Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to prepare and serve a range of cocktails. It requires the ability to promote, prepare and present attractive cocktails and experiment with ideas to develop new cocktail recipes.

The unit applies to any hospitality organisation that operates a bar that serves cocktails, including hotels, restaurants and clubs.

The preparation of cocktails is a high order technical bar attendant skill used by experienced beverage attendants who operate independently or with limited guidance from others.

Unit mapping information

SITHFAB303 Prepare and serve cocktails

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements

The sale and service of alcohol is subject to the provisions of Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) law in each state and territory of Australia. Skills and knowledge for compliance with this law are covered by the prerequisite unit SITHFAB002 Provide responsible service of alcohol.

Foundation skills

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Unit sector or competency field

Hospitality—Food and Beverage

Prerequisite, co-requisite or interdependent assessment of units

SITHFAB002 Provide responsible service of alcohol

SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety

Assessment conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in an operational commercial bar. This can be:

• an industry workplace

• a simulated industry environment

Assessment must ensure access to:

• fixtures and large equipment:

  • bar service area

  • glass washer

  • ice:

    • crusher

    • maker

    • shaver

    • grinder

  • post-mix dispensing system

  • refrigerator

  • storage area for glassware and drinks

• small equipment:

  • bar towels

  • coasters

  • cutting boards

  • garnish containers

  • ice buckets

  • jugs

  • juicers

  • napkins

  • powder shakers

  • pourers:

    • speed

    • optic

    • inverted optic

  • utensils:

    • bar spoons and teaspoons

    • nip measures

    • small knives

    • tongs

  • glassware:

    • brandy snifter

    • champagne flute/saucer

    • Collins glass

    • highball glass

    • hurricane glass

    • liqueur and liqueur coffee glass

    • martini glass

    • old fashioned glasses

    • piña colada glass

  • service trays and liners

  • straws, swizzle sticks and toothpicks

  • waiter’s friend

• specific equipment for preparing cocktails and mocktails:

  • blender

  • Boston glass (mixing glass)

  • cocktail shakers

  • glass chillers

  • Hawthorn glasses and strainer

  • muddler

  • standard and specialised cocktail glassware for different bases

  • zester

• stock:

  • garnishes

  • ice

  • wide commercial range of:

    • bottled mixers

    • bottled and canned beers

    • liqueurs

    • wines

    • basic spirits

• cleaning materials and equipment:

  • cleaning cloths

  • commercial cleaning and sanitising agents and chemicals for cleaning bar areas and equipment

  • dishwashers

  • dustpans and brooms

  • garbage bins and bags

  • hand towel dispenser and hand towels

  • mops and buckets

  • separate hand basin and antiseptic liquid soap dispenser for hand washing

  • sponges, brushes and scourers

  • tea towels

• organisational specifications:

  • equipment manufacturer instructions

  • cocktail bar menus

  • organisational safety procedures

  • price lists

  • promotional materials

  • traditional recipes, preparation methods and presentation standards for cocktails

  • safety data sheets (SDS) for cleaning agents and chemicals or plain English workplace documents or diagrams that interpret the content of SDS

• industry-realistic ratio of bar staff to customers; these can be:

  • customers in an industry workplace during the assessment process; or

  • individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:

• have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency