Bartender/Mixologist
Prepares and serves drinks and food, and mixes and garnishes cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.
Overview
Bartenders prepare and serve beverages and food to customers. They mix and garnish cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.
Where they work
- Restaurants with bars
- Pubs
- Upscale hotels with bars
- Night clubs among others
Work environment
You will have to handle a wide range of customers. You are likely to work long hours, including evenings and weekends, when restaurants are busiest. Entrepreneurship: you could be a freelance bartender.
Opportunities for work exist for differently abled in this field.
Skills and interests
This career might suit you if…
- You can comfortably talk with everyone
- You like to work in teams
- You like to do experiments
- You pay attention to details
- Have knowledge on alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Eligibility and education roadmap
Please check the duration of the course during enrolment.
Route 1
- 1Complete 10 + 2 in any stream.
- 2Complete a Bachelor's in Hotel Management and Catering Technology/Catering Science and Hotel Management/Hospitality and Hotel Administration or any related field, followed by a certificate course on Bartending
Alternative route 2
- 1Complete a Bachelor's in Hotel Management and Catering Technology/Catering Science and Hotel Management/Hospitality and Hotel Administration or any related field, followed by a Master's in the same subject or related field, and opt for a certificate course on Bartending
Alternative route 3
- 1Pursue a Diploma course in Professional Bartending or Mixology and Flair Bartending.
Forms, exams and applications
Exam names above are as printed in the source card. Application windows, eligibility and syllabi change — always check the official notification for current dates.
Where to apply
Institutes offering courses in Bartending. The card prints one unlabelled list; the two Institutes of Hotel Management are government institutes and the rest are private. This list of institutes is indicative only.
Government institutes
- Institute of Hotel Management Catering & Nutrition, New Delhi
- Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Bardez, Goa
Private institutes
Please check if the institute is affiliated and accredited before applying.
- European Bartender School, Verna, Goa
- Barcraft Bartending Academy, Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Chennais Amirta International Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Cocktails and Dreams Bartending School, New Delhi
- Heritage Institute of Hotel & Tourism, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
- Indian Institute of Bartending, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Institute of Bar Operations and Management, New Delhi
These institute lists are indicative examples from the source card, not a ranked or complete directory. Always verify accreditation on the institute's official website.
Career outcomes
Growth path
- 1Bar Boy or Bar Waitress
- 2Assistant Bartender
- 3Bartender
- 4Assistant Bar Manager
- 5Bar Manager
Expected income
₹10,000 – ₹59,000 per month or more
These figures are indicative and subject to change.
SourceRelated careers to explore
Sommelier
Trained wine professional at upscale restaurants who builds the wine list and looks after wine service for guests.
Food and Beverage Manager
Runs the food and drink operation of a hotel or restaurant — organising, directing and evaluating it.
Student action plan
What you can do this month
- Read this whole roadmap and note any subjects, exams or institutes you don't recognise yet.
- Talk to a teacher or school counsellor about how your current subjects connect to Any Stream.
- Look for a school club, competition or online course related to creating.
- Shortlist 2–3 institutes from the list above and check their official website for current admission details.
- Save this career and compare it with 1–2 others you're considering.
Example from the field
Yangdup Lama — One of the foremost bartender and mixologist in India. He was born in Kurseong and after completing his 10+2, he studied Hotel Management from Kolkata. His first job was in the Hyatt Regency, Delhi, as a food and beverage server in 1995 where he took to bartending and worked at the Polo Lounge Bar in the hotel. From there, Lama went on to open his own mobile bartending service company called Cocktails & Dreams. He then opened his own bar in Gurugram and bar training and beverage management company in Delhi.
SourceThis profile is shared for training/educational purposes only, as printed in the source card.
Sources and update notice
- Career card source: Exploring Career Paths with Career Cards, Volume 2, printed page 709 (NCERT / UNICEF India / PSSCIVE Bhopal, First Edition, April 2025).
- Income source: https://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Job=Bartender/Salary
- Last reviewed on this site: 2026-08-21
Eligibility, fees, exam patterns and admissions change often. Always verify current details on official institute, exam-body or government websites before making decisions.