These are great times to become a bartender.
Being involved with the beverage industry for more than two decades and being an influencer in creating “bartending” as a profession and converting it into a paradigm, I have witnessed the journey of bartending profession from evolution to these revolutionary times.
With the turn of the century, the industry has become a hotbed of cocktail innovations, craft beers, Mixologists creating “WOW” experience for consumers, consumers multiplying exponentially due to globalization and being loaded with disposable income, and liquor companies realizing the potential of the consumer growth have begun to recognize the value of bartenders.
The Golden Age of Bartending is being re-claimed and that too as of now, as you read this write up.
There are 4 parameters linked to this profession- a bartender, liquor companies, bars and the consumer. The industry is consolidating at all levels; and that too in all four parameters.
A bartender has graduated to being a Mixologist and further acquiring new skills to become a Bar Chef. Liquor companies are aggressively strategizing growth at all levels of manufacturers, distributors and retailers. They are employing bartenders as Brand Ambassadors in order to connect within the industry for placements of brands and stock movements. They are investing in educating the consumer as well the bartender, about their product craft and investing on product applications through these brand ambassadors. The bar owners are investing in brand building and investing in multiple outlets via collaborations and partnerships. The fine dining is dying a slow death and experience dining and trend drinking is the new culture. Social media, especially, Instagram and Facebook have revolutionized the entire F&B gamut. To woo the consumer, “Value for Money” offered is more today, as compared to yesteryears. Consumer preferences have gone from whiskies to vodkas and back to whiskies and craft drinks. The cocktail has reemerged with a vengeance.
This profession and the industry is looked upon as a game changer, which today comes wrapped with strategic investments in
- Employing of labor with skills, techniques and creativity,
- Marketing & Brand Development
- Sales & Distribution
- Alliances and Collaborations
Being in the booze business for 25 years now, I have seen fundamental shifts in all aspects, though the most important person in the drink business chain, the influencer, gate keeper of choice of brands is still the bartender.
Earlier, way back in early 90’s, the bartender would make some popular cocktails and twist classics a way bit would be a star. Flaring and juggling of bottles turned heads and brought instant recognition and earnings. There was a drama. Second half of the 90’s saw glow glassware and ice cubes and theme parties, where the bar became a part of the show and entertainment and bartender became “Showtender”.
I founded a company of my own by the name “Shaken or Stirred?” in 1996.
We as a bar company evolved quickly. Due to wedding scene in India, I as a bartender became a national craze due to lack of supply of good bartenders. I started a concept of beverage catering and I started hiring freelance bartenders for events. I started my internal bar academy which later became a national bar academy by the name “Institute of Bar Operations & Management”. It became a different profitable vertical. Few years down the line, my friends Yangdup Lama and Neeren Tiwari started a bar company by the name “Cocktails & Dreams”. It also became an instant hit. Shatbhi Basu started “Stir” Bar Academy in Mumbai. She was the first lady bartender in the count. Irfan Ahmed, a very talented young bartender started gaining popularity in Kolkatta. Bartenders became stars overnight. An industry started to bloom. Then came the first cocktail bar to India- “Thank God it’s Friday”. Corporates, as well individuals loved the concept. Cocktail culture caught on fire.
Tough part was that in those days, alcohol was considered to be a social stigma and parents of youth did not want their kids to get into bartending profession. Hence 90’s and millennium turn around saw the imbalance of demand and supply. It still exists.
By 2003, we as a company were fully established and started consulting for liquor brands, hotels and standalone restaurants. The exponential growth of F&B sector and emerging chains and standalone bars gave industry the much-needed shot in the arm. My company, my colleagues and me became “Wolves of the Bar Business”. I led the pack. The money was good. We took care of our wolves till they started falling out of the pack and started under cutting the services and prices. We stuck to our guns and changed our strategy. We started charging more so that the competitors cannot bridge the gap, but added more value to our services. The drama evolved, foreign bartenders were hired to work for us and also upgraded the skills of our own bartenders. The evolution took turn and evolved into revolutionary ideas. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, we started our bar competition “Bar Wizard Awards” to award and reward the personnel, outlets and organization contributing to the advancement of the industry.
