For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a creative and very visual person. I drew and wrote stories as a child, leaned heavily into art as a teenager and when my mum purchased our family’s first digital camera, it was the very first time in my life that I could answer the question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ To this day I still don’t know why photography resonated with me so much but it has led me to a place of career expectation beyond anything I could have hoped. 

I started bartending to free up days to pursue photography. Having picked up a camera for the first time in high school, I wanted to be a portrait and fashion photographer and began shooting my friends and amateur models to practice. After I got my first bartending job, I struggled to maintain an equal focus across both industries until I started experimenting with drinks photography years later. At the time, fashion photography was a highly competitive industry, and my style was not commercially appealing or mainstream. 

The purchas our family’s first digital camera, was the very first time in my life that I could answer the question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’

In 2017 I took on a dual role for a small bar that opened in Brisbane that had a heavy focus on socials. I was the venue and operations manager as well as the content and social media manager. At this time brands rarely hired photographers and videographers for events or activations and the industry was not very active on Instagram. 
 
My real start in professional photography in hospitality came in 2018 when I began shooting content for bars in Brisbane as well as events and activations for brands. I earned next to nothing due to non-existent budgets and the emerging nature of this tier of work, but it gave me a tonne of practice and experience and helped me form relationships within the industry as a creative and not just a bartender. 
 
The three-month marketing campaign required by Bacardi Legacy national finals was another catalyst. I built a brand and shot all content for my drink which led to a lot of interest after the competition was over. 

 
When the pandemic broke out and Australia locked down, I was well positioned as brands looked to bolster their online presence and engage creators for user-generated content. At my busiest, photography/videography accounted for 70% of my income, with the nature of my freelance engagements having now shifted to more talent-based enquiries [guest shifts, brand partnerships, campaigns etc. 
 
The bulk of my photographic commissions is made up of commercial brand photography for online content, print and online advertising, shooting for bars and restaurants capturing drinks, food, staff portraits, service and space, industry events and generating content for social media-based commissions. My portfolio also includes weddings, portraits, fashion and travel. 

Being multi-skilled increases your value as both an employer and as an individual. I’m unsure if photography has directly furthered my bartending career but it’s certainly helped my visibility in the industry and in other ways. Without it, I would not have grown as efficiently on social media, I would not have content retainers or extra work and income which has allowed me the freedom to travel regularly. I would not have met so many of the wonderful people I have met through photography or been offered wonderful opportunities like documenting the Spritz Me To Venice winner’s trip to Italy for Aperol in 2023. 

Being multi-skilled increases your value as both an employer and as an individual

I’ve been able to create my own content for competition entries, headshots, socials etc, and the greater scope as a creative has allowed me to expand into creative direction and ideation for brands and venues. Creative direction is what I’ve been most passionate about and pushing forward with in the last year. 
 
I love to draw from movies, books, music and pop culture for inspiration in both drink making and photography.  Both photography and bartending exist within the fabric of creative expression. What informs both may not be so obvious and differ from person to person. Understanding aperture, ISO and focal length may never impress upon the drinks you make or the customers you serve. But studying and understanding light, colour, styling, location scouting/dressing, perception, timing, storytelling and where you look for inspiration can inform and have a huge impact on both. Light is the most crucial element of photography to understand. Vice versa, light is one of the most crucial elements of a venue.  

Just because a photographer has hospitality experience doesn’t mean they’ll capture great images for bars and bartenders. Just like how knowing how to make a Margarita doesn’t make you a great bartender. However, some of the most frustrating things can come from working with photographers with little or no hospitality experience, like not picking up on issues with drink presentation and capturing awkward or non-moments in drink-making and service etc. With social media continuing to accelerate our desensitisation to content, even good content, it’s never been more important to produce work that stands out or says something

The post Millie Tang on being a bartender-photographer  appeared first on Campari Academy.

A little bit about me 

I never planned to become a bartender – I actually wanted to become an architect. But I wasn’t really sure or ready to start that school yet, so I decided to study something fun and went to a bartender school for a year. 

I remember one of my classmates told me not to buy any bar tools, because I probably wouldn’t become a bartender anyway. Yet here I am today, 12 years later, working in my favourite bar.  

I love the social life of working in bars. Then there’s being creative and connecting with new people, working with ‘simple’ things that brings more happiness to peoples’ lives. 

How I approach my work 

Being a bartender, working with what I love and am passionate about makes me really happy. I also love then when it comes to this job, I will always be learning. 

When it comes to what drives me as a person, I always want to achieve better and higher goals. I’m constantly asking myself: What will my next step be? 

One of my classmates told me I wouldn’t become a bartender anyway. Yet here I am today, 12 years later, working in my favourite bar.  

I’ve been given some good advice over my career, the most helpful probably being: “Sometimes we get excellent advice but we forget to take it in. Take it in and pass it on.” 

Competitions have never been a big part of my career but travelling and education have always been very important to me from the start – that’s when I get the most creative and inspired. 

With brands, I think it’s a give and take relationship. We help each other, but I think we can do more together to create a better bar world. Both for the environment and for the individuals.  

My thoughts on mentorship 

I look up to my team. To see them trust, respect and care for each and others – that really inspires me.  

