NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Since 2008, the Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) has hosted more than 400 apprentices who have gained valuable experience working and managing large-scale, high-volume events during the annual Tales of The Cocktail conference (TOTC). This year, 40 accomplished and up-and-coming bartenders have earned the opportunity to become Red Coat CAPs and learn alongside some of the world’s most respected bartenders and cocktail experts as apprentices, assisting with seminars and events at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans from July 23-28, 2023. In partnership with VinePair, CAPs official media partner, TOTCF is pleased to announce this year’s CAP class.
First-year CAPs will work together under an assigned “Grey Coat” mentor to prep and execute cocktails and tastings presented during seminars as well as the, Singapore Residency, Catalyst Luncheon, Spirited Awards ceremony, and other headlining events taking place at TOTC’s 2023 host venue, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.
“2022 was a benchmark year for the CAP program coming off of the two-year COVID hiatus,” said CAP Director, Trevor Kallies. “With this July being the 15th Anniversary of the Cocktail Apprentice Program, we are extremely excited for another Tales of the Cocktail at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. This year we saw close to 500 applications from over 20 different countries. With 2023 bringing The Cocktail Apprentice Program back to the full team size, we have selected 40 new Apprentices. We also have a mix of 20 new and veteran Grey Coats. 2023 also brings us promotions of four CAPs new to the Black Coat role as well as two CAPs that have been promoted to White Coats. 2023 is looking to be a phenomenal year of growth and transition for the CAP team.”
This year’s incoming class, known as Red Coats, represents a broad geographical area, and new CAPs hail from eight countries and 19 states. Apprentices were selected through a competitive process that considers recipe submissions, professional experience, and the ability to work with a fast-paced, global team. The team was selectively chosen in order to promote global diversity and ensure that a balance exists between newer and experienced professionals.
These first-time apprentices will be joined by an experienced group of veteran apprentices, who will use their previous experiences to lead this year’s program. Throughout the festival, apprentices can be identified by the color of their chef coats: white for managers, black for assistant managers, grey for leaders, and red for first-time apprentices.
By working directly with seminar presenters, program apprentices hone their skills while simultaneously learning about both the history and future of their craft. After the festival, apprentices are able to apply their new skills to their home and work environments, making the experience of being a CAP member a long-term investment. In addition to technical skills, the valuable professional connections and the team camaraderie fostered during the event have been consistently praised by former members as the most valuable assets the program has given them.
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation would like to thank our generous annual supporters of the Cocktail Apprentice Program: Campari, Crown Royal, Maison Courvoisier, and Pernod Ricard USA.2023 Red Coat Apprentices:
SC Baker
Expo
Louisville, KY
Katanas BladeHanah Detroit
Detroit, MI
Brendon Bos
Padre & Mezcalero
Long Beach, CA
Pete BrowneFive Acres
New York, NY
Zen CastroEspiritu Mezcaleria
New Orleans, LA
Alina Lucia CichozkiFlying Dutchmen Cocktails
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Joe ColemanDoublespeak Cocktails
Aquebogue, NY
Thumper CooperThe Jones Assembly
Oklahoma City, OK
Warren CorazziniTiki Chick
New York, NY
Kelly Dcruz The Secret Mermaid
Singapore
Leah DuFresne Cocktails and Grace
Las Vegas, NV