Though, in today’s times, the aspirations and motivations have changed the nature and outlook of bartending and the people who work that craft. Today, bartender is looked upon as a Mixologist or a bar chef. What has happened is that liquor companies have started recognizing the potential and value of bartenders as influencers. They started having competitions with big prize monies and international travels. This motivates the entire bartending community and influences the aspirational goals of bartender. Giving bartenders the job as brand ambassadors which gives them instant recognition and monies, helps the brand move faster through the community. This is fabulous marriage and is here to stay as long as the liquor company makes its own share of monies.
The cocktail world is booming and it has come back more popular than ever. Today, a good bartender is a celebrity of his own kind earning anything from 50K to 10 lacs a month.
Our down line bartenders are placed all over the world and making a global impact.
The way I see bartenders evolving today as:
- Bartenders to Bar Chefs
Journey in the bartending world, thanks to the cocktail culture, has elevated the art of bartending – from bartender to Mixologist to bar chef. Regardless of the level, it’s an exciting time to be behind the stick with the craft moving beyond, “what will you have?” to “try this.”
What excites them is the creativity. Today industry has created a space for artistic people to choose bartending as their way of expressing themselves. So we’ve got more and more artistic people behind the bar, and I think that just keeps progressing. Molecular mixology has opened more avenues in terms of creativity. I greatly admire Chef Heston Marc Blumenthal to create this whole new world of molecular gastronomy.
Some of the best Indian Mixologist leaving their mark on the global platform are Devender Sehgal (8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong), Hemant Pathak (Junoon, NYC), Sanjay Naik (Joel Robuchon,Singapore), Sherine John (Tresind, Dubai).
- Brand Ambassador
Liquor companies have realized that to generate interest in their brands and products, they need to capture the hearts and minds of the key influencer and gatekeeper, the bartender. Who better than another bartender? And so, another career path became available to bartenders.
For those who enjoy and excel at a brand ambassadorship, the opportunity to expand into a spirits company can be a likely further step in career development. Particularly, since major companies are beginning to understand that brand success and even revitalization comes from the bar trade and the people who know it well.
Khushnaz Raghina (Diageo brands), Pankaj Balachandran (Monkey Shoulder).
- Becoming the boss
Upward mobility and career advancement is not solely in the domain of the desk bound.
I suppose this aspiration has always been there, but I notice more and more that bartenders I know and meet have become creative directors, bar supervisors and/or Food and Beverage Managers. As multi-unit establishments expand and grow, the need for qualified leadership will also grow.
The key ingredients are a passion for the food and beverage industry, managerial skills, and for some, an advanced degree. Above all it helps to have a mentor and a work environment that nurtures and rewards business talent.
Rohan Carvalho (Beverage Innovation Head- Café Coffee Day, Founder- Bar Square), Varun Sudhakar (Beverage Innovation Head- Pizza Express).
- The entrepreneurial spirit
Opening one’s own bar is a risky proposition, with compounded risks if food is part of the equation. Tough, but not impossible, assuming the financial and managerial resources are in play. Aman Dua (Drink Designers, Philtre), Yangdup Lama (Speakeasy, Side Car), Vaibav Singh (Perch).
However, the entrepreneurial path is not limited to opening an establishment.
If opening a bar is risky then launching a distillery is, well, perilous. And yet, many try and some succeed. In addition to financial resources, it takes training, patience, long hours, and people skills. Bar-Back Collective (Rohan Jelkie, Arijit Bose, Pankaj Balachandran, Vaibav, Anand Virmani).
I ventured into a brand IBOM (Institute of Bar Operations & Management) which umbrellas three verticals- www.barwizard.in (bartender school), Bardevils (Beverage Catering), Grassroots Innovative Workforce Solutions (F&B Consulting, HRD, Auditing). We are in the expansion mode through franchise module.
I guess, I just like being a bartender. I am happy to contribute to this industry and create phenomenal bartenders, bars and moments.
Much love & good vibes, have a “Sandy-astic” life !
Sandy Verma