Trevor Kallies returns Tales of the Cocktail to manage the Cocktail Apprentice Program 

Freehouse Collective Bar & Beverage Director Trevor Kallies is once again heading to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans to manage the Cocktail Apprentice Program (CAP) which annually sees some of the biggest names in bartending mentoring and training dozens of up-and-coming bartenders from around the world.

This year, Trevor is also going as a Top 10 Nominee for Best International Bar Mentor in Tales of the Cocktail’s 17th Annual Spirited Awards, highlighting the work Trevor has done over the last 15 years to support and develop the profession of bartending and the people in it. 

Recently, VinePair, interviewed Trevor as part of a feature highlighting the work of the Cocktail Apprentice Program that’s well worth reading. Trevor was able to give some insights into what his week looks like and what keeps people coming back year after year despite the long hours. 

Every year when Tales of the Cocktail ends, he said he finds himself wondering “where did the last seven days go?” But on reflection, it all comes back “ . . . it’s this cut on my finger. It’s the four hours of sleep that I got — or less — every night. The 15,000 steps that I’ve put in walking around and getting lost in the hotel . . . It’s intense.”

As a past CAP apprentice, he still leans on the connections that he first made when he was on the team over a decade:

And for anyone in the industry thinking about applying, Trevor described what they get from the week: “you are still learning from the same people in our industry that are teaching, but you get more of a hands-on, one-on-one experience with those presenters, those industry leaders.”

This year’s Tale of the Cocktail runs from July 23rd to July 28th in New Orleans and is a must to attend at least once for any cocktail aficionado.

Learn more about the Cocktail Apprentice Program, the Spirited Awards, and Tales of the Cocktail at talesofthecocktail.org.