participants to challenge convention, embrace creativity, and present their own original interpretation of the Margarita.

"Shake It Up": A Creative Challenge

For the 2026 edition, Cointreau introduced a new competition format that challenged every participant from the very beginning.

After registering on the competition platform, bartenders activated a digital shaker that randomly revealed one of ten secret ingredients. Each competitor was required to incorporate that ingredient into their recipe, pushing them beyond familiar techniques and encouraging fresh creative thinking.

Athens at the Heart of the European Semi-Final

This year's European Semi-Final took place in Athens, bringing together nine of Europe's top bartenders representing Greece, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Throughout the competition, participants completed a series of challenges before presenting the Margarita that had earned them a place in the semi-final, demonstrating both their technical abilities and creative approach.

Dariia Khodakivska Wins the European Semi-Final

The winner of the European Semi-Final was Dariia Khodakivska, bartender at BarmanDictat in Kyiv, Ukraine. Her victory secured her place in the Global Final, which will take place in Paris and Angers, France.

For Dariia, competitions are about much more than winning.

"For me, competitions are like 'quest chambers'—places where you discover how you respond when the pressure rises. You don't compete to prove to others how good you are, but to discover your true potential and identify the areas where you still need to grow."

The Judging Panel

The competitors were evaluated by an international panel consisting of:

• Babis Kaidalidis, Founder of Athens Bar Show and Bar Academy Group
• Łukasz Chodacki, European Champion and Global Finalist of the Cointreau Margarita Challenge 2025
• Manos Mantzaridis, Cointreau Margarita Challenge 2025 Global Wild Card Finalist and Bar Manager at Naked Athens

Reflecting on this year's European Semi-Final, Babis Kaidalidis commented:

"This year's European Semi-Final confirmed several thoughts I already had about the strength of the European bar scene. Every cocktail we tasted—both those prepared in advance and those created on the spot using the ingredients provided—was exceptionally well executed. That is far from common, especially in competitions of this level.
Daria, together with the other two finalists, stood out because of the attention they paid to every detail. The overall standard was remarkably high, even by Greek standards. I believe Daria earned first place because, beyond her technical skills, she managed to bring part of her own personality into the first challenge. The authenticity of her presentation, combined with a beautifully balanced and delicious cocktail, was what impressed me the most.
Today, that's what truly makes the difference in an international competition. Technical excellence alone is not enough—you need to express yourself through the cocktail you create."

The Road to the Global Final

The Global Final will take place across Paris and Angers, the birthplace of Cointreau.

Finalists will immerse themselves in the world of Cointreau through masterclasses led by Master Distiller Carole Quinton, educational workshops, and a series of demanding challenges before presenting their Margaritas to an international judging panel. Cocktails will be evaluated on creativity, balance, technical execution, presentation, and how well they interpret this year's theme, "Shake It Up."

The Value of the Cointreau Margarita Challenge

The Cointreau Margarita Challenge has become one of the world's leading bartending competitions, serving as a launching pad for many bartenders who have gone on to build remarkable careers within the international bar industry.

In addition, finalists become part of the Cointreau Collective, the brand's global mentoring and support network, gaining access to an international community of professionals, educational opportunities, and career development initiatives that continue well beyond the competition itself.