RAISING THE BAR: Diageo Bar Academy Kenya Launch

By stylenerds Lifestyle March 2, 2021

“Raise the bar, raise your standards and you will receive a high outcome”. The bartending profession is becoming more sophisticated by the day as customers seek better service, better drinks and an overall better drinking experience. Kenya Breweries has therefore opened the Diageo Bar academy with the aim to help bartenders build efficiency in delivering quality bar service.

The Diageo Bar Academy was launched on February 24, coinciding with World Bartender’s Day. The intimate and prestigious launch was held at the K1 Klub House in Parklands where we enjoyed some lovely cocktails as we got to learn more about the academy. The Diageo Bar academy is an immersive training programme for bar professionals that will educate them, inspire and support them with their bartending career.

Melvin Rukunga, Diageo Brand Ambassador; Flavia Othim, KBL Head of Spirits; Joel Kamau, KBL Commercial Director, Yvonne Mwangi, EABL Head of Sales Nairobi and Nick Mutinda, EABL Head of Reserve(Luxury) Key Accounts at the launch of the Diageo Bartenders Academy at K1 Johnnie Walker Bar.

“The programme will sharpen the skills of bartenders in Kenya, and as well raise the profile of the art form of bar service. We want to build a very strong bartenders’ movement in Kenya. Our consumers taste, and needs are evolving every day, therefore it is important we champion this cause. While building these amazing people skills, we are also giving back to the communities that we work in and watching bartenders develop their careers here in Kenya. ” This was the official statement by KBL Commercial Director, Joel Kamau, about why they opened the Diageo Bar Academy and what they aim to achieve.

Flavia Othim, KBL Head of Spirits, Joel Kamau, KBL Commercial Director with Yvonne Mwangi, Diageo Global Sales Execution Lead Africa at the launch of the Diageo Bartenders Academy at K1 Johnnie Walker Bar.

The academy will train 10,000 bartenders in the next four months. Among the skills the bartenders will get to learn include customer service, the art of bartending, tools of the trade, bartender secrets, drink categories, spirit production, brand knowledge, perfect serves, counterfeit spotting, up selling and responsible serving. This will equip bartenders with the skills to scale up their business to the next level.

Joel Kamau, KBL Commercial Director pours Yvonne Mwangi, EABL Head of Sales Nairobi a drink as Nick Mutinda, EABL Head of Reserve(Luxury) and Key Accounts looks on at the launch of the Diageo Bartenders Academy at K1 Johnnie Walker Bar.

Are you interested in bartending as a career option? The Diageo Bar Academy is open to both seasoned and rookie bartenders and you can join the programme by calling the KBL call center via +254 711 018 000, +254 721 985 566 or visit their website. Raise the bar to your future with Diageo!