ANTIGUA & BARBUDA HOTELS & TOURISM ASSOCIATION

St. Johns, Antigua:  September 5th, 2010 … It’s well known that the annual, Taste of the Caribbean Food and Beverage Festival set for the Wyndham Rio Mar, Puerto Rico from September 9 to 12, attracts the most talented in the culinary art-form.  But, through the mix of talented barkeeps in Antigua & Barbuda, there is one bartender, that has risen above the rest to catch the attention of high-profile national team, and that’s, Kerry –Ann Joseph of Grays Green.
Joseph, who is currently employed at Sandals Grande as a bartender, and a former student of the Antigua & Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute (ABHTI), will face off against regional and international competitors during a thrilling bartender shakedown.

Joseph, who declared her-self as being hard working and professional, expressed her openness to suggestions, opportunity and challenges, and for her “entering this competition opens a new chapter in my life and is the beginning of new things to come. I promised to represent my country with pride and make my people proud,” she said, with confidence.

Joseph explained her career in culinary arts, begun at ABHTI.  “After I left school in the 1990’s I was unsure of what I want to do so I give ABHTI a try. By the end of the course, a burning passion for the hospitality industry was developed and, during my internship I developed an enthusiasm for the bar…”

The bartender, disclosed, she graduated with honors from ABHTI, and was granted the top student awards in her class.   Joseph, in the early stage of her career worked as a cocktail waitress at Galley Bay and was promoted to bartender within a few years.
However with high aspirations, Joseph explained, “I felt the need for new opportunity and went to work on a cruise ship as a wine Steward/ cocktail waitress. I gained a wealth of knowledge and lots of fun and travelled to places like the Eastern & Western Caribbean, Florida Keys, Mexico, South America, Canary Islands, Greece and around Mediterranean to countries such as Italy, Turkey to name a few.”
She added “My experience working with people from around the world make my job exciting. And I have ambitions to one day run my own bar which is something on a level Antigua, has never seen.”

Meanwhile, with a goal to continuously raise the standards of Caribbean Food and beverage excellence and professionalism in the region, Anthony Bento, General Manager Premier Beverage has come on board to support the lone bartender on the team.
Joseph is expected to prepare a recipe for drinks to be entered in rum, Vodka and non-alcoholic.   Premiere Beverage, is onboard with support for the local bartender, and for the rum based drink, five -year old English Harbour Rum is the choice, while, Absolute Vodka would be used as the base for the Vodka recipe drink.
Each bartender will be given five minutes to prepare his/her drinks for the judges in round one, two glasses for cocktail and a maximum use of six ingredients, including dashes, drops and herbs. The garnishes must be edible and should not be prepared in advanced.