Our vision
A professional ecosystem of hospitality that offers great experiences and quality of life for everyone.
We believe that we will achieve this by creating educational products, services and institutions motivated by our vision and values.
Our founding values and corporate ethics are described by our six values.
Dignity
First and foremost for us is the value of dignity. We believe that through respect, kindness, decency and impartiality, honesty and mutual understanding we can make our world a better place.
Reliability
With consistency, responsibility, integrity and transparency we create high quality educational products and services.
Effectiveness
Experience, knowledge, preparation, adaptability and ownership characterise our work. We are motivated by increasing the efficiency of products and services, with innovation and technology making the lives of all of us easier.
Self confidence
We have the know-how and a positive attitude in what we do and we partner with people who act likewise. We move and act fast when it is possible. We highlight and support all efforts and actions, independent origin, that help realise our vision. We collaborate and "play" as a team with those we share the same values with.
Naivety
We want to be naive, because we believe that nothing is for granted. Someone may knows something we do not know. We have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and learning, we do our research and try to substantiate our positions, we tell the truth even if it is not in our favour.
Sustainability
We believe that sustainability can be achieved through empathy, ecological awareness and the balance of private, social and professional life. For us it is the only eligible path to wellness and well-being that will help us realise our vision. We try to promote resource saving, reuse and recycling of packaging and products and anything else makes sense in this direction.
Legal Entity
Lifelong Learning Centre licensed by the Greek Ministry of Education. The Bar Academy and Athens Bar Show trademarks are registered with the Greek Ministry of Development.
The Education System of Bar Academy
The educational system is divided into levels depending on the work and educational background of the student. The training programs are restructured, renewed or upgraded whenever necessary, following the modern trends of the professional ecosystem of hospitality and hospitality.
Level 1: are programs that lay the groundwork for the job. We believe that everyone should start at these programs. They are addressed to those with little (up to 3 years) or no work-experience in the hospitality industry and without having attended a complete training program for their chosen profession. For this level, our academy has programs aimed at Bartenders, Baristi, business-owners, Bar Managers, and junior or senior assistants.
Level 2: is aimed at those with at least 3 years of experience and have attended a comprehensive training program for the respective profession, or those that have completed our academy’s Level 1 training. Candidates for this level of training will go through an evaluation prior to joining. For this level, our academy has programs aimed at Bartenders, Baristi, business-owners, Bar Managers, and junior or senior assistants.
Level 3: is aimed at those with at least 5 years of experience in the position and having done Level 2 of our academy. Those interested will go through an evaluation to join this level if they want to participate. Candidates for this level of training will go through an evaluation prior to joining. For this level, our academy has programs aimed at Bartenders, Baristi, business-owners, Bar Managers, and junior or senior assistants.
Level 4: is aimed at those with at least 5 years of experience in the position or who have completed Level 3 of our academy. Those interested will go through an evaluation to join this level if they want to participate. Candidates for this level of training will go through an evaluation prior to joining. For this level, our academy has programs aimed at Bartenders, Baristi, business-owners, Bar Managers, and junior or senior assistants.
Our History
The Bar Academy was established in October 2007 at 14 Evpatorias street in the area near the Ampelokipoi metro station in Athens. Below are a few important moments of our history.
The first programs of the academy were the Bartending, Barista, Flair Bartending & Bar Management Seminar. The facilities consisted of a room for all the above programs. Structured training for hospitality professionals was, at that time, considered a luxury and in some cases unnecessary.
In October 2008, the Winter Whiskey Cocktail Workshop was organised on the subject of whiskey cocktails with the aim of promoting whiskey cocktails. Respective programs with rum, tequila, gin and vodka followed.
In 2009 Bar Academy organised its first International Masterclass titled "The Rum Experience" by Ian Burrell. At the end of the year, the academy moved to new facilities at 28 Velestinou Street in Ampelokipi and inaugurated them with an International Masterclass on Japanese Bartending culture by Stanislav Vadrna and launched the Advanced Bartender Seminar, the Homemade Seminar, the Molecular Mixology Seminar (these will evolve into the Intermediate Bartending Seminar and Bartending Seminar 2, the Bartending Seminar Level 3 and Zero Waste Creative Techniques). The Latte Art Seminar is also launched this year.
In 2010 the series of International Masterclass continued with guests Angus Winchester, Philip Duff, Salvatore Calabrese. The academy is tasked with undertaking the first Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge and Disaronno's competition, The Mixing Star. At the same time, preparations were made for The Bar Academy Show with the motto "Greece in the golden age of cocktail" - this event took place in November of that year during the Xenia exhibition.
