Bartenders, The Hidden Gems of The Show.
“Bartender, the usual”, “Make it special”, “Wow, this is my new favorite drink”. Have you ever said one of these to a bartender before? Because I have.
Amy once made the best espresso martini I’ve ever had, and I’d like to share a little bit of her story and tell you why bartenders are the hidden gems of the show.
Meet Amy. She’s been bartending for over 20 years in many different styles of bars. You wanna know how she started? She fell into it by accident! Who would’ve thought that years later she would become a professional and passionate bartender?
She was helping at a bar and grill casino and she would ask bartenders what was the difference in spirits, flavor profiles, etc. To her surprise, most of them had no idea, so she decided to teach herself to be able to answer those questions. She "lied" and said she had the experience but hey, we all learn how to swim when we get thrown in the water right? And as many of us have done it before, she decided to go for it and applied for a bartender position.
“When you pour drinks, you have the opportunity to tell a story using another person’s art. You're starting a journey of history, geography, agriculture, chemistry, flavor, and creativity just to name a few. You get to share your passion with a person you never speak to and thousands that you do. Bartenders get to be on stage every night and I’m so lucky to be part of the show.”
Amy also shared four things that she considers the most rewarding part of being a bartender, and here they are.
“The first is actually seeing something that you created on a cocktail menu. The second one is the opportunity you get to not only interact with the guest but also to introduce them to something they have never tried before. Opening their eyes to different wines, and spirits. Crafting something that they can’t get anywhere else. The third one is working with the servers and the rest of the team. I like to be able to give them something extra that they can share with their guests and have the opportunity to not only make more money but to talk about something interesting tableside. And finally, the fourth one is playing off other bartenders and getting to experiment.”
This is why bartenders are the hidden gems of the show. When you go out and order a drink, there’s a person behind it who thought of the best way to make you happy with it. They want to surprise you, delight you, and make you love the drink.
There’s art in mixology. In crafting a beverage that is going to not only taste delicious but it’s going to compliment your meal.
It’s all teamwork. We’re all part of the show. Chefs, cooks, servers, bartenders, sommeliers, hosts, dishwashers, and bussers. We all come together to create the best experience for you.
“The hardest challenge for me personally, is trying to get people to stop ordering canned seltzer at a bar. You have a full bar, have fun! It’s like going to a fine dining restaurant and ordering chicken fingers.”
Amy, you couldn't have said it better.
Next time you go out, think about the person that’s behind the bar. Try something different. Ask them questions.
And, don’t order “chicken fingers”!
