Women Bartenders on Using Tanduay to Make Cocktails, Overcoming Stereotypes, and Surviving in a Field Where Men Rule

“It’s very easy to mix in cocktails because of its unique and bold character. I usually go for the classic Tanduay Dark Rum in my root beer and rum with a squeeze of fresh lemon. I have my own signature cocktail, which is perfect when I mix it with Tanduay. We have female guests here in the resort who would request for cocktails that are not too strong, and I would make one for them also using Tanduay. There are different varieties of bars here like sports bars and pool bars, and they are all super busy because of the many tourists who visit our island. It’s very easy to mix in cocktails because of its unique and bold character. I usually go for the classic Tanduay Dark Rum in my root beer and rum with a squeeze of fresh lemon. While I may have experienced some catcalling and received some indecent proposals from male guests in some instances, I have to say that I have been lucky to have always worked with my husband behind the bar. In 2016, we joined Pilipinas Got Talent Season 5 to show that there is more to bartending than meets the eye. That would be the key to your success. Bartending is fun, and you get to entertain guests. Gone are the days when women were simply considered as bar backs or force multipliers during busy bar shifts. Or worse, simply as ornaments behind the bar. It is my wish that female bartenders will continue to flourish and leave their own mark in the field we all so love and are passionate about.” ~Sharleen Antonio, works with her husband and fellow bartending professional

Bartenders are also taking the spotlight as a result of the renewed interest in cocktails. In El Nido and Siargao, two bartenders are paving the way for women to shine in an industry that is dominated by men.

Sharleen Antonio and Larry Guevara, who is also a bartender, are coworkers in one of Palawan's most popular beach towns. In contrast, Riza Delguime works as a bartender at a prominent resort in the nation's surfing mecca.

Creating Tanduay-Infused Cocktails

 

Both women have been bartending for years and share a preference for Tanduay in creating cocktails.

She shared that they used Tanduay rums in her bar management class back in college, so she is very familiar with the brand. Collaborating with the brand, she came up with three Tanduay-infused cocktails that are perfect for any time of the year -- the Mango Basil Mojito, Tanduay Espresso Martini, and Tanduay Old Fashioned.

Delguime likes Tanduay’s sweet and strong flavor. Foreign customers would usually ask what rum brand she uses in her cocktails and would then request drinks infused with Tanduay rums.

Delguime further shared that the bartending scene in Siargao has always been “good and clean.”

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Antonio shared working in a male-dominated industry wasn’t easy in the beginning. Women bartenders used to be seen as just “cotton candies” behind the bar to attract male clients and rake in tips.

Advice for Aspiring Bartenders

Delguime advised aspiring bartenders to just be themselves. 

Antonio, meanwhile, has made it her advocacy to educate people about bartending as hospitality and F&B professionals.

Antonio wants to motivate, inspire, and empower women bartenders and those who would like to start a career in the bartending industry. She and her husband have been conducting workshops and seminars around the country to help aspiring bartenders better their craft.