Cocktails & Coffees for EFH Class
English for Hospitality is not your every-day English language course!
Cushla McLean’s EFH class recently spent a week studying Food and Beverage Bar Service and during that time they were taught how to make a host of cocktails, from cosmopolitans and bloody marys to mojitos and B52s. Some of their training was delivered by NZMA tutor and cocktail extraordinaire Moana Ese in NZMA’s state-of-the-art Lava Bar.
“The students had a ball,” says Cushla. “They were taught about the different cocktail making equipment and methods. They studied the key spirits and liqueurs used in the cocktails before they actually learnt how to make them, so they developed a good understanding of the flavours. They were also taught how to be a great bartender, how to make recommendations in a bar and take bar orders. They focussed on beer, wine, spirits and liqueurs, looking at famous brands, key ingredients and tastes. There was a lot of sampling that week!”
Then just a few weeks later the class headed back to NZMA, this time to Café Fusion, where under the watchful eye of diploma tutor Elaine Rio they mastered the art of making flat whites, lattes and cappuccinos.
“This activity was part of our Food and Beverage Coffee and Cafe Service topic. The students learnt how to recommend dishes and take food orders, serve food, check and clear plates and take payment. We then focussed on the differences between restaurants and cafes and learnt about café culture in New Zealand. This covered everything from café menus to customer service, and coffee making.
“Later there was a test on both cocktails and coffee making so having a real hands on experience really helped them to retain all the information they needed for the test. It was also a huge amount of fun!”