2011 was a very difficult year for Greece but also for the academy as it adapted to the new reality but did not stop inviting international experts such as Tomas Aske, Tristan Stephenson, Anistatia Miller, Jared Brown, Leonardo Leuci & Tomas Estes. It organised the 2nd “The Bar Academy Show” towards the end of November.
In 2012 it undertook the restructuring, communication, execution of the Skinos Mediterranean Cocktail Challenge. Transferred its premises to a new location, at 36A Lambrou Katsoni Street in Athens -and remains to this day- and launched the Intermediate Bartender Seminar, that will later develop into the Bartending Seminar Level 2. "The Bar Academy Show" name was changed to "Athens Bar Show" which already was the name used by many visitors and international guests. The location of the event also changed - it was moved to the centre of Athens, at "The Hub Events" complex in the area of Petralona and the motto also changed from "Greece in the golden age of cocktails" to "Stirring the future of bars".
In 2013, “Bar Talks” was announced - a platform aimed to highlight ideas that are advancing the hospitality industry and more specifically bars. The Bar Talks took place during The Athens Bar Show and videos of the speeches were posted on the internet and the platform's website. In the following years the platform was absorbed by the Athens Bar Show and the Bar Academy TV was created in 2016.
In 2014 the Athens Bar Show was transferred to the Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens venue, and the academy trained more than 500 people in one year.
In 2015 it undertook the organisation and execution of Bartending seminars on behalf of InSETE (institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises) in Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion. Created facilities in Thessaloniki at 7-9 Ioanninon Street near the French Institute.
In 2016 it created #BarAcademyTV, an information and entertainment medium for the hospitality ecosystem. The first show is Bar Academy News, a news program with content aimed at our professional ecosystem. The shows are published through the platforms Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. It renewed the Bar Management Seminar and transformed it into a complete program aimed at entrepreneurs or future entrepreneurs and executives. In October, "The Coffee Show" organised an educational exhibition on coffee aimed at professionals. During the Athens Bar Show of that year, the Innovathens building (Building 8) offered space to new, pioneering and innovative companies of the industry.
In 2018 it opened its facilities in Nicosia, Cyprus and at the same time organised the 2nd The Coffee Show. Supported Difford's Guide Greece and co-organized the Aegean Cocktail and Spirits Festival at the 360 Cocktail Bar in Athens. Dedicated part of the Athens Bar Show training program to Bar Management and invited experts from around the world to talk about practices and case-studies.
In 2019 it undertook the creation, organisation and execution of seminars on financial management and new trends in the bars in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Rhodes and Chania. It organised the 10th Athens Bar Show attracting more than 10000 visitors from Greece and from 51 countries from 4 different continents.
In 2020 the facilities in Nicosia-Cyprus are closed but the educational and consulting activity is maintained. The company structure and its services in Greece are reconstructed and restructured. It organised free distance seminars for the industry before the lockdown was lifted and invited Brand Ambassadors to share their knowledge through the academy platforms. Announced the Bar Management Webinar in July fully consistent with the in-person version, both in content and quality. The Thessaloniki branch moved to new, larger facilities at 74 Venizelou Street, a few metres from the Roman market. The 3rd level Bartending Seminar is discontinued during a radical upgrade of all 3 levels of Bartending, to keep them current to the trends and needs of the industry. Undertook the organisation and execution of the remote event "World Class Studios" of the global platform of World Class.
In 2021 launched the Juniper Expert seminars, remotely due to limitations, the Rhum Agricole Tasting Forum, the Budget for Hospitality Business, the Strategy for Hospitality Business, Leadership and Efficiency in Groups, which would transition to in-person form when the conditions would allow. Undertook the organisation, communication and execution of the World Class Greece Finals live-stream from its facilities.
#BarAcademyGreece
#BarAcademyAthens #BarAcademySKG #BarAcademyHeraklion
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Our Team
Speakers
Katerina studied tourism and travel Services management, and almost always knew the professional field in which she wanted to be. Her journey in the hospitality field began in 2008, while in recent years she worked in the coffee sector, which was her main livelihood. In 2015, she took her first seminar at the Bar Academy in the city of Thessaloniki. At the same time, she worked in selected cafe bars in the city while she never forgot her big love for hotels. In 2017, she started to introduce coffee seminars at the Bar Academy, and since the same period, she has been part of organizing various projects related to coffee. Today you will find her at the Bar Academy in Thessaloniki where, in addition to instructing seminars, she has the position of student support while she continues to be informed about developments in the coffee sector.
Yannis`s career starts in the 00`s, when he worked as a Second Bartender in an international chain of Club Resort Hotel. This collaboration offered him the opportunity to learn and be inspired by experienced bartenders with high professional training skills, from recognized educational institutions of other European countries. He continued developing in the industry, offering services as a bartender/head bartender/bar manager/consultant in well-known Bar restaurants/Cocktail bars/Club/Drink caterings. Driven by his desire to elevate the customer experience in 2008, he ventured to incorporate the art of mixology into the art of postage. The alternative genre of flairtending magically combined taste, knowledge and communication with excitement! He has completed the study cycle of the Bar Academy and is a graduate of economics and administration in the shipping sector.
Achilleas has been working in the hospitality industry since 2009. In the last 10 years he has worked in bars in Serres and Thessaloniki such as Briki, The Blue cup, Vogatsikou 3 and Noema Mykonos. Flair Bartender for several years he wοn the Ηellenic cocktail championship twice and represented Greece in two World cocktail championships , Tokyo 2016 - Estonia 2018. He believes that his love for raw materials, homemade products and creative techniques gave him the position of instructor in the Zero waste & Creative techniques.
Σπούδασε διοίκηση επιχειρήσεων στο Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου και έκανε μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές στον Τουρισμό. Με την εστίαση ασχολείται από το 2005, όταν και ξεκίνησε στα TGI Fridays, όπου πέρασε απ` όλες τις θέσεις της σάλας. Από τότε έως και σήμερα ο χώρος του μπαρ ήταν πάντα το 2ο σπίτι του. Think+ , Food Mafia, Noel είναι μερικά από τα πιο γνωστά μαγαζιά, στα οποία εργάστηκε ως head bartender και bar manager. Τα τελευταία 3 χρόνια βρίσκεται ως head bartender στο Αvra bar του ξενοδοχείου Four Seasons by Astir Palace. H διαδρομή του περιλαμβάνει συνεχή γνώση και εκπαίδευση (κάτοχος WSPC 1&2), ταξίδια και εκθέσεις στο εξωτερικό, αλλά και πολλούς διαγωνισμούς (νικητής το 2013 του skinos cocktail challenge, 2 η θέση στο angostura cocktail challenge 2012, 2η θέση στο Bacardi legacy 2016). Αγαπημένο του απόσταγμα το ουίσκι.
George Simoudis started his involvement in the restaurant world 18 years ago in one of the most famous Bar Restaurant of Thessaloniki. He was working at the finance department but his curiosity for the distilleries and the cocktails, soon put him behind the bar. He is still attending seminars from the best in the industry. He is the Owner and Bar Manager at Bar La doze in Thessaloniki, he worked as a trainer with famous Brands such as METAXA and JOSE CUERVO. As well he undertakes the organization of events-events -Bar Catering.
Dimitris has been in the industry since 2004, lives and works in Thessaloniki. In recent years he has worked in most of the city`s cocktail bars (Third Wave, La doze, The blue Cup, Gorillas) from 2020 he is bar manager at Nectar Distillery and from 2022 lecturer at Zero Waste Creative Techniques. In 2022 he won the title of Most Sustainable Bartender at the European final of Flor de Cana and is preparing to claim the world title as well.
Christina Tsotsiou or Krista has been actively involved in catering for the last 16 years. She is a graduate of the school of construction works, has attended seminars by renowned professionals in the field and has worked in many café bars in the city. In 2017 and for 1 year she was co-owner of Koyote (bar - restaurant) in the center of Thessaloniki. For the last 3 years she is the founder of 17 (specialty cafe-bar in the center of Thessaloniki). From 2021 she is a lecturer at the Bar Academy. Her passion is good coffee, good drink and good food.
Experienced Bartender with more than 10 years of bar experience providing personable service at various bars-hotels across Greece. A passionated Bartender who loves to travel & explore new bartending skills. Awarded many times in various bartending competitions.
Ilias comes from the city of Serres but he has been living and working for the last 16 years in Thessaloniki. Having worked as head bartender and bar manager in well-known restaurants such as paraty & loft and Cottage Ilias has a lot of experience in the drinks sector. He has also been a brand ambassador and development manager at Granikal and Skyspirits, while he is currently at Beverage World Company. He won second place in the monin cup competition in 2014, 1st audience award in the Skinos Mediterranean Cocktail challenge and finally he was a finalist in the Greek final of the world-class. Since 2018, he is an instructor at Bar Academy`s bartending seminars in Thessaloniki.
