Luxury Hospitality: Creating Wow Moments as a Beverage Specialist

When can you call yourself a beverage specialist? When you have special knowledge about cocktails, wines, whiskeys, lager and special teas? How about in an environment where service of the highest level is expected, like on board a yacht. Wouldn’t you need that certain something extra?

What if you could be a beverage specialist who creates wow moments by presenting the unexpected or a unique mix that surprises everyone?

Peter Vogel, managing partner of Luxury Hospitality Academy and a hospitality specialist, knows all about helping crew members to become beverage specialists. “We want to give yacht crew the opportunity to develop themselves as specialists, so they can create magic moments for their principal and his or her guests. In every team you need specialists: in housekeeping, laundry, administration, but also behind the bar. That’s why we developed training just for bartenders” said Peter.

While in training, participants’ knowledge of classic cocktails is increased. While studying the latest mixology trends, they will also learn how to add their own magnificent spin. At the end of the course trainees can stir or shake any request with confidence but will also be able to create surprising drinks.

From Service to Beverage Specialist

Participation in this training is not exclusive to beverage specialists. Emma Gyenge, chief stewardess on a 60m yacht comments, “I had known of Peter Vogel for quite some time and he had come highly recommended as a service specialist trainer. Finally in 2014 I was able to connect with Peter and organize a training workshop with my interior team. The standard of Peter's training was high quality and the week was a great success.”

 “I want the best for my interior team; I want them to have access to the best available training. This year I’ll be sending one of my interior team for the Luxury Hospitality training for Beverage Specialist. She will be exposed to new parts of the industry and be able to develop her skills further.”

Encourage Development

Emma continues, “I think it’s important to help your staff develop and enhance their skills to become more versatile. Peter's training is delivering outstanding results. He is a very modest individual and yet is very effective in his approach and training style. In my opinion Peter is a valuable role model in our industry.”

And when Peter doesn’t have the knowledge himself, he hires the best specialists to help him. Being a bartender is not only about shaking cocktails, you also need to know a lot about wine, so half the course is all about grapes. Sommelier and trainer Angelique Besseling takes participants by the hand and teaches them all they need to know about wine, how to taste wine and, while doing so, how to use all their senses.

World Trip Around Wine

Revealing a sneak preview of what to expect during the Beverage Specialist course at Luxury Hospitality Academy, Angelique Besseling says, “We will make a trip around the globe through the world of wine. From bubbles to white wine, from sweet wine to different kinds of acids. We will also visit a winery and put theory into practice at a very special location.” 

Have you been inspired? Or do you have a crew member in your team who would flourish by taking this course? The next course for beverage specialist will take place 19-24th March 2018 at LHM's fabulous training facility, the Waterland Estate in Velzen-Zuid, The Netherlands. Please contact us for more details.