Palatine man mixes way to honors in bartending competition

A Palatine man is still one of the greatest bartenders in the world.

Local mixologist Jason Ochoa came in as a runner-up during a bartending competition in Las Vegas this week.

He was one of eight finalists out of 8,000 TGI Friday's bartenders in what the restaurant chain dubs the World Bartender Championship.

The winner of the competition, held Monday, was 25-year-old Tony Adams from London, who took home several prizes, including $10,000 in cash.

Ochoa, 33, works at the restaurant in Glenview and grew up in Mount Prospect. He's been bartending for about 11 years.

He took the entire month off work before the competition to practice. Although he didn't win, he does go home with $500.

"It was a pleasure meeting everyone. It was hard and lots of work," he said Tuesday from Vegas. "I was happy to be here."