Mangaluru: A growing number of youngsters in the education hub are opting for the role of professional mixology/bartending, reflecting a wider shift in career aspirations driven by a booming events-and-hospitality market.With weddings, corporate functions and private celebrations becoming larger and more production-heavy, curated bar service is increasingly viewed as a core element of event planning rather than an add-on. Event organisers say the demand is no longer limited to someone who can pour drinks. Party organisers are seeking trained bartenders who can manage high-volume service while also delivering presentations and interactions with consistency. This has created space for structured training programmes that frame bartending as a skilled profession, with clear standards and specialisations. Local academies have expanded their offerings to meet this demand, teaching classic cocktail preparation, hygiene ethics and service protocols, and customer handling. Many courses now include advanced techniques such as molecular mixology. Martiny Bar Academy partner Joseph Crasta, says: “There was apprehension that whoever gets into this industry has a habit of drinking. However, now the scenario has changed, with more and more youngsters, including women, learning and becoming professional bartenders,” he said. He said students often begin with training, work part-time or full-time for a few years, and then pursue opportunities abroad or further professional education. “We have students studying advanced bartending in the UK, Germany, and other European countries. Those trained are working in various five-star hotels and resorts in the Gulf and other countries,” he said, noting that many entrants are not even from hotel management backgrounds. “Interestingly, many of them are teetotallers, yet have mastered mixing alcoholic beverages.” Young bartenders say firms offering professional bartending at events are also accelerating the shift by investing in premium bar set-ups, specialised equipment and themed menus. As these services become more common, the social stigma historically associated with bartending is fading, replaced by a perception of mixology as a creative, customer-facing craft with strong earning potential. For some, it is a parallel pursuit. “I am a fourth-year mechanical engineering student, currently doing an internship. After class, I work as a part-time bartender. I will continue to work as a part-time bartender even when I am fully employed in the engineering field,” said Ronson Royal Pinto. Deekshith Kotian, a full-time bartender at an event-management firm, says: “Though not from a hotel management background, I was attracted to this field and wish to pursue professional bartending as a career.”
