Four members of the Foundation’s Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) have been awarded scholarships for BAR 5-Day Spirits & Mixology Certification Program.
Each year, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) offers members of its Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) exclusive opportunities, such as applying for the Maison Ferrand Rocky Yeh CAP Bar 5-Day Scholarship to participate in the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) 5-Day Program, February 2-6, 2026, at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
“As a CAP Alum and past scholarship recipient, I know how transformative this opportunity can be. Today’s CAPs are brilliant, driven, and wonderfully diverse. They’re the future of our industry, and it’s an honor for all of us at Maison Ferrand to help open the doors they deserve to walk through,” says Sean Frederick, Director of Marketing at Maison Ferrand USA.
This year, the Maison Ferrand Rocky Yeh CAP Bar 5-Day Scholarship is dedicated in memoriam to Rocky Yeh, who was a long-time supporter of the Program.
“Rocky set the standard for how we show up for one another in this industry. His joy, generosity, curiosity, and constant championing of the next generation left a lasting mark on all of us. Having this scholarship bear his name ensures that the qualities he embodied continue to guide and uplift the community he loved,” says Frederick.
After a thorough review of applicants by the 2025 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:
- Aliya Harrison, Dorothea Fine Greek, 2025 Grey Coat
- Rory Kerwin, J.W. Heist/Lively Libations, 2025 Grey Coat
- Lauren Pileggi, PMA Canada, 2025 Grey Coat
- Daniela Useche Téllez, Prophecy Bar/Marriott Showcase Restaurant & Bar, 2025 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. In addition to tuition and travel support for the BAR 5-Day Program, the scholarship also includes an invitation for recipients to travel to Cognac, France, to attend Maison Ferrand’s annual Stiggins’ Ball, providing added opportunities for immersive education, cultural exchange, and industry connection.
“The opportunities provided by Tales of the Cocktail’s Cocktail Apprentice Program have impacted my life in an indescribable way. Being able to spend time with leading professionals and learn alongside the best in our industry is a true honour, one I feel lucky to have experienced more than once, thanks to CAP. I’m excited to push myself to the next level and further develop my education through the BAR 5-Day program. I’m especially looking forward to challenging myself, and I can’t wait to bring this knowledge home to my community. Thank you, TOTC & CAP for everything you’ve done for me in the last three years; the list is long and growing,” says scholarship recipient Lauren Pileggi.
Since starting the scholarship program, 60 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.
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 COCKTAIL APPRENTICE PROGRAM: 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 600 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.
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 19-24, 2026, 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.
ABOUT BAR 5-DAY:
The BAR 5-Day Program is an educational event focused on distilled spirits and mixology, taking place from February 2-6, 2026, in Hyde Park, New York. This program is designed for bartenders and beverage professionals, offering rigorous training and practical applications in the field of mixology.
ABOUT MAISON FERRAND:
Maison Ferrand is one of the world’s premier independent producers of fine spirits and the pioneer of the historical spirits movement. The company was founded in the Cognac region of France by Alexandre Gabriel in 1989 with a mission to preserve and revive traditional production methods that capture the true expression of the spirit.
