A good bouncer is a bartenders best friend

A really good bouncer can either be a bartender’s best friend or their worse nightmare. The bouncer is the “face” of the bar or club because this is the first person a customer sees when they come inside the business. The first interaction between the bouncer and the customer is important. This interaction sets the mood of the night for the customer. A really good bouncer will set a positive vibe for the customer, providing a pleasant introduction to the bar or club. Bartenders benefit from this by having happy customers to serve.

So what makes a really good bouncer? Read More...

Pay Your Dues

Another option to consider when trying to become a bartender is by paying your dues. Paying your dues simply means that you are hired on with a restaurant, (corporate or not) usually as a server and work your way up within the company to become a bartender. By paying your dues you will learn important skills like what it means to provide good customer service, the ability to multitask and think ahead and have the opportunity to work under pressure. All of these skills are a required necessity as a bartender.

In any restaurant, the bartending position is usually the most sought out position. Just like in any other bar or restaurant (corporate or not), the bar is the social epicenter of the house. A few customers may choose to dine at the bar, but a majority of the bar business comes from making drinks for the customers waiting for their tables and making the drinks servers order for their tables. Bartenders generally make more money out of all of the other restaurant positions because they are able to sell more volume and don’t have to travel far in order to take care of their customers like servers do.

Corporate restaurants primarily promote their bartenders from within. Read More...

Know Someone on the Inside

Part 2 in the "How to Become A Bartender" series: Know Someone on the Inside

Once a person truly understands all of the different responsibilities of being a bartender and decides that they have what it takes for the profession, then its time to consider the different options of becoming a bartender. One way is to know someone on the inside who will give you a chance.

Sometimes, it’s not about what you know, but whom you know. Networking is an important element in any career, no matter what the profession might be. Read More...

How to Become a Bartender

Part 1 in the "How to Become A Bartender" series: The Responsibilities

One question customers and friends of friends seem to ask me over and over again is “If I wanted to be a bartender, how would I even start?” There are many different ways one can become a bartender, but the first question people should ask himself or herself before making the decision to become a bartender is, “Am I the type of person that is cut out to be a bartender?” From the customer’s side of the bar, bartending might look like it’s nothing but making tasty cocktails and flirting with the clientele. What many people don’t realize is that with bartending comes a lot of responsibility. Read More...

Complaining about a free drink is poor bar etiquette

Receiving a comp drink, free drink or a drink on the house is a luxury, not a right. It’s annoying to bartenders everywhere when someone complains about their free drink. It’s understandable if the quality of the drink is not up to par or maybe the glass of wine that was ordered didn’t taste right, but complaining about the amount of alcohol in (or not in) the drink is poor bar etiquette.

For example...Read More

Featured on SF Gate today, i live here: SF

Remember back in May of this year when I was featured on the i live here: SF blog? Well, my friend Julie who runs the project got a really nice feature on SF Gate today talking about her project. It's nice to see friends getting some healthy media coverage. I really love her project and its obvious that other people do too.

Check out the SF Gate feature: Julie Michelle develops photo hobby into career.

So Stevie Wonder Walks Into The Bar...

This past Saturday night was easily the most amazing night of my bartending career.

Saturday night was a crazy night at the bar I was working at. First of all, the musical guests, Jazz Mafia were off the hook. The place was packed. People were drinking. It seemed like all of us behind the bar had been going full speed ahead as soon as we opened up for business that night. Around 1 in the morning, Stevie Wonder walked into our bar. Stevie Wonder!! Mr Wonderful himself!!! No one knows why or how he found out about our place. It was completely unplanned. No one knew he was coming. I'm just going to chalk it up as being magical.

Stevie sat down at one of our tables. The owner had me bring him a bottle of champagne. I was so nervous, I was shaking. I mean, how many times do you get the chance to open a bottle a champagne for Stevie Wonder and serve him personally? Maybe once in a lifetime? So I wanted to make sure I didn't make an ass of myself. I played it cool and kept calm.

Apparently Stevie was feeling the Jazz Mafia kids to the point of having him make his way towards the stage. Once he started heading for the stage, the whole place went into an uproar. How was it that our little club was being graced with having musical royalty such as Stevie Wonder perform on our stage? Again, chalking it up to being magical.

Once Stevie got up onstage, he gave the band props. I can't imagine what THEY must have been feeling. I think they pulled it off really well. They were playing amazing and made jamming with Stevie Wonder look like it was no sweat. Stevie sang two songs: "All Day Sucker" and "I Can't Help It". Everyone in the house was on their feet, cheering and besides themselves.

I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes. To hear that man sing live is really earth moving. I have always told myself that Stevie Wonder is one of those artists who I had to hear perform live before I die. On Saturday night, my quest was filled.

Check out the video footage here of the magical, unplanned, unannounced and impromptu performance on Saturday night by the one and only Stevie Wonder.