The future is yours to create: Tom Godfrey

Meet Tom Godfrey, co-founder and owner of FOCO in Barcelona, one of the city’s most loved bars. He tells us where his passion for bartending began, who has had the biggest impact on his progression, and how listening more than speaking could be his legacy 

A little bit about me 

Like so many others in our industry, I came into bartending while studying as a part-time job. I had worked in hospitality since the age of 15, taking each role that I could and working my way up to become the bartender at a pub/restaurant close to my family home. From there I moved away from Oxford to Bristol to study product design, and while there started working in a number of bars that served cocktails. It piqued my interest in the business.  

The next day, I was there at opening time knocking on the door with a freshly printed CV. Somehow I managed to swing a trial shift at the bar and after that, the rest is history. 

At around age 19 I had my favourite bar in Bristol, which was called Red Light, a classic speakeasy-style cocktail bar originating from Milk + Honey roots. I would go as often as I could (and afford while being a lowly student) and just sit and watch the bartenders go about service, absolutely mesmerised with the skill and knowledge that was on display.  

On one of my visits to the bar, I got talking to the bartender at the time, who happened to be Chelsie Bailey. At one point during the conversation, Chelsie asked me to bring in a CV and apply for a part-time position. The next day, I was there at opening time knocking on the door with a freshly printed CV. Somehow I managed to swing a trial shift at the bar and after that, the rest is history. 

How I approach my work 

My favourite part of the job has changed over the years. At the beginning it was the service side of the business; learning to be able to anticipate a guest’s wants or needs before they realise what those might be really gave me a kick. At other points it has been a love of the liquids that we get to work with, getting super nerdy about individual products or spirit categories and challenging myself to learn everything that I could about that one thing. Now I own my first bar, my interest lies in creative curation. Having autonomy over every facet of a guest focused experience has opened my eyes to just how important every small detail is, more so than when working or running other bars.  

As a bartender, I am my happiest by the simplest things. Great service and the a special space will always rank before quality of the drinks. and experience crafting, no matter the style of bar will always rank before quality of drinks and a space as a whole for me. As an individual? These days I am exceedingly boring – nothing makes me happier than routine. In a schedule that at the moment, and for the last 12 months, involves a great deal of travel (something which I also adore), I like an early bedtime, going to the gym and cooking healthy food. 

Gather as much empirical information as possible to make the most informed choice on how to act and move forward.

Brands have been pivotal in my career and journey as a bartender. I think it is something very special about what we do that brands are able, and happy, to invest in bartenders and offer us opportunities that people in other industries could only dream of. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I, and FOCO, would not be where we are without the support of numerous brands, that have allowed us to travel the world, and showcase what we do.  

The most helpful advice I ever got was from my parents, and it would be about tempering expectations. I am inherently a bit of a dreamer and an optimist at heart, which has led to either massive disappointments or situations where I end up letting myself or others down. They taught me to approach any given situation or opportunity with as much realism as possible; gather as much empirical information as possible to make the most informed choice on how to act and move forward. I have certainly become much better at this with age, and it is a state of mind I now value greatly and is applicable to every aspect of life.  

My thoughts on mentorship 

A role model is someone who portrays qualities that to you are aspirational to embody; someone whose values align with your own and are executed without ego or intention. A few honourable mentions would go out to Emilio De Salvo – I don’t think any bartender has made me smile more, whether I’m sat at the bar in front of them or just hanging out with him on any given day.  

Since being in Barcelona, I’m not sure anyone has or continues to impress me as much as Simone Caporale. To this day some of the best service I have ever received has been from him in his bar, and whenever I have had the pleasure of hosting him at FOCO he has been nothing but a quintessential  

Having people want to work with you, and believing in and executing an idea is constantly a major source of inspiration and humility.

There have been a number of people in my career who I have recognised as someone I can learn a great deal from. Old bar managers and owners who taught me the basics of bartending, round building and the mechanical side of what we do, as well as the – arguably more important – back-of-house knowledge that is essential to run or own an establishment. My girlfriend Rebecca, who was someone who I looked up to when I was a more junior bartender and seeing her progression from bartender, to brand ambassador and now in sales.

My parents have always been a source of inspiration to me also; they have always supported me in my choices, which I’m sure at some points was very difficult, specifically dropping out of university to follow my ‘passion’ of bartending. And my business partner Theo Quinn has had a big part in forming who I have become as a bartender and continues to be someone who has real belief and drive in letting me have whatever ideas that I have and doing his best either to help of get out of the way. 

Everyone said employing and managing people would be the hardest aspect of owning a business, which in some ways is definitely accurate! But much more significantly, having people want to work with you, and believing in and executing an idea that started as mine and Theo’s baby is constantly a major source of inspiration and humility for me.  

My hopes for the future 

One thing I’d love to see change in our industry is stigma. It would be so much more beneficial for the industry as a whole if people were to get into the business at a young age, knowing that it wasn’t as a stop-gap while studying or as a ‘filler’ job. The amount of time that it takes to train an individual to be proficient in all aspects of what we do is not conducive to someone who’s looking for 20 hours a week, or to be in their role for 12 months. If we are able to frame the hospitality industry as a good place to ‘end up’ and show distinct career progression (from starting as a bartender and moving into F&B management, bar ownership, brand work, or any other of the numerous possible paths that can be taken within the industry), then the industry will grow so much more quickly than it does now.  

It would be so much more beneficial for the industry as a whole if people were to get into the business at a young age, knowing that it wasn’t as a stop-gap while studying or as a ‘filler’ job.

I think education and the passing on of information to the next generation is the most important thing any leader can aspire to do. The industry will develop in its own way – as I believe it should –and will follow trends and be sculpted by things outside of anyone’s control, but what can be controlled is making sure that the next generation has all of the information that we have to pass on. This means they will be the most equipped to guide the industry into whatever new territory it is moving.  

I hope that anyone that I get to work or collaborate with leaves with the impression that I listened more than I spoke, and that I try to approach my life and my job with a level of work ethic professionalism that they can respect.