Cocktail competitions must not be about gender

Bartending competitions should be focused on ability and “nothing at all to do with gender”, a leading bar expert has expressed.

Speed Rack is an all-female bartending competition raising money for breast cancer research

All-female bartending competitions have proven a contentious topic in recent months, with questions raised as to whether they are a help or hindrance in cementing the roles and talents of women in a male-dominated industry.

While Speed Rack – an all-female contest that puts ladies up against the clock while raising money for breast cancer research, education and prevention – has experienced huge global support, other all-female contests have not received such a warm reception.

“It’s really important that it’s integrated and all about ability, and nothing at all to do with gender,” said Amanda Humphrey, Mixxit training manager for Maxxium. “Speed Rack is doing great things for the industry and charity.

“But I think what others need to be careful to remember, is at the end of the day, we want equality.”

Physical advantage

While the number of female contestants and winners is growing, there remains an imbalance between the number of men and women entering and winning cocktail competitions.

However, Matteo Fantacchiotti, global commercial director of Diageo Reserve World Class, said it’s due to “a numbers game” and “not reflective of a lack of talent”.

“I think talent will out,” Fantacchiotti explained. “The more female bartenders we get coming into – and staying in – the industry, the more female competition winners we will see.

“There is no reason why male and female bartenders need to compete separately.

“There is no physical advantage issue like in sports, so why do you need single sex competitions?”

In order to get more female bartenders competing in mixed-gender contests, peers and mentors must encourage more women to enter, advised Amanda Boucher, 2013 winner of the Gin Mare Mediterranean Inspirations bartending competition.

“It’s about brands, about peers saying to talented bartenders, ‘you’re doing a great job; you should really think about entering competitions’,” she said.

“We are certainly starting to see some really, really talented women coming to the forefront because of competitions – it’s an absolute pleasure.”