Rising Stars chats with Joshua Cowan, Marriott International Senior Manager R&B for EMEA
03 May 2023
"In my experience as both a competitor and a judge, understanding the brief is key. The briefs are frameworks that need to be personalised by your individual experience where storytelling is critical. If your inspiration and story doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t to the judges".
Joshua Cowan, Senior Manager R&B EMEA
Rising Stars had a catch-up with Joshua Cowan to check in on the upcoming Rising Stars Live Final this September. Josh is currently Senior Manager R&B for EMEA, have worked in both London and Frankfurt. He is now transitioning back to property to open W Edinburgh as Director of B&F this Autumn.
So, Josh, for everyone reading this today - How should they prepare for a cocktail competition?
I think its key to learn from the past. One of the best things to do in preparation for a bartender competition is to learn from past competitions. Reviewing entries can be a secret inspirational weapon but also helpful to understand their thought process. In my experience as both a competitor and a judge understanding the brief is key, the briefs are frameworks that need to be personalised by your individual experience and storytelling is key. If your inspiration and story doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t to the judges keep it simple and always respect the base products you are working with.
If I’m an associate on property – who can I turn to for support?
Work with your manager on your submission and to flesh out your ideas. Remember, if you are successful, you will be representing more than yourself. You will be standing for your property, your brand and your cities.
Each year brings a different brief for the competitive entry into Rising Stars. What is this year’s Rising Stars Brief, can you tell us more?
In this year’s competition we have kept the sustainability component of the competition, each cocktail must include a closed loop ingredient and what we mean by that is just an ingredient created from waste perishable products that can be found across all hotel operations. Whether its citrus rinds, coffee, or breakfast waste the world is your oyster to get creative.
The main change in this year’s competition is that cocktails must be inspired by 2 Cities, partly because I am a Dickens fan but also because most of our journeys in hospitality require observation as a key skill.
Working in London for many years I always found inspiration looking to New York, Paris, Athens to see new trends, techniques but mainly cultural differences which changed people’s approach to mixed drinks.
The two-city inspiration does not mean people would need to have been there it could also be aspirational, but the key thought is to look above your city and discover something new.
And for everyone getting ready to take part - How do you prepare for a cocktail competition?
I think its key to learn from the past. One of the best things to do in preparation for a bartender competition is to learn from past competitions. Reviewing previous years entries can be a secret inspirational weapon but also helpful to understand their thought process. All of last year’s finalist entries are available on the Rising Stars platform too.
In my experience as both a competitor and a judge, understanding the brief is key. The briefs are frameworks that need to be personalised by your individual experience where storytelling is critical. If your inspiration and story doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t to the judges – keep it simple and always respect the base products you are working with.
Reflecting on your competition participation when you were starting out - what advice or encouragement would you like to go back in time and give yourself?
Looking back at when I was competing, I wish I could go back and tell myself to be more inclusive. I tended to work on my creations in a silo and collaboration is critical to create amazing cocktails. Bounce it off your friends, your manager, your mum. All input positive or negative is valuable.
Within the brief there is reference and significance on sustainability. What is Sustainability & Closed Loop? Why is it important?
Firstly, let me start on why it’s important. Currently as humans do not live within the Earths means. Today, right now in 2023, research is suggesting we produce so much goods and waste that we need x1.7 Earths to cope with this level of abuse. It’s not rocket science that if we can make a difference we should, we only have one planet.
Sustainability is basically simple, its living, working and existing in a sustainable way allowing for the next generation to be able to the same. The main challenge we face in this topic is that it gets pigeonholed into certain areas be it single use plastic or sourcing, but it’s a far bigger topic. It can be and should be aligned to all elements of life professional or personal.
To touch on closed loop or Nose to tail, Head to hoof, Root to leaf, Drop to Dram, there are more marketing terms for this than there is sense. Closed loop refers to a circular economy which basically means using all components of an ingredient for its intended use, recycling the waste into a second use and recycling the end waste. Think of an espresso, you make an espresso you get waste coffee grounds, you could use these grounds to infuse a spirit or make a liquor then make a compost. Now apply that to every bit of waste in a bar, restaurant or hotel, the options are endless.
And finally, Josh – continuing with the topic of sustainability – can you recommend anywhere for readers to visit for next steps and additional sustainability info?
Well of course we have the Bar World of Tomorrow course and programming with is part of this year’s competition entry requirements. It was co-created with the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Trash Collective. The Trash Collective website itself is useful – it features recipes, approaches, and tips on how we can all be more thoughtful in our approach at the bar. https://www.thetrashcollective.com/
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