Tyler Fernberg Quarters Bar and Arcade
Salt Lake City, UT
Ashley FlynnThe Drake Hotel
Toronto, ON, Canada
Jackson GracyBay Harbor Yacht Club
Petoskey, MI
Seth HiravyChez Zou
New York, NY
Zoo Holmström
Mírate
Los Angeles, CA
Gaby HolzerThyme X Table
Cleveland, OH
Matt HuntleyHigh West Distillery
Park City, UT
Scott JenkinsThe Stock Room
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Cheech KinswayMarket Bar
Dublin, OH
Corrie Levis La Otra
Tel Aviv, Israel
Augusto LinoNoir at The Charles Hotel
Cambridge, MA
Kai LucasEuropean Bartender School
New York City, NY
Tyler MacLellanThree Dots and a Dash
Chicago, IL
Jon MateerTPC Sawgrass
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Sarah LM MengoniHistorically Drinking / Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Los Angeles, CA
Sebastián MonteroArco Cocktail Lounge
Savannah, GA
Alexie MylesMystic Restaurant and Bar
Manchester, VT
Jessica NeblinaEmployees Only Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Lauren PileggiTuco’s Taco Lounge
Sudbury, ON, Canada
Antoinette RangelSugar Monk
New York, NY
Daniel ReylockRaines Law Room / Thyme Bar
New York, NY
Joel SpencerWildjac Spirits
Bewdley, UK
Nicole StankovicEmerald City Cocktails
Seattle, WA
Andre SykesAlpino
Detroit, MI
Brandon ThrashMiddle Child Clubhouse
Philadelphia, PA
Sabrina TouzelRestaurant Foxy
Montréal, QC, Canada
Jessica WestergomBeauty & Essex NY
New York, NY
Cynthia WongResonance by Heston Blumenthal, Atlantis The Royal
Dubai, UAE
Viktoria ZolotoverkhayaBar Neiro / OXI Club
Berlin, Germany
2023 Grey Coat Apprentices:
Jen AkinBCI
Seattle, WA
Israel BarónCasa Prunes CDMX
Mexico City, Mexico
Skipper Bonano
Freelance Bartender
Renvo, NV
Dylan BrentwoodBar Kismet
Halifax, NS, Canada
Linda Douglas Cocktail Academy
Los Angeles, CA
Kai Duarte
Pacifico on The Beach
Wailuku, HI
Glenn EldridgeROKA Dubai Dubai, UAE
Tim Frandsen
The Little Gay Pub
Washington, DC
Aaron Hatchell
S&V Uptown
Waterloo, ON, Canada
Arianna Hone
High West Saloon / Post Office Place
Park City, UT
Delena Humble-Fischer
Sin Muerte Phoenix, AZ
Rylen Komeiji
Caviar Bar Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Themos Kontodimas
Pernod Ricard Hellas
Athens, Greece
Ronnie Lopez
Causwells
San Francisco, CA
Evan McNeil
Sovereign Wine & Spirits Halifax, NS, Canada
Jacob Mentel
Wormwood / Secret Garden
San Diego, CA
Vito Morales
Bestia
Los Angeles, CA
Allie Phifer
The Collins Bar
Birmingham, AL
Joey Smith
Zou Zous / Chez Zou
New York City, NY
Ivan Villegas
The NoMad Hotel, London
London, UK
2023 Black Coat Apprentices:
Hagay I. Abramovitz
Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar
Tel Aviv, Israel
Samantha Casuga
Temple Bar
New York, NY
Richie Delahoyde Stillgarden Distillery
Dublin, Ireland
Sarah Syman
The Dandy Crown
Chicago, IL
2023 White Coat Apprentices:
Alexis Belton
F&B Consultant
Chicago, IL
Cris Dehlavi
Diageo Hospitality Partnership
Columbus, OH
Kaleena Goldsworthy*
Proof Incubator and Maven Table
Chattanooga, TN
Trevor Kallies
Freehouse Collective
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Juyoung Kang
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Alex Lerman*Nine Orchard Hotel
New York, NY
*denotes Jr. White Coat
CAP Advisor:
John DeragonResy
Brooklyn, NY
CAPs Ongoing Opportunities
After Tales of the Cocktail 2023 concludes, CAP members will be eligible to apply for the Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship Program when the application reopens in January 2024. Founded by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the Scholarship Program has annually helped former apprentices pursue further learning opportunities over the past ten years. After undergoing a rigorous selection process, former apprentices are selected to receive funding for a wide variety of projects, from those designed to further their career to those designed with the intent to educate the cocktail community.
For more information about the Cocktail Apprentice Program, please visit the TOTCF website.
