This was required and am sure would go a long way!!

For participation aspect, I can only quote a reference from my experience.
I did a Bar Tender Competition in Kolkata last year and only ITC and stand-alone bars guys came. We kept on talking about it the whole year and this year, though I missed it, there was participation from all Star hotels including Oberoi and Hyatt. That is a smaller game there in Kolkata but I am sure all hotels and Bars will see the good side of these competitions and would join in numbers.

Regards

AA

Ashwani Anand
Executive Assistant Manager – Food & Beverage Taj Palace Hotel

Congratulations!…on a very well organised competition. The questions were just challenging enough without making the participants, at this level, seem inadequate. I was riveted to the show and was loathe to miss the middle section to make an appointment.

The participants it seems were all well trained, enthusiastic and very quick on their feet indeed! The judges did a great job in not being overly critical and making many encouraging sounds.

Its a shame that only the Taj properties and Imperial sent their candidates. But I am sure that the success of the programme will see it attracting greater participation in its next edition.

The programme was wonderful in the way that it engaged both the participants and the audience in forcing them to think about wine, food, pairing and their service. It seemed a great learning experience, as waiting participants were seen excitedly exchanging answers on the queries put to the participants on-stage.

What it also threw up, I hope, is that there is both a great potential to develop our wait-staff and desperate need to train them further.

Cheers All!
Sanjay