Cocktails & Coaches makes a comeback

Cocktails & Coaches is back, giving hospitality workers in Perth the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and connect with others in the city’s hospitality industry.

Returning for the second year, having first taken place in 2023, Cocktails & Coaches Founder Jac Landmark says this year’s event will nurture Perth’s up-and-coming hospitality talent in a way that’s bigger and better than before.

“Last time [Cocktails & Coaches] ran, all I had was a vision and a little over 10-months cocktail bartending experience. This year, we have a bigger team of mentors, two amazing local sponsors – thank you Damaged Goods Distilling Co. and Old Young’s Distillery – and a lot more experience under my belt.”

This year, the team of mentors are are Murray Walsh (Bar Love), Riley Horspool (Bobeche), Benjamin Thomson (Deadbeat Bar), Bridget Love (Sonny’s Bar), Chris Hodges (Mechanics Institute), Ruth Indira (Lum’s Wine Bar), Dyllan Balm (Casa), Phil Firat Senol (The Standard) and Brendan Scott Grey (Bar Love).

Kicking off on Tuesday 13 May with an educational session at Bar Love, five of the mentors will showcase their techniques and skills in a training-style workshop. The mentor session is open to all hospitality workers in Perth and will leave you feeling educated and inspired.

Jac told Bars and Clubs: “Our mentors Riley, Ben, Bridget, Chris and Phil will be running the mentor session, covering topics such as milk punching, acids, reducing waste, carbonation and infusions. Thanks to our sponsors, Damaged Goods Distilling Co. and Old Young’s Distillery, attendants will be able to taste these techniques in action and ask the mentors any questions they may have. This session is open to anyone in hospitality, cocktail bartender or not.”

Also kicking off on 13 May is the Cocktails & Coaches Cocktail Competition, when entries open to anybody who has less than two years’ experience in hospitality and has never competed in a national cocktail competition final. The first nine rookies to apply will be paired with a mentor they have never worked with previously to take part in the final on Monday 9 June at Mechanics Institute.

In the final, the finalists and their mentors will be given seven minutes to present as a pair. Mentors will kick off with a speed round before the rookie uses the remaining time to present their own original cocktail to a panel of judges.

“Teams will be judged together, with the rookie’s presentation and drink accounting for most of the points. They will be judged on drink appearance, taste, creativity, technique and presentation. The mentors’ speed round will be judged on drink appearance, taste, speed and technique,” Jac added.

Jac says the competition has been designed as a fun, hands-on way for industry newcomers to learn how cocktail competitions work with the close support of leading hospitality professionals.

“I’m really hoping to encourage [our finalists] to find a love for competing. Cocktail competitions pop up all the time and they’re an amazing way to see the world, learn new skills and network,” they explained.

“Perth can sometimes be overlooked in the national hospitality scene, but if we have more Western Australians competing in finals and spreading love for our state, we’ll be able to shine a spotlight on our incredible bars and people.”

Encouraging people of all experience levels to get involved, Jac says: “It’s one of those things where you have to ask yourself – what do I have to lose?

“Our previous winner was a waiter, with very little bar experience, and now she’s killing it. Both the competition and the mentor session are about learning something new, giving it a go and having fun. It’s an amazing way to interact with our local community and celebrate our industry, by encouraging and educating each other. 

 “I know how scary it is to enter your first cocktail competition, so I hope that by having someone experienced there to help the whole way, including during the presentation, it will relieve some stress and push rookies to just give it a go. At the very least though, they’ll be walking away with newfound connections in the Perth hospitality scene and more techniques up their sleeve.”