Believe it or not, some states REQUIRE licenses for many food and beverage positions.
I suggest you start with your county health office. They should be able to tell you what the license requirements are - or should be for the county or counties or the cities you want to work in.
Get to know the bartender[s] in the establishment[s] you're interested in working. Getting to know the managers also goes a long way.
DON'T go in those places to get a buzz or get drunk. The best days and times to do your networking are Monday through Thursday: 2 PM to 4:30 PM and/or 9:00 PM to 10 PM. AND/OR, depending on the bar and state law, 12:45 AM until closing. Sometimes they'll let you stay after closing, while they clean up and re-stock for the next business day.
Saturday: 11 AM to 11:45 AM. 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Sunday: Is a "pot luck" kind of day. It all depends on how busy that bar is. Many times, you could go in at 11:00 AM and chat with the bartender until "the crowd" starts coming in for the popular sporting event.
Generally, the busiest days of the week are Fridays and Saturdays. FORGET ABOUT ALL DAY FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY NIGHT. Bartenders are far too busy.
Any other times are the times when the bartender is busy tending bar and earning his/her money, tending bar and conversing with customers.
Most of the time, you're on your feet. Invest in a very comfortable pair of shoes or two pair of comfortable shoes. Why two pair? One pair airs-out one day, while you are working in the other. You should alternate wearing the shoes.
When you're busy, the hours fly - they go fast!
When its slow, they creep!
You will find-out and discover you will be your customers’ psychiatrist, psychologist, marriage counselor, Mr./Ms. Fixit, their “best friend”, etc. This is part of the job. Its how you build “a following” and how you increase your tips.
You better learn how to operate that register and make change very fast! Sometimes the bar is two or more “deep” This means all around the bar, the customers are standing - waiting for service. You’ll develop a system. It takes time AND thought.
You may have to start off getting ice, washing glasses, stocking beer and wine; cutting fruit; getting juices and doing all the other tasks necessary for keeping the bar running smooth.
Then you'll get to work the service bar or functions/banquets/parties. You may be able to pick-up a shift or two for lunch, during the week or lunch on Saturday and/or Sunday.
Ask the bartenders you befriend about attending a barternding school. Its worth looking into. If you decide not to do this, its a loss of some of your time and its entirely up to you.
A great book to invest in is "Mr. Boston's Deluxe Official Bartender's Guide" or "Mr. Boston's Recipe Book". Either is commonly referred to as "Mr. Boston" I THINK I would prefer the former rather than the latter. Each day when you go to work, take your book. Each day, when you leave, take your book. You may want to invest in both.
It has JUST ABOUT ALL the popular cocktails and drinks. When you have this book with you, your chances of "being stumped" about a drink or preparing that drink you forgot how to make, should be greatly reduced.
Many times the customers play a vey frustrating game. They try to "stump the bartender" and they make up their own names for drinks. If you can't find that drink in your book, ask the customer who ordered it. DON'T LOSE YOUR TEMPER!
For Heaven’s sake, PLEASE tip the bartender[s]. He/She/They have bills to pay - just like you do!
Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it!
VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name!
Over 26 years in the food %26amp; beverage business.
“The University of Hard Knocks.”How can i become a bartender without going to bartending school?
4-15-08 Hi Steffee!
Thanks for your kind words! I’m honored my answer was THE BEST!
When I received the notice, it REALLY helped make my day MUCH better!
Again, Thanks for everything!
Very Truly Yours,
Ron Berue
Report Abuse
Start working at a bar as a waitress. Learn the trick and the drinks of the trade and as time goes by you'll be making drinks like the rest of them. Then perhaps the bar you once worked at as a waitress will hire you as a bartender, then you can leave them once ready and get a good reference from them.How can i become a bartender without going to bartending school?
You should actually get a job as a barback, not a server.
Make sure you express interest in wanting to bartend and be willing to pick up any shift (even those crappy Monday lunches) and be on call for any bartender that can't make it in.
There are websites that can teach you how to bartend.
Don't fret about not going to school. Most folks I know that are bartenders didn't go to school and the folks that went to school to bartend aren't bartenders.
start serving at a restaurant and tell them before you are hired that you are interested in bartending.... don't take the job unless they agree to a time line of that happening... it doesn't hurt to be a hottie... sorry but its trueHow can i become a bartender without going to bartending school?
http://www.bartending.com/recipe.php
get get work in a joes bar - for basic people - like a sports bar - mostly guys - then you will be opening beers most of the time - work your way up from here learning from the pros
No comments:
Post a Comment