Training is a journey. In a sense, it never really ends, but we as managers have a responsibility to the people who work with us to prepare them not just to work in our joints, but to show them how to become the excellent professionals over the course of their entire careers.
Training Resources
Included here is a series of resources I use in my own training programs and mentorships. If you want further resources, or if you want to inquire about training for yourself or your own staff, please feel free to be in touch.
Training Stickers
Created from our Bartender’s Guide, these photos were created to expand the idea of what training should be—humanity-based training creates humanity-based bartenders. These are free for you to download, post, or use for your own purposes.
There are entire training programs and seminars that are based on these concepts. Visit the Contact Page for more information.
10 Rules for Bartenders
Reprinted from our Serious Eats column, “20 Rules for Bartenders.” Click the link below for the full article & list.
1. Do everything you can to make your guests happy within the boundaries you have been given.
2. It’s not your party. It’s not your booze. It’s not your bar.
3. You are on stage and people are watching you. Act accordingly. If you are not comfortable with this, find another job.
4. Sleeping with your customers is a great way to lose money.
5. Know what you serve and why. If you work at a beer bar, make sure you know about beer. If you’re new and uneducated, pick a few that you can get to know well, and start from there.
6. Learn how to make cocktails. Practice the details.
7. Cash-handling is king. Neat money shows your customers and owners that you are paying attention to their cash.
8. Tips aren’t everything. It’s a long-term game, so don’t sweat the random crappy gratuity from time to time.
9. Insist on proper behavior in your bar, whatever that happens to be. If you let the clientele run your establishment, you will never regain control.
10. Learn how to comp and why.
