5 day International Bartenders Course - Durban

A bartender is a salesperson, so much of the job is making sure the quality of the products(drinks) and the speed of service matches the style and professionalism of the bartender. You cannot serve great drinks from a bar that is not clean or set up correctly. A bartender should know everything there is to know about a bar from cleanliness and set up to service and product knowledge. We aim to start you off on the right train tracks so you can improve your skills and learn whilst still serving great drinks

Most bartenders are still taught on the job and that is a fine way of learning if you have the mentorship and instruction from a good bartender. Unfortunately, many bars and restaurants do not have the time and energy to train their bartenders properly and most end up with very good knowledge of part of the job. A bartending course might seem expensive but if you count the amount you will earn over your career and the extra tips you will make serving great cocktails and having a better paid job, then it's an easy decision. Many countries (Australia, most states in the USA) already have compulsory licensing for bartenders and most top end bars and restaurants will not even consider you unless you have years of experience or a bartending qualification. All the cruise ships insist on a qualification such as Shaker certificate before you can apply to them.

The best course is one that teaches you the basics but also the joy of bartending. No course can teach you everything you need to learn about bartending but the best will set you off in the right direction. Bartending is hard work, long hours, stressful....it's a steep learning curve for many. But it's also the best job in the world, you get to travel, meet new people every day and earn a great living. Most of the students who come on the Shaker courses have a great time and meet other future bartenders as well as starting their skills in a new career.

For your exam you will have to learn 20 classic cocktails, there are now 10s of thousands of different cocktails, it's impossible to learn them all. But you can learn the different techniques of making drinks. Once you have those techniques down, then you can apply them to any cocktail you make.

Many bartenders learn all the classics then use the internet on their phone for any recipes they do not know. You will obviously have to learn all the drinks on the menu in each bar you work in and gradually your menu knowledge will increase.

This is of course up to you, for many of our students they just want a job in a local bar to earn them some money through college or travelling but some will choose to make this their career and for them the possibilities are endless. We do invite local bar and restaurant owner to our 'stress test' and sometimes all the students have a job before they have finished the course. Here are the jobs that some of our students are now doing; - Most are working in the top bars and restaurants around Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town - Bartender at the Connaught Hotel in London - Started their own award winning cocktail bar in London - Travelling the world with Carnival cruises as a bartender - Running a cocktail bar in Lagos Nigeria - Working as a crewmember/bartender in the private yacht industry in Monaco - Working as a bartender barista on one of the largest private yachts in the world (we can't tell you which one I'm afraid )

You can book and pay for your course online, there is plenty of information on this website and it's very secure. If you want to speak to someone call Fay or Xola at our head office +27 21 422 1574 and they can give you the lowdown. You can pay over the phone or we can send you a link for an EFT, Snapscan or your credit card. You only need to pay a deposit when you book to secure your place on a particular course then you can settle the remainder in the week before you start.

All of our current dates are on the website, or you can call Xola or Fay in the office if you are not sure which course is best for you or you want to learn more about our packages (to save some money?)

We have put a number of our courses together for those that are looking to combine the courses into a longer one. We have discounted them when you book them like this and you can do the courses over whatever time period suits you. There is no problem with doing the Master Bartender Package in a month or you can spread it over 6 months if you like. You can see all the different course dates on the website or you can call Fay or Xola (+27 21 422 1574) to help you navigate this.