Cape Town Cocktail Week has launched a new Education Programme aimed at strengthening skills development and knowledge-sharing within the global bar and cocktail industry. The initiative will be led by Kurt Schlechter, founder of the award-winning Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen, as director of education.
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PexelsMount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, has been confirmed as the host venue, with the programme set to take place during the festival running from 7–13 December 2026.
Seminars, panels and masterclasses led by local and international speakers will open the festival.
The global bar community is invited to submit presentation proposals, while brand partners interested in powering the programme are encouraged to get in touch.
Schlechter will work closely with festival founder Leah van Deventer to shape the final curation.
The pair has a proven track record of mentorship, with them accumulating nine appearances in Drinks International's Bar World 100 – an annual list that identifies individuals affecting meaningful change in their communities.
Van Deventer is also the reigning Mentor of the Year at South Africa's Bar & Beverage Awards, while Schlechter holds the title of Industry Icon at the same. The education programme builds on the foundations of this ongoing industry investment.
Education only works when it’s embedded
"Education only works when it's embedded in the industry it's meant to serve," says Schlechter. Cape Town Cocktail Week, a home-grown festival designed to promote cocktail culture in the city, offers exactly the right ecosystem.
“With our combined passion and experience, Leah and I know how to deliver something credible and comprehensive, and that genuinely serves the community we've spent decades mentoring,” he continues.
"The Education Programme is a natural extension of what Cape Town Cocktail Week stands for, and with nearly 30 years of spearheading education across the continent, Kurt is the right person to lead it,” says Van Deventer.
“We’re Capetonians building something for Cape Town that can take its place in the global industry calendar,” she continues.
Mount Nelson to anchor education hub
Set beneath Table Mountain, Mount Nelson brings heritage and hospitality credentials aligned with the ambitions of the programme. The hotel is also home to Planet Bar, one of the city’s pioneering cocktail venues and the first South African bar to feature in the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2009.
“Mount Nelson – a quintessential Cape Town hotel synonymous with the very best of this city – is ideal as the educational heart of the festival," says Van Deventer.
"We are thrilled to partner with Cape Town Cocktail Week to host this year's Education Programme," says Clement Edwards, assistant food and beverage manager at Mount Nelson. "By providing a world-class setting, we aim to inspire creativity and learning, while celebrating Cape Town as a hub for innovation and knowledge-sharing through mindful mixology."
From Bar Unity to global platform
Schlechter and Van Deventer’s collaboration on education is not new. The two previously ran Bar Unity, a four-week intensive training programme that uplifted participants from one of Cape Town's most under-resourced communities.
Coincidentally, one graduate, Keenan Williams, is now bartending at Planet Bar.
"It's something of a full-circle moment as Leah and I begin this next chapter in upliftment, together with the Mount Nelson – a fitting symbol of what structured, community-rooted education can produce,” says Schlechter.
Call for submissions
The call for submissions is open now, with places limited. Industry professionals, educators, and communicators are invited to propose sessions that contribute to skills development and innovation within the global drinks space.
Deadline: 5 June 2026. Submit here.
Brand partnerships: moc.keewliatkcocnwotepac@truk or moc.keewliatkcocnwotepac@hael
