New post for Newport native

Newport native, Andrew O'Gorman was elected Treasurer of the Bartenders Association of Ireland at their recent AGM in Dublin.

Mr O'Gorman is an Honorary Life Member of the Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI) since 1975 and was elected President in January 2010. He has spent virtually his entire working career with an involvement in the drinks business as a bartender and educator. He was Head of Department, Bar and Meat Management, at the School of Culinary Arts and Food in Dublin up to 2009.

Born in Newport and raised in Emly, Mr O'Gorman has published a number of books relating to the licensed trade and has acted as a judge at various competitions nationally and internationally. He has attended the International Bartenders Association (IBA) World Cocktail Competitions and Congress in various countries since 1979 and will be travelling this year with the Bartenders Association of Ireland delegation to the world competitions in Tokyo, Japan.

The role of the BAI is to create an environment where opportunities to compete in competitions and participate in bartending education programmes can be made available to all members and other interested drinks personnel.

“As there are a number of high profile competitions run annually, I must emphasise that only professional bartenders who are members of national associations are eligible to compete at the world cocktail competitions organised by the IBA,” Mr O'Gorman said.

There are over 60 member countries of the IBA and they all have a very high standing/recognition among the major global drinks companies.

“Despite the changes that have occurred in BAI membership in recent years, the association is far from unhealthy,” the new Treasurer stated. “Their international profile is very high, as instanced when I attended the world competitions in Sofia, Bulgaria last October. The bartender.ie website is professionally laid out and has come in for much praise from international drinks companies and various trade organisations.

“The BAI has a long tradition in cocktail making, understands the business benefits of serving consumers well, and is committed to promoting responsible drinking and professionalism generally among bartenders. Bartenders play a vital role in supporting this tradition and can make a real difference to consumer behaviour by encouraging them to enjoy drinks in a responsible manner.”