The courses include theory and practical classes three hours a day and six days a week which includes specialized sessions on Mixology, Product Knowledge, Bar Etiquette, Customer Services, Abseiling, Flairing, Cocktail, and Mocktail recipes.[break]
Apart from the three-month intensive course for novice and amateur bartenders (Diploma in Bartending) and a two-month and three-week crash courses, the school also provides Spanish language classes, courses for bar waiters and waitresses and ensures internship placements at the end of the course.
Upto ten students are enrolled at a time for a course, and currently there are 10 students taking up the three-month course and eight students have enrolled for the two-month program.
Photos: Bhaswor Ojha/Republica
Raj Kumar DC, Managing Director and instructor of Cocktails & Dreams taking a class on product brands at the School of Bartending and Beverage Management in Thapagaon, New Baneshwor on Monday.
Bikram Thapa, 21, one of the students of the Diploma program, is working at the Heritage Hotel in Bhaktapur as a waiter.
“I found out about this course through Food & Wine magazine and since I’m working in the hospitality sector, I thought it would be beneficial for me to take this course and develop my bartending skills,” he said.
Most of the students at the school are from hotel management backgrounds who are utilizing their gap year by taking up this course.
Sujata Phuyal, Riya Swar and Seema Karki completed their Plus 2 in Hotel Management from Xavier International College and are applying abroad to pursue Bachelor in Hotel Management.
Sujata, 22, said, “We’re all planning to go to Europe for our higher education, and this course will set the foundation for us. Since we’ll have had some advance knowledge and experience in bartending and beverage department, it’ll be easier for us.”
Cocktails & Dreams also provides internship opportunities for its students in between their classes.
Riya Swar, who is in her second month of the diploma program, has already interned for Royal Nepal Golf Club’s one-day event, the recently held three-day Tattoo Convention at Hotel Yak & Yeti and an album launch at 1905 Restaurant & Bar.
More than twenty students who have completed their diploma from Cocktails & Dreams are currently doing paid internships in Malaysia and India.
Milan Limbu, who has just finished the first month of his diploma course, will be starting his six-month paid internship in Malaysia in August.
“The bartending industry in Nepal is taking its baby steps and it’ll take some time for the scope to develop domestically. Internationally, there’s so much scope, and with courses like this one, it’s easier for us to get internship and jobs abroad,” said Rai.
Girls taking up this course seem equally enthusiastic and ambitious in taking up the career of bartending in Nepal, and if given enough opportunity elsewhere.
Preety Nepal, 22, who completed her Bachelor of Business Studies from Xavier International College, says, “Bartending is a male-dominated sector, at least in Nepal.
For any of us to go out there and look for jobs, we really need to prove to our prospective employers that we are competent and skilled enough and as good as any male bartender.”
Raj Kumar DC, Managing Director of Cocktails & Dreams, is also an instructor. Having completed a six-month Diploma course in bartending from Cocktails & Dreams, Delhi, in 2005, DC has also worked as Manager and Senior Bartender for the then Red Onion Bar in Lazimpat until 2008.
The school provides 30% discount for female students and Plus 2 students awaiting their results.
“We haven’t heard of a female bartender in Nepal yet and I’m trying to start this trend by providing training to enthusiastic female students who can turn tables in this sector,” said DC.
Ranjiv Rai, 25, who completed his course about a year ago from the school currently works as a flairing instructor at Cocktails & Dreams. Rai, who initially pursued the IT sector, now wants to take up bartending professionally and says with so many restaurants and bars opening up here, the scope is finally growing, and in time it might be possible to sustain a career in this field.
The fee structure for the course ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. A short course is not enough to pick up on each and every basic of bartending, and DC claims that the school manages to provide adequate knowledge within the
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