Are female bartenders put off competitions?

As the bar industry makes more room for women among a myriad of men, Melita Kiely asks why we aren’t seeing more women entering competitions?

In an industry dominated by men, it’s clear that female bartenders are under-represented in cocktail competitions

The ranks of the world’s best bartenders are spearheaded by a predominantly male force, and while there may be some who raise their voices in outrage at such a statement, it is an undeniable fact.

For decades, the role of women in bars was confined to bar backs and cocktail waitresses, while the craft of creating drinks and entering contests were reserved for the “boys’ club” brigade.

Consequently, it has become widely accepted by both men and women alike that the bar industry is male dominated, and in more recent years as bartending competitions have gathered pace around the globe, those crowned winners have emulated a strikingly similar story.

Still, slowly but surely it would appear the industry is beginning to see change as a throng of talented females rightly claim their stake in the game. Yet, for all the recent progress the bartending community has witnessed with the growing presence of women behind bars (and not just as a bartender’s assistant), the number of women entering – and winning – competitions continues to dawdle behind that of men. But why?

Numbers game

“It’s quite simple I think,” says Susie Wong, bartender at Cuckoo Bar in Manchester, UK, and winner of the over 27s’ category at the 2012 Monin Cup competition. “It’s a numbers game. There are more men than women so of course you’re going to get more men entering competitions.”

It’s a view reiterated by bartender, writer and competition judge Gaz Regan, who notes that while nowadays there are more women choosing bartending as a valuable career compared to five years ago when it was not regarded in the same esteem, the ratio of men to women is still very out of sync. Not only this, but he adds men’s “egos” spur them to enter more competitions than women.

“They are much bigger show offs than women, but by no accounts does that make them more talented,” he points out. While the male race may currently experience strength in numbers, there is clear evidence of women successfully vying their way to the top.In 2013, Diageo Reserve World Class comprised just three female finalists out of 44 bartenders. One year later that number has risen, marginally, to five.

“I think talent will out,” expresses Matteo Fantacchiotti, global commercial director of the global cocktail competition. “The more female bartenders we get coming into – and staying in – the industry, the more female competition winners we will see.

“I’m sure the year of a female World Class winner will come and it will be great.”

American Kate Gerwin became the first female bartender to be crowned winner of Bols Around the World

Fierce contenders

An accomplishment that would be akin to that of Kate Gerwin, who this year became the first female winner of the Bols Around the World Bartending Championship, which saw a total of three “fierce” female contenders compete in the global final. Rewarded with the chance to represent the Bols brand for the next year, she plans on using the opportunity to work with female bartenders on a new scheme called Girls with Bols.

Gerwin will select several of her female peers to become mentors for women keen to learn the trade and progress in the industry. “The big problem we face now is females reaching the smaller markets,” she laments. “There are strong role models in cities like New York, LA etc. but if you are living in Idaho, Wyoming, Maine, then what? Our Girls with Bols programme will be reaching out to the smaller markets too.

“As more women enter and win competitions and the news becomes more widespread, then more women will empower themselves to show how skilled we are as female bartenders.”

All-female competitions

One competition certainly carrying the message of female empowerment is Speed Rack, an all-female contest that puts ladies up against the clock while raising money for breast cancer research, education and prevention. It differs also in that its aim is to showcase what bartenders do every day behind the bar — create quality cocktails with speed of service in mind, rather than their ability to create a single drink.

“Speed Rack has helped a lot of these women hone their skills for other competitions,” comments Lynette Marrero, Speed Rack co-founder and founder and president of LUPEC NYC. “It has given a lot of women the confidence to compete in many other competitions.”

Marrero continues to explain how many women have gone on to enjoy success as full- or part-time brand ambassadors, head bartenders or in bar management positions off the back of the competition.

Amanda Boucher won the Gin Mare Mediterranean Inspirations cocktail competition

Are gendered competitions necessary?

Others have been graced with the chance to move to other cities, such as Lacy Hawkins, a three-year veteran of Speed Rack who relocated from Portland to New York where she now works at award wining bars The NoMad and Clover Club.

While there is no questioning the integrity of a competition like Speed Rack as a powerful podium for women with a charitable cause, other all-female contests have not received such a warm reception.

As Fantacchiotto highlights: “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?”

An opinion mirrored by Amanda Humphrey, Mixxit training manager for Maxxium, who highlights the importance of focusing on skills, not gender. “I don’t want to see females being segregated,” she says. “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.

“It’s really important that it’s integrated and all about ability, and nothing at all to do with gender.” So if it’s all a case of numbers, how can the industry secure more female prize-winners in mixed-gender competitions?

Encouragement needed

“It’s about encouragement,” suggests Amanda Boucher, freelance bartender and former manager of Paris’ Candelaria, who won the 2013 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’. We are certainly starting to see some really, really talented women coming to the forefront because of competitions – it’s an absolute pleasure.”

As Regan concludes, however, the process is one that will be formed of gradual changes, not a sudden overnight occurrence. “The bartending phenomenon is never going to go away, and neither will competitions. I just really think we should encourage anybody, man or woman, with an interest in tending bar to hop on and see how far they can take it.”