So, you want to become a bartender?
Working as a bartender may seem like an exciting and enticing career to the uninitiated. But not everyone has the physical stamina, ability to prioritize, and interpersonal skills to keep up with the demands of the job, night after night.
We spoke to industry experts Stuart McGuire, David Tody and Kevin Thiel to find out how to become a bartender and how to progress in this career.
If you’re considering becoming a bartender, here are 14 tips that will help you succeed.
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We’ve broken these tips down into thre uae whatsapp number data egories: professional experience , technical knowledge related to the bartending profession, and interpersonal skills .
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Professional experience
There are a lot of things to keep in mind when considering whether to embark on a bartending career or learn on the job.
1. Don’t take any specific training to become a bartender
While taking classes isn’t necessarily detrimental to your bartending career, it rarely gives you the skills and knowledge you need to succeed.
According to the pros we spoke to, your success how to clear a whatsapp group chat largely depends on your experience. School can teach you techniques (like the standard pour) and ratios for certain cocktails, but it won’t teach you how to handle a packed house on a Friday night.
You can also participate in events such as the bzb directory Nightclub & Bar Show, where you can connect with experienced professionals, learn from them or take practical mixology workshops for example.
2. Start as a bartender or server
All three people interviewed for this article favor practical experience as a server or bartender over training as a bartender.
“A person interested in bartending should first become a cocktail or food server to learn and understand the bartending business,” says Stuart McGuire, vice president and managing partner of Wolf Spirit Distillery in Eugene, Oregon. “The next progression I’d like to see is to commis, followed by a service bar position before moving into a full-fledged bartending role.”
Kevin Thiel, a bartender at a popular Chicago sports bar, cut his teeth as a busboy and server before becoming a full-fledged bartender. That experience gave him exposure to the bar’s patrons and the cash register software , which helped him get up to speed as a bartender.
“It makes the transition between the two positions easier,” he says. “When it came time to train [as a bartender], my transition time was significantly shorter than someone who had no prior training.”
David Toby, now beverage director at Jack Allen’s Kitchen and Salt Traders Coastal Cooking,
