I've always wanted to be a bartender so I thought, "Why not check out a bartending school?" Seems like a good idea, right? So I started looking into classes in Los Angeles last December. Turns out there's a ton of places to get some training behind the bar. Some places looked good, but were out of my price range... others guaranteed work and that just seemed sketchy. I settled on The Cocktail Method.
I GOT HOOKED! I never knew bartending could be as fun as it was. I started classes right after they opened in January, and now I'm almost done! I finished the actual class portion of the curriculum in the first 2 weeks of January (They offer 4 classes a day and I went to every one I could). Now all I need is more practice time behind the bar to get my 50 hrs. Theoretically, you can finish this whole course, plus practice time, in about 2 weeks, but I have other commitments that slowed me down.
The classes aren't very full right now, which I like because I get plenty of one-on-one time with the instructors. The teachers have got some pretty interesting stories behind the bar, which spice up the lessons. Practice time is also a good time to network with other members of the service community. There's good industry connections, and they've got bars and catering companies that send their staff here to train as well. I've met people from Estate Bar in Santa Monica, Baleen, ACE Catering, and Mr. Bartender.
Overall, The Cocktail Method gets 5 stars from me because they deliver a good product at a good price. I can't imagine any other place out there with a better cocktail curriculum, craft courses, and practical bar knowledge/experience. read more