Team Profiles
Etienne Schlechter
Etienne started his career in the liquor industry in 1991 as a trainee manager for the Picardi group of liquor stores and was promoted to store manager at the age of twenty one.
In 1994 he moved to Stellenbosch farmers Winery as an on consumption sales representative. During this time Etienne was trained extensively in the areas of wine and spirits and their production.
A passion for training people was developed at this stage of his career and many restaurant waitrons were trained by Etienne during the course of his SFW career.
Etienne then became the Bols/mainstay brand ambassador and received international training in cocktails and flair bartending and would travel throughout the Western Cape educating bartenders on cocktails.
Etienne left SFW to form the bartenders Workshop in 1998. Etienne was offered the position of operations manager at Dockside the largest club in Africa and managed the night operation of the venue.
After a year the demand for training at The Bartenders Workshop became too great and Etienne left to concentrate all his efforts on building up what is today a thriving business.
Currently Etienne is the President of the South African Bartenders Association, has judged the world flair competition for two years in a row and is on the World Cocktail Committee. Etienne is also responsible for the running of the National Flair and Cocktail Bartending Championships.
In 1994 he moved to Stellenbosch farmers Winery as an on consumption sales representative. During this time Etienne was trained extensively in the areas of wine and spirits and their production.
A passion for training people was developed at this stage of his career and many restaurant waitrons were trained by Etienne during the course of his SFW career.
Etienne then became the Bols/mainstay brand ambassador and received international training in cocktails and flair bartending and would travel throughout the Western Cape educating bartenders on cocktails.
Etienne left SFW to form the bartenders Workshop in 1998. Etienne was offered the position of operations manager at Dockside the largest club in Africa and managed the night operation of the venue.
After a year the demand for training at The Bartenders Workshop became too great and Etienne left to concentrate all his efforts on building up what is today a thriving business.
Currently Etienne is the President of the South African Bartenders Association, has judged the world flair competition for two years in a row and is on the World Cocktail Committee. Etienne is also responsible for the running of the National Flair and Cocktail Bartending Championships.
- Author of Easy Going Cocktails - 120 Illustrated Cocktail recipes
- Managing Director of The Bartenders Workshop
- Chairman World Flair Rules Committee
- Judged World Flair Championships for the last five years
- Compiled over three hundred cocktail menus
- Designed signature drinks for 13 different liquor brands
- Trained over 4000 bartenders
- Twenty years' experience in the liquor industry
- Acted as brand ambassador for four different liquor brands
- Made cocktails with world famous chefs including Ainsley Harriot, Anthony Worral Thompson and Brian Turner
- Hosted SA national bartending competitions for the last six years.
- Consulted on over 28 liquor brand launches and drink design.