Panagiotis Vitalis`s first steps in the coffee industry begun back in 2012 when he started working as a Barista for a large international coffee company. After that, in his search for excellence, he attends coffee seminars, works in coffee shops, Micro-roasteries and participates in hospitality exhibitions, as well as in coffee competitions. In 2015 he visits the country of Ethiopia, the birthplace of Coffea Arabica, to experience firsthand the cultivation of coffee trees. In the same time period, he starts to work as an instructor in the coffee seminars of Bar Academy Hellas and also trains people in coffee shops and other companies. Shortly after, in 2016, he wins the 1st place in the Hellenic Cup Tasters Championship and travels to Shanghai to compete in the World Cup Tasters Championship. So, he continues to work as a Barista and Barista Trainer while also organizing coffee tastings! Nowadays, he keeps sharing his passion, knowledge and experience through the seminars of Bar Academy knowing that education (and preparation) is essential for any proffesional success. His deeper target is to transform hospitality into a unique experience and thus the cultivation of real, meaningful human relations.
Konstantinos has been actively involved in catering for the last 17 years and bar/bartending for the last 13 years. Graduated from the University of Crete-Mathematics, catering & bars were what he loved and wanted to pursue. Having worked in bars all around Greece and abroad as a Head Bartender and Bar Manager, as well as ambassador for well-known alcoholic beverage companies, the last 2 years he has founded his own consulting services company in catering establishments.
George Tsalikidis started working in the hospitality industry at the early age of 15. However, he was more actively involved at the age of 18 and while studying Economics at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Soon he was fascinated by the wonderful world of coffee, started attending several training seminars and ultimately becoming a member of SCA. He worked as a barista in prestigious coffee shops in Thessaloniki, while at the same time started taking part in the design and project management of cafés and hotel bars. He embraces the philosophy that coffee and spirits in the hospitality sector co-exist and are interchangeable. He used to be a member of the " B&W Spirit Evolution" team and this is when he started being a coffee instructor in several private institutions of the town. Moreover and for a few years, he worked as a barista trainer and quality control manager for coffee companies in northern Greece and since 2018 he has been a coffee instructor in Bar Academy Greece. Finally, he co-created along with his team Shed 小屋, a speciality coffee spot, showcasing his love for coffee.
"I think I got excited with the hospitality industry and specifically bars sometime between the ages 14 and 15 when I spent a month with my grandfather in Munich where he owned a beer house.That atmosphere amazed me and I immediately asked him to jump behind the bar!!
Later and while I was already studying in the department of biology in the National University of Athens (since 2001) I worked in several positions in the hospitality business, and I acquired knowledge and experience that I still use in my work.
It soon became obvious that my destination would be the bar industry and once I started working in bars, the next step would be to evolve within my chosen profession, so I attended several seminars in Bar Academy!
There my excitement about the bar industry grew bigger, and I am still, always looking for every way that will help me get more knowledgeable and more skillful in my profession.
During the last seven years I`ve worked for two, in my opinion, great bars in the center of Athens; "A for Athens" and "CV Distiller" and I still hold the position of "head bartender" in the latter.
I love great spirits and while I always love and get excited for any information about spirits and constant personal evolution, as a human being I do have preferences and in my case my love for whisky is very big."
Thanasis Nikolis has been working in specialty coffee industry for 15 years as a Barista, head barista ,barista trainer ,roaster as well as personnel manager and coffee consultant.
For the last four years he is the Head Roaster and Barista Trainer Supervisor for Kudu Coffee Roasters.
He has taken courses in Management & Administration of Tourism Enterprises and over the years he has successfully competed in barista competitions and achieved the following rankings:
- 2nd in the National Barista Championship of 2012
- 1st in the National Barista Championship of 2013
- 11th in the World Barista Championship of 2013
- 2nd in the National Barista Championship of 2016
- 2nd in the National Roasting Championship of 2017
He has been awarded the Coffee Diploma system and is an active member of the SCA since 2011.
For the last two years he is also an active member of the SCA Hellas council, elected as Communication Coordinator.
My working experience with coffee begins in 2000, while since 2003 it has been my main livelihood. Since 2006, I have been training, advising and recommending coffee-related issues both individually to professionals and employees as well as to companies and catering businesses. Since 2011 I have been a member of the SCA, I am a certified taste & visual judge in the SCA coffee competitions, I have been an authorized trainer at the Barista and Brewing levels in the years 2015-2018 and I have won 3rd place in the Hellenic Coffee Roasting Championship in 2017. Today, co-owner of Crop Roastery in Heraklion, Crete, I manage the coffee department. I oversee the search and selection of raw coffee, its roasting and its quality control at every stage of its production chain. My purpose is to study, research and be in a constant search for knowledge and taste experiences.
My motto:
"Brew, log, cup, repeat"
