Instead the finalists, all from a hospitality background, presented a sustainability-focused project which could be implemented to reduce environmental impact or improve the livelihoods of the people around them. The €30,000 prize has now been injected into the Alquímico School of Hospitality – an education programme aimed at preparing young people at risk of social exclusion for sustainable, international careers in hospitality.

The school is designed for young people between the ages of 17 and 25, offering both a technical education and a hands-on, practical pathway through paid work at Alquímico, which is number 11 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025.

“This recognition is not just about a drink or an idea, but about using our platform to educate, empower and open doors for the next generation,” says Flechas, administrative manager at Alquímico (pictured). “For me, it is a reminder that innovation in hospitality must always be rooted in people, community and the possibility of meaningful change.”

Alquímico started working with a local music school in Cartagena last year where children from underprivileged backgrounds are provided with a safe space to learn. This same group are now being integrated into the School of Hospitality.

COMBINED EXPERIENCE

Combining classroom-based learning with real-world experience, the programme prepares students for professional careers in hospitality, with an expected employability rate of 80%. At the school each student will have three days a week doing theory classes lead by the bartenders at Alquímico and three days doing practical work in the laboratory and working in the bar itself. Four students from the new school had their first shifts in Alquímico on 1 June.

Jean Trinh, owner of Alquímico, adds: “The School of Hospitality goes beyond just  creating a safe place. It provides them with an opportunity to enter the hospitality industry and offers them a career. Learning music gives young people confidence in their ability and they generate an aura when they play. When they sing it’s in both English and Spanish, so these are exactly the people we want to hire.

“In Cartegena it’s important for these young people to earn money while they learn because often their families rely on them for income. Therefore separating out the theory from paid work is essential and of course we cannot employ every student – the aim is to find them jobs with our hospitality friends in the city.

“Both local bars and big operators like the Four Seasons are interested in the project so we have a pathway for each student.

“For the 10th anniversary of Alquímico we invited our industry friends from across Latin America to celebrate the new project. But what it really showed was that this concept is replicable and I truly believe we could change the lives of millions of kids.

“Another advantage for us in Colombia is that €30,000 goes much further, maybe four times as far as in Europe. The project costs about €100,000 overall and we were about 70% there already so this will help us finish the building itself, get the uniforms and the equipment we need.

“As bartenders we learn how to make cocktails and make people smile, but I truly believe we can change lives at the same time.”