57 CAP apprentices have been selected for the TOTCF 2022 Class
NEW ORLEANS, LA (May 16, 2022) — Since 2008, the Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) has hosted more than 400 apprentices who have gained valuable experience working and managing large-scale, high-volume events during the annual Tales of The Cocktail Conference (TOTC). This year, 32 accomplished and up-and-coming bartenders have earned the opportunity to become Red Coat CAPs and learn alongside some of the world’s most respected bartenders and cocktail experts as apprentices, assisting with seminars and events at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans from July 25–29, 2022. The 2022 CAP Class and Program is generously sponsored by our partners at Campari, Courvoisier, Crown Royal, Jose Cuervo Tradicional, Lyre’s, and Sazerac.
First-year CAPs will work together under an assigned “Grey Coat” mentor to prep and execute cocktails and tastings presented during seminars as well as the Dame Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Spirited Awards ceremony, and other headlining events taking place at TOTC’s 2022 host venue, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.
“After not having an in-person Tales of the Cocktail for the past two years, we were beyond excited to get back to the application process. It is always so amazing to read the stories of the applicants, and this year was no exception. 2022 brings a smaller team, so we had that much more of a challenge selecting, but we cannot wait to bring our 32 new CAPs, and of course, our 16 returning CAPs to New Orleans with 2022 being an opportunity for a new era of both Tales of the Cocktail and the Cocktail Apprentice Program” said the CAP Leadership Team, Alexis Belton-Tinoco, Cris Dehlavi, John Deragon, Trevor Kallies, and Juyoung Kang.
This year’s incoming class, known as Red Coats, are selected from 14 U.S. states; Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico; and six countries, including Canada, Ghana, Israel, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Apprentices were selected through a competitive process that considers recipe submissions, professional experience, and the ability to work with a fast-paced, global team. The team was selectively chosen in order to promote global diversity and ensure that a balance exists between newer and experienced professionals.
These first-time apprentices will be joined by an experienced group of veteran apprentices, who will use their previous experiences to lead this year’s program. Throughout the festival, apprentices can be identified by the color of their chef coats: white for managers, black for assistant managers, grey for leaders, and red for first-time apprentices.
By working directly with seminar presenters, program apprentices hone their skills while simultaneously learning about both the history and future of their craft. After the festival, apprentices are able to apply their new skills to their home and work environments, making the experience of being a CAP member a long-term investment. In addition to technical skills, the valuable professional connections and the team camaraderie fostered during the event have been consistently praised by former members as the most valuable assets the program has given them.
2022 Red Coat Apprentices:
Patience Adjei
Twist Night Club and Level Up Lounge
Accra, Ghana, West Africa
Gerald Akins
Hamlet and Ghost
Saratoga Springs, NY
Israel Baròn
Casa Prunes
Mexico City, Mexico
Tammy Bouma
Bluebird Cocktail Room
Baltimore, MD
Dylan Brentwood
Bar Kismet
Halifax, NS, Canada
Napier Bulanan
Viridian
Oakland, CA
Yosue Cordero Badillo
Fairmont El San Juan Hotel
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Chelsea DeMark
Thompson Hotel Savannah
Savannah, GA
Milton Deya
Melinda’s Alley
Phoenix, AZ
Linda Douglas
Curly Bartender
Los Angeles, CA
Kai Duarte
Pacifico on the Beach and Down The Hatch
Wailuku, HI
Cody Dunavan
Breakthru Beverage Virginia
Richmond, VA
Glenn Eldridge
ROKA
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tim Frandsen
Jane Jane
Washington, DC
John Fry
Rumba / Inside Passage
Seattle, WA
Delena Humble-Fischer
Golden Pineapple Craft Lounge
Tempe, AZ
Princess Johnson
Allegory
Washington, DC
Maria Kim
Southside Parlor
Seoul, South Korea
Joon Koo
Midnight Rambler
Dallas, TX
Rylen Komeiji
Here Kitty Kitty / Zouk Group
Las Vegas, NV
Lars Lunstrum
The Black Cypress
Pullman, WA
Jacob Mentel
Polite Provisions
San Diego, CA
Brian “Vito” Morales
Saso Bistro
Pasadena, CA
Julian Bella Robins
Pursuing MS in Hospitality Management at FIU
Tel Aviv, Israel
Jomar Santos
The Peacock Lounge Savannah
Savannah, GA
Jeremiah Simmons
Seven Three Distillery
New Orleans, LA
Colin Simpson
The Aviary
Chicago, IL
Taylor Sweeney
Bar Shiru
Oakland, CA
Vivi Szalavari
Uptown Cafe
Bloomington, IN
Irlanda Vargas
Bacal
México City, Mexico
Noor Wafai
The Eddy & Durk’s Bar-B-Q
Providence, RI
Tim Weigel
Vegas Vickie’s
Las Vegas, NV
2022 Grey Coat Apprentices:
Hagay I. Abramovitz
Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar
Tel Aviv, Israel
Justine Bock
Gin & Juice
Bristol, UK
Patrick Braga
Happy Accidents
Albuquerque, NM
Fifi Bruce
Barrel Brothers
Berlin, Germany
Richie Delahoyde
Lyre’s Non Alcoholic Spirits
Dublin, Ireland
Amy Dunki
Barr Hill and Caledonia Spirits
Los Angeles, CA
Arianna Hone
High West Saloon, Post Office Place
Park City, UT
Renson Malesi
House of Sage Cocktails
Nairobi, Kenya
Nicholas McCaslin
The Ritz-Carlton Nomad
New York City, NY
Allie Phifer
Cayo Coco Rum Bar and Restaurante
Birmingham, AL
Jessi Pollak
Spoon and Stable
Minneapolis, MN
Eric Scott
Thyme X Table
Bay Village, OH
Britt Simons
The Eddy
Providence, RI
Joey Smith
Chez Zou
New York City, NY
Sarah Syman
The Dandy Crown
Chicago, IL
Nigal Vann
The Berkshire Room
Chicago, IL
2022 Black Coat Apprentices:
Cam Brown
Self-Employed
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Kaleena Goldsworthy-Warnock
The Bitter Bottle and Proof Bar and Incubator
Chattanooga, TN
Alex Lerman
Pearl Street Hospitality
Denver, CO
Samm McCulloch
Red Wall Distillery
Sedona, AZ
2022 White Coat Apprentices:
Alexis Belton-Tinoco
Johnnie Walker/Proof Media Mix
Chicago, IL
Cris Dehlavi
Diageo Hospitality Partnership
Columbus, OH
John Deragon
Resy
Brooklyn, NY
Trevor Kallies
Freehouse Collective
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Juyoung Kang
Zouk Group at Resorts World Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
CAPs Ongoing Opportunities
After Tales concludes, CAP members will be eligible to apply for the Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship Program when the application reopens in January 2023. Founded by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the Scholarship Program has annually helped former apprentices pursue further learning opportunities over the past ten years. After undergoing a rigorous selection process, former apprentices are selected to receive funding for a wide variety of projects, from those designed to further their career to those designed with the intent to educate the cocktail community.
For more information about the Cocktail Apprentice Program, please visit the TOTCF website.
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About Tales of the Cocktail
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 200+ 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 Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that educates, advances and supports the global hospitality industry and creates 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.
For Media Inquiries:
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917.280.5043
Hunter Smith
803.397.8878
