Double Dutch takes bartending scholarship global

The Female Bartending Scholarship Programme from mixer brand Double Dutch will expand worldwide for the first time this year.

The scheme is now in its fifth year and aims to even the playing field for women in the hospitality sector. The brand cited a study by Deloitte, which found that while women make up around 60% of hospitality employees, only 8% hold executive positions.

Usually exclusive to UK bartenders, this year the programme will open to those in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Cyprus, China and Hungary.

Last year, 12 bartenders were selected and went on to be mentored by a variety of industry experts, including Celebrate Her founder Anna Sebastian and Kaitlin Wilkes of the Ada Coleman Project.

A member of last year’s cohort, Millie Melanaphy, who is assistant manager at the Haven in the New Forest, said: “The Female Bartending Scholarship showed me paths that can make a career in hospitality sustainable through life and connected me to people that have given me opportunities to bring those paths into fruition.’’

Double Dutch’s mentors provide one-on-one training on a wide range of topics, including drinks education and, personal and professional growth, as well as in-person experiences such as distillery visits and bar training.

Double Dutch’s co-founder Raissa de Haas said: “As our scholarship marks its fifth anniversary, we are more committed than ever to champion female talent in hospitality, where the gender gap is still a challenge.

“Our Female Bartender Scholarship is designed to not only refine bar skills but to open doors, and we hope it’s a launchpad for women to accelerate their careers. We are super excited to take this initiative beyond our home market and into our export markets, fostering female talent across the industry.”

To apply, applicants must be over 18, be able to speak a proficient level of English and be based in one of the participating countries. Applicants must already work within the industry or be looking to break into bartending.

The 2025 scholars will be announced on 28 March.

All applicants will be invited to virtual mentor sessions, however those in the UK, Czech Republic and Belgium will also be invited to a three-day in-person workshop in London in May.