Garnish has partnered with local industry giants EatOut and DUMA Works who are well entrenched in the Kenyan hospitality sector and are active in moving the industry forward. Arielle Sander from DUMA Works, a recruitment company and partner of Garnish highlights: “This will help our aspiring applicants to become more desirable – and current employees to get ahead. We want everybody on our database who has the inclination to work in the hospitality industry to do this course – it’s affordable and can be done anytime of the week when it suits the participant.”
“Our vision was to create a level playing field and an opportunity for thousands of aspirants, bartenders, waiters, beverage reps and other staff in the industry throughout Africa to become better qualified, with increased confidence and skill set to grow their personal career and contribute to the opportunities in Africa.” says Lauren Henderson, founder of Garnish.
Garnish, Africa’s Beverage Academy and Bartender Network is an affordable mobile phone bartender training which can be accessed from anywhere and anytime, with a simple smartphone. The training features a five-course program with individual chapters, visuals, audio & video covering the skills that any existing or aspiring bartender or server should posses. Courses include: bar set-up, cocktailing techniques, glassware, how to create basic cocktails, wine and beer service, food safety and appropriate customer engagement.
L-R Panelists Maureen Mukiri, Duma Works; Michelle Slater, EatOut; William Mbunjiro, And Beyond; Dirk Ullrich, Garnish; Perminus Waiharo, Drinks World; Lilian Gaitho, Jumia Travel
Garnish also provides a web-based social network for bartenders where they can interact with other industry professionals from Africa and the best talents from other parts of the world, Member can obtain ongoing education, the latest trends, and are also given the platform to share their skill sets. The “Garnish Studio” is an ideal platform to profile individual expertise and a unique message function allows to directly “ping” other bartenders.
Lauren Henderson, founder of Garnish
Garnish invited 20 of Nairobi’s food and drink enthusiasts to the rooftop terrace at the Sankara Hotel last week for a lavish lunch inspired by Spain. Lauren Henderson, founder of Garnish, says: “We wanted to share our story by creating and experience that represented Garnish.”
The Garnish training costs only Ksh. 3,550 for the entire basic training and every successful participant receives a certificate at the end. “We want to empower people, to give them confidence and to excel in their career. This is for everybody with a passion for the industry”, says Dirk J. Ulrich, Co-Partner and Director of Sales. Michelle Slater of EatOut Kenya added, “We have a huge interest to elevate the level of service in our industry. Better service means more satisfied customers and at the end more money for the bar and staff. Garnish is a no-brainer.”
Left, Lauren Henderson, founder of Garnish, Arielle Sandor, CEO & CoFounder Duma Works at the What it Takes Event. Right, Dirk J. Ulrich, Co-Partner and Director of Sales addresses the group at the Blogger Brunch.
Kenya is the first country to launch on the continent – Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa and Nigeria will follow soon. Early endorsers have been enthusiastic bartenders, waiters, and food and verbiage bloggers. Sameer Sheik from VIVA Global, an East African Wine & Spirits distributor, loves the idea saying, “I want all of our staff to go onto this training. Great, that I don’t have to take them out of their work environment for this. They can do it at home or on the way to work. We also want to use Garnish as an incentive tool for bars and restaurants who give us their best support, because Garnish is the perfect base from which we can do our own specific brand training afterwards.”
