BarLifeUK & Maxxium are delighted to announce that the Rookie Programme is back for 2017, applications are open to bartenders from across the UK.
Launched in 2015 the Rookie Programme was designed to provide a year long mentoring programme to young, up and coming bartenders from across the country. When we sat down and spoke to Amanda Humphrey from Maxxium about it we realised just how important, and life changing it could be for the Rookies.
Over the last two years in partnership with Maxxium and the support of the industry as a whole we have taken 24 Rookies under our wings and given them a programme that is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
Each year the Rookies have had 12 training sessions covering everything from Sherry to Sabrage, from Classics to Centrifuges. The list of speakers would make Tales of the Cocktail blush (and probably put up their ticket price) with the UK’s best drinks experts giving up their time to help the next generation of bartenders.
Now it is your chance to benefit from this unique opportunity and give your career an unprecedented boost. If you, a colleague, employee or friend fit into the below criteria you are welcome to apply for yourself or someone else to be part of the 2017 Rookie Programme.
- Be over 18 years of age
- Have worked as a bartender in a cocktail bar for less than 18 months (any time spent working in a pub/restaurant or as a bar back/waitstaff in a bar do NOT count as part of this 18 months)
- Work in England, Scotland or Wales
- See bartending as your life career
- Be willing to take one day a month off work to attend training sessions
Applications will close on Monday 31st July
From there, BarLifeUK and Maxxium will sit down and go through the applications (which totalled in excess of 400 last year) to come up with a shortlist and following a vetting process come up with the final 12 who will make up the 2017 Rookie Programme. Those 12 will benefit from everything the Rookie Programme offers.
Each month (for a year) the 12 Rookies will be brought together for a day and night (all travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the Programme) during which they will receive training on the huge variety of subjects needed to jump start their career as a bartender. Spirits categories, techniques, skills and insight into others successes will all be covered.
The sessions will bring together experts in their field to pass on their knowledge and expertise. Due to the nature of the sessions it also provides a unique opportunity to ask questions and turn each session into a workshop as opposed to a large exhibition style seminar. The sessions will cover the basics of drink making and round building, through advanced techniques and knowledge, management skills, cocktail competitions, menu creation, drinks history. No bar spoon is left unturned.
Previous speakers include (but are certainly not limited to) – Jake Burger, Gareth Evans, Erik Lorincz, James Hopkins, Dan Priseman, Bobby Hiddleston, Alex Kratena, Tomas Estes, Jesse Estes, Dan Warner, JJ Goodman, Elliot Ball, Paul McFadyen, Davide Segat, Mark Ward, Ali Reynolds, Josh Reynolds, David Miles, Thomas Aske, Rebekkah Dooley and Chris Edwardes all led by members of the Mixxit team.
No other country in the world offers an opportunity like this for those starting their career in the bar industry so do not miss the chance to nominate yourself or someone you know to be involved. The below form with take around 10 – 15 minutes to fill out, which isn’t a bad return for a year long mentoring programme.