Four members of the Foundation’s Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) have been awarded scholarships for BAR 5-Day Spirits & Mixology Certification Program.
NEW ORLEANS, LA — Each year, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) offers members of its Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) exclusive opportunities, such as applying for a scholarship to participate in the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) 5-Day Program, May 13-17, 2025, at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
The Cocktail Apprentice Program is an exclusive mentorship program for up-and-coming bartenders to learn alongside some of the biggest names in the business during the four days of Tales of the Cocktail. Since 2008, more than 580 apprentices have gained extensive experience working and managing large-scale, high-volume events while providing an invaluable service to TOTCF and the industry as a whole. TOTCF continues to support the growing group of past apprentices by offering exclusive opportunities for scholarships and financial aid to support their growth within the industry further.
After a thorough review of applicants by the 2024 CAP White Coats and Black Coats, the Foundation is honored to announce and congratulate the recipients of the 2025 BAR 5-Day Program CAP scholarships:
- Kelly Dcruz, Beverage Director at The Secret Mermaid, Singapore
- 2024 Grey Coat
- 2023 Red Coat
- Parker Luthman, Bartender at Gift Horse & Oberlin, Providence, RI
- 2018 & 2019 Grey Coat
- 2017 Red Coat
- Madeleine MacDonald, Instructor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism at SAIT, Calgary, AB, Canada
- 2024 Red Coat
- Joshua Thompson, Bartender at Bar Contra, New York, NY
- 2024 Red Coat
Each recipient will be awarded a scholarship valued at approximately $4,000 for tuition and a travel stipend to attend the upcoming event. Maison Ferrand has partnered with TOTCF to help support this year’s recipients in attending the program.
Since starting the scholarship program, 56 former Cocktail Apprentices have participated in the BAR 5-Day Program. The CAP scholarship program is an ongoing effort to uplift and cultivate the international bartending community that TOTCF has supported over the past years.
2025 BAR 5-Day Program CAP Scholarship Recipients
“Thank you so much to Tales of the Cocktail and the Cocktail Apprentice Program for giving me the opportunity to attend BAR 5-Day! I’m so excited to be able to learn from the best and to get the opportunity to share a space with beverage professionals from around the world.
This program has given me so much in the last 2 years and I’m incredibly grateful.
I’m so proud to be a CAP and I can’t wait to start studying!”
- Kelly Dcruz, Beverage Director at The Secret Mermaid, Singapore
- 2024 Grey Coat
- 2023 Red Coat
“I am incredibly honored to be selected as one of this year’s BAR 5-Day Scholarship recipients by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation! Completing this extensive program is a milestone set by many talented beverage professionals in our industry, and I am excited to be granted the opportunity to take on this challenge alongside so many like-minded individuals. I’m determined to take this next step in my career head-on and to continue the work toward creating inclusive educational environments and opportunities within my local communities and among my peers. Thank you so much!”
- Parker Luthman, Bartender at Gift Horse & Oberlin, Providence, RI
- 20218 & 2019 Grey Coat
- 2017 Red Coat
“I am incredibly honoured to be chosen for the BAR 5-Day CAP Scholarship. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am so grateful for. The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and the CAP Program have already enriched my life and I know that receiving this scholarship will allow me to develop my knowledge and skills in the hospitality industry even further. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead and the opportunities that it will open up for me in the future. I am humbled that I will be able to learn from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable spirits experts and look forward to applying this knowledge on both a personal and professional level.”
- Madeleine MacDonald, Instructor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism at SAIT, Calgary, AB, Canada
- 2024 Red Coat
“It’s incredibly hard to describe how meaningful the opportunities provided to me by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation have been. Being selected for this scholarship is truly surreal and an immense honor. I’m incredibly excited to spend a week around like-minded people while learning from some of the best in our industry. I’m confident BAR 5-Day will push me and help me grow in ways no other program has. I’m looking forward to the countless hours of studying ahead and can’t wait to bring back what I learn to my team and community.”
- Joshua Thompson, Bartender at Bar Contra, New York, NY
- 2024 Red Coat
For more information about the TOTCF’s Cocktail Apprentice Program, visit www.talesofthecocktail.org/initiatives/cocktail-apprentice-program.
For more information about Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, visit www.talesofthecocktail.org.
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ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to advance the global hospitality industry and create a lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in the communities that host our events.
ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL:
The 23rd annual Tales of the Cocktail will be held, July 20-25, 2025, in New Orleans. Founded in 2002, Tales of the Cocktail has grown from a small gathering of cocktail lovers into the world’s premier cocktail festival. Each year the international spirits industry is welcomed to New Orleans for a week of seminars, tastings, networking events and much more. With 300+ annual events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers and other spirits professionals, Tales of the Cocktail is the industry’s annual meeting place for the exchange of new ideas, products, and techniques.
