Institute of Tourism Studies students participate in cocktail competition

Students following the Food and Beverage Programme of the Institute of Tourism Studies participated in a Cocktail competition organised according to Bartenders Guild standards. The ITS Students Cocktail Competition, held at the Assembly Hall of the ITS itself, was well attended including representatives from the leading beverage importers and agents.

Three panels judged the competition where students had to highlight the taste of the cocktail, the technical expertise and participate in an interview. This is important, as ITS instructor and organiser of the event, Mr. Richard Pons, said, because a bartender's duty is not simply the concocting of cocktails. Bartending skills also involve communicating with the customer, providing a friendly service and giving the client value for money. The judging panels were made up of experts from the industry and officials from the Bartenders Guild.

Eleven students competed in the final session, each presenting and preparing their own original concoction. The overall winner with 159 points was Charles Cutajar, in second place with 152 points, Joe Cachia, and in third place with 150 points, Kevin Grima. Included among the 11 cocktails there was also a non-alcoholic concoction showing that clients can still enjoy the creations of a skilled bartender without having to consume alcohol, if they so wish.

Mr. Charles Bonavia, the President of the Bartenders Guild, who was instrumental in the organisation of this event, kept the audience informed and entertained with a running commentary of the proceedings. Mr. Bonavia confirmed after the event that the level reached by the students was of a very high standard and augurs well for the future of bartendering. Simon Micallef a member of the Management Board of the ITS said that Bartending was now a formal course aimed at promoting these skills and increasing the level of professionalism in this important field.

The ITS caters for around 800 students, both full and part-time of whom around 90 are in the Food and Beverage area, which includes Restaurant and Barskills courses.