Ten questions for Matt Arnold, World Class GB 2026 winner
Ahead of the 17th Diageo World Class Global Final taking place in bonny Scotland 19th-22nd October, we caught up with Matt Arnold, representing Great Britain for the second time. The co-owner of Passing Fancies in Birmingham will be up against 50 bartenders from around the world – all of them hoping to be crowned World Class 2026 Global champ.
Having placed second in the competition in 2024, there are big hopes for Matt but, as he says, that comes with a fair share of pressure. Both from his fellow competitors and also himself. Here he talks honestly about the highs and lows of his five year World Class journey and how he feels about this being the last time he will be taking part.
1. So Matt, to say you’ve been on a journey with World Class is an understatement. You’ve been part of this competition since 2021. What is the draw and how has it differed for you each time?
Great question. To boil it down, I’m a massive believer in forced creativity. I need an enormous amount of pressure to get my brain into gear in order for me to create something new.
I love that there’s a deadline. Most of the time, the challenges push you to think outside the box if you want to stand out. That’s always been a massive draw for me – even when I didn’t place in the finals.
To have something consistent each year to see how you’re progressing as a bartender from serve to serve is quite an experience. If I look back at a photo of my first serve compared to what we’re going to be putting out in the globals next week. Those two pictures show a journey.
As for how the competition has differed for me each time? I think my journey is unique. There was always the goal of wanting to be in the top 100. And then wanting to be in the top 50 and making it to the final. Then you want to win the final. When you win the final, it’s like, ‘Well, I’d love to go back’. So it’s been a pretty intense path. The goalpost always moves, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
2. 2023 saw you take the top prize, representing GB in Sao Paulo. What did you learn about yourself during the process?
I learned that I can handle pressure very well – everything from the public speaking, to the 50,000 handshakes – I believe that confidence comes after the point of doing something. Placing second and performing well gave me a massive confidence boost.
What it taught me was that I have the potential to do something on a global scale. It’s the most disciplined I’ve ever been. The most creative I’ve ever been and it’s one of the proudest things that I’ve ever done. It also taught me how much I love Birmingham, which is why I talk about this amazing city whenever I can.
3. After the disappointment of not winning, did you have moments when you doubted your ability to go on? Both mentally and physically?
All the time then! It is such a mental slog, not only for me, but for [business and life partner] Eve as well. The time commitment takes me away from the business and from my personal life. I think Eve will be grateful that this is the last year I could ever do it. I’ve made the globals twice now and mentally, it’s always a question of: am I flogging a dead horse? Am I relevant? Do I have my finger on the pulse as much as I need to?
It’s quite funny because it’s almost like imposter syndrome, even though I’ve already proved myself. That doesn’t come from thinking I shouldn’t be in the World Class final. It comes from wondering if I still belong in the final. I hope that makes sense.
4. In between your current reign, two of your World Class buddies have represented GB. How did you support each other during your respective wins?
We’ve had a bit of a crazy circle. I beat Lele, who was my partner in 2023, and then I announced Danilo as winner in 2024. Danilo announced Lele as winner in 2025, then Lele announced me as winner this year, so we’ve had this, I want to say unholy trinity over the last three years.
When Danilo was in the UK, of course there was so much support, but me and Lele continue to support each other – not only in World Class. We’re super tight, and with the opening of his Bar Asassi, myself and the team at Passing Fancies are helping him in every way we can, on the infrastructure, staffing, tech – the lot. World Class has built a relationship that has surpassed the competition.
So how did we support each other? There wasn’t anything that we wouldn’t do for each other, and that’s one of the reasons I came back this year. Lele saw the top of the mountain, I saw the top of the mountain, and we started this journey together, four years ago. He was the one who said, ‘you’ve got to go back, because it’s now for both of us’, which is the drive, I guess.
5. Does it get easier or more pressured entering the competition?
The first time there wasn’t there wasn’t any pressure, because I hadn’t proved anything. Then I won, and there was pressure to go to the globals. It was amazing, because I didn’t feel like there was much pressure on me the first time. But now, having placed second in the globals and winning GB twice, I think the pressure is threefold.
