Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is pleased to announce the opening of the 2024 Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP)® Red Coat application period, from December 15, 2023 - February 1, 2024. As an exclusive mentorship program designed for up-and-coming bartenders, TOTCF will welcome 40 new apprentices to join the 2024 CAP Red Coat class. As the Foundation’s newest CAP participants, the 2024 Red Coats will learn and work alongside some of the industry’s leading names during the 2024 Tales of the Cocktail conference in New Orleans.
Founded in 2008, the TOTCF Cocktail Apprentice Program has hosted more than 540 apprentices who have gained valuable experience working and managing large-scale, high-volume events during the annual TOTC conference. As a CAP Red Coat, the first year in the program includes working with a CAP Grey Coat mentor to prep and execute cocktails and tastings presented during seminars as well as Foundation-hosted events, including the Spirited Awards and Catalyst Luncheon and other headlining events taking place at TOTC’s 2024 host venue, the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.
“Since 2008, the Cocktail Apprentice Program has seen hundreds of bartenders from all over the world come to New Orleans to develop their skills as hospitality professionals as CAPs,” said Trevor Kallies, CAP Manager and White Coat. “We also strive to ensure this group grows into the next generation of industry leaders. We don’t just focus on technical skills, either. Our priority every year is to take the new class of Red Coats and teach them leadership, inclusivity, and mentorship. All of this with the goal of developing them into the next generation of role models and mentors in our industry. The things they learn in our program stretch well beyond the week of Tales of the Cocktail.”
Once part of the illustrious mentorship program, CAPs are welcomed into an incredible community of global industry professionals. Additionally, TOTCF continues to support the growing class of past apprentices by offering exclusive opportunities for scholarships and financial aid to support their growth within the industry further.
“The Cocktail Apprentice Program was an invaluable experience. It allowed someone like me, from a small market, to network and learn from some of the best in the industry,” said Joseph Coleman, CAP Red Coat 2023. “Being a CAP has pushed me to grow more than I ever thought possible and vastly changed how I plan to continue my career.”
In order to qualify as a Red Coat, applicants must be:
- Industry professionals (bartenders, bar managers, barbacks, brand ambassadors, educators, distillers, and more)
- At least 21 years old by May 1, 2024
- Live anywhere in the world and have a valid U.S. visa
Accepted applicants into the program are responsible for their own flights to and from New Orleans, and TOTCF will provide lodging accommodations, meals, and access to events and ancillary networking opportunities. Interested applicants are invited to learn more about the program and fill out the CAP Red Coat application via the TOTCF website. The 2024 CAP Red Coat class will be announced on May 1, 2024.
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