I believe that we’re walking in with a a target on our back, and that means we have to be 20% better. Because if I was competing against us, I’d push myself 10% more.
6. Fast forward to 2026 and you’re back! How was this year’s competition for you? What are your highlights?
This year competition was extremely enjoyable, the hosting at the NED [hotel] was just wonderful – as were all of the finalists, the group, the team – the whole experience felt very considered and thought out. I particularly loved the last push with the GB final, when we were serving a crazy room full of very thirsty people. There was me, Chelsie Bailey and Oscar Perry smashing drinks out and hopefully having a good time.
Memorable highlights, without the obvious of the announcement of my name? Just by chance I had a cupboard behind me and as my final presentation was about setting up a music festival that looked at different biomes around the Arctic and desert, the cupboard fitted the theme perfectly. You walked in, it had no lights and it felt like being in space. So, as well as our cocktails upfront, we served Guinness in the cupboard at the back, because that too is cold and black. The fact that Ryan Chetiyawardana and Iain McPherson kept sneaking back of house for a Guinness every 10 minutes was pretty up there!
7. Did you believe that believe you would win or were there moments that you doubted yourself?
When you’re competing against Chelsie Bailey and Oscar Perry in the final, nothing ever feels comfy! I didn’t think that I’d won at the end. I felt that Chelsie gave a very, very, very strong performance, and it wouldn’t have surprised me, or upset me, if she had been the one to fly the flag this year. I think at some point she’s going to do it, and we’ll all be behind her, whenever that is.
8. What have you learned in five years of taking part in World Class?
The bar industry moves very fast. A lot of it is fashion, competitions aren’t just about drinks, they’re about points, and that’s the be all and end all of everything when you’re competing. Also the community itself is a lot smaller than you think. As soon as you scratch the surface, the tip of the iceberg is usually a pint of Guinness away.
9. How are you hoping that your previous experience as a WC Global Finalist will help you this time round?
I know what I’m expecting when I walk in to it this year. I’ve got a very good idea of what needs to be where and the mindset I need to be in during those 30 minutes that I’m stood behind that stage waiting to get started. I feel like I’ve dealt with all that, so I’m ready to go. I’m hoping that my experience in Brazil and the pressure that I’ve put on myself in the past 18 months is going to help everything run smoothly.
This year was going to be my last time competing in World Class either way. If I hadn’t won GB again this year I would have just moved on to the next thing. I’ve got a beautiful bar and a wonderful team to be leading, and the competition takes up a lot of time. So I’m hoping going in and knowing that I can never step back on that stage again is going to be something that really grounds me.
10. Lastly, you’re the only WCGB finalist to represent the country twice. What does that say about you and how do you hope it will inspire others going forward?
It says that I’m really fucking stubborn! I also think there must be something wrong with me!
I opened Passing Fancies in 2023 and it was a crazy busy time and that was the year that I first won World Class GB. Then this year when I’ve reopened site two Passing Fancies, I’ve won again. So I think my brain just needs this unhealthy level of pressure and consumption to turn into goals.
What I hope it’ll inspire is, if you want something, it’s got to be you that goes for it. I’ve seen a few World Class winners rest on their laurels and be like ‘I was the best bartender in the UK’, which is what World Class are trying to find, but bartending is such a broad spectrum. You can’t just say you’re the best, that’s not how this thing works. I’m hoping that me going back will inspire a bit of confidence and that realisation that maybe people don’t care. Not everyone is always looking, and that’s the mindset that I had to have going in again.
Over the last two years, I couldn’t just sit on my past glory. I wanted to go back to the globals, I want to do everything that I have set out to do, and I want to prove to myself that it’s achievable. And you know what? If we go in and come second, I can say I’ve done absolutely everything in my power to achieve the dreams.
I think sometimes people need that nudge and that confidence to take the risk. You’re not going to ruin your career by taking a risk on something like this, even if you’re considered to be at the top of your game or you’re a multi-bar operator. If anything, you’ll probably get more things out of it, and that’s what I’m hoping to inspire.