For me a role model is someone who in my opinion is really good at what they do, but also always looks after all the people around them. No matter what role they have, they should be a humble person that is still willing to learn.  

To see my team trust, respect and care for each and others – that really inspires me.  

Leaders should keep supporting the younger generation. I think if we want to help the next generation we need to look at today’s leadership: Listen and communicate more effectively, encourage people to do contributions and motivate each other.  

My hopes for the future 

If I could change one thing about our industry, it would be the negative mindset people have about people working in the bartender industry for a living – that it is not a real job, just something you do before studying that you can’t build a career from. 

I think if we all just try to be better versions of ourselves and help each other, the future will be much better and healthier. 

To make sure our voices are heard, we need to keep supporting and learning from each other instead of trash talking each other. If we can do that, we’ll grow as a community.  

I think if we all just try to be better versions of ourselves and help each other, the future will be much better and healthier. 

I want my legacy to be that I somehow made an impact or inspired someone to achieve the best they can.  That, and that I created an environment where my team felt that they were seen and had a healthy work-life balance.  

The post The future is yours to create: Hedda Bruce  appeared first on Campari Academy.

When I first started bartending in Melbourne as a brash teenager, I felt like I had a natural style and rhythm behind the bar. I loved this new-found attention and I played to it; I was a slave to it. I quickly worked out that I could get even more attention from putting weird things into my cocktails and lighting things on fire. Squid ink was utilised, along with fresh sage, coriander and basil. But there was no foundation for any of this.  

All of our drinks at Ginger tasted great (in my opinion) but there was no consistency between them, no underlying principles that linked them together. They were just a bunch of recipes that were tweaked and added to enough that they balanced out and tasted good. But could you identify each nuance and ingredient in each drink? Certainly not. It was slightly out of control chaos but in frozen glass form. 

My opinion changed when I walked into Milk & Honey. Everything about that experience changed me.

I didn’t know of Milk & Honey, Sasha Petraske or Michael McIlroy when I moved to NYC in the spring of 2004 as a cocky little 21-year-old with ridiculous hair. I actually wasn’t very impressed with the cocktail scene when I first arrived either. Yelp didn’t exist, neither did World’s 50 Best Bars or any accessible list of the city’s top cocktail bars.  

In my limited experience, the cocktail bar scene in London and Australia was quite a bit more advanced than NYC’s at that time. But that opinion changed when I walked into Milk & Honey. Everything about that experience changed me. Walking through the heavy velvet curtain and into a candlelit den with jazz lightly playing and the heavy ka-chunk-ka-chunk sound of a Daisy being shaken on one solid block of ice transformed me.  

After initially being denied a seat as I was reservation-less, I came back half an hour later when I received the phone call. I sat at the bar and watched in awe. The cocktails seemed so simple but the attention to detail and methods of preparation were mesmerising. I needed to work here.  

My experience and skill set didn’t count for shit. I had to consume everything that this bar embodied. I enquired about a job after I spent more money than I had on two drinks and by chance, Sasha himself picked up the phone the next day when I called. We agreed to lunch and even though he forgot about the meeting initially, he met me, a little late, and we chatted over French dip sandwiches and drip coffee for nearly three hours – in which time I convinced him to hire me. 

Over the next few years, I learned from a slew of older bartenders that had been helping Sasha tighten up everything about drink making, from refining old recipes to tightening up orders of operation. We all had one goal: to make drinks as fast as possible whilst never compromising the end quality of the drink.  

Maximum chill and optimum dilution were paramount. I asked a lot of questions from these incredibly talented bartenders. I probably annoyed them with my eagerness. In fact, fuck it, I hope I annoyed them with my eagerness.  

My experience and skill set didn’t count for shit. I had to consume everything that this bar embodied.

The underlying theme with the drink-making process, though, was simplicity. The cocktails we were making for the world were so simple but so delicious. Three to five ingredients were used at most (bitters, egg white or club soda were usually not counted as an ingredient). They were all based on classic recipes from cocktail books we had found on eBay and in second hand bookstores.  

We compiled everything into a few categories: Sours, Collins, Gimlets, Rickeys, Manhattans, Martinis, Old Fashioneds, Flip/Dessert. Each category had an underlying formula that applied to 95% of the drinks in that category. The mission for new bartenders was to learn those formulas. Learn how to identify which category new drinks could be assigned and be consistent about the recipes. It gave great insight into how to prepare the drink during the crunch of service if your fellow bartender asked for a spec refresh. It also made learning the 100s of cocktails a lot more manageable when there were consistent and underlying formulas. 

Sasha didn’t love new drink creation. He believed that there were enough old drinks to learn without the need for the creation of new ones. But he grumpily would try whatever we were working on and critiqued the hell out of them. Man, he was tough! He also didn’t like a lot of the more popular drink styles that the modern bartender pushes these days, particularly bitter and smokey. Nope, he was not a fan of the Penicillin or the Paper Plane. He once famously told McIlroy that his Thumbs Up cocktail had too much Angostura in it (there was no Angostura in it).  

But each new drink needed to fit into this mould. Could it be assigned into one of these categories? Did the formula match other drinks in this category? Would you order another one directly after? Does each ingredient stand out and have an important place in the drink? Were there other, better drinks that fulfilled this request in said category? If you answered no to any of the first four questions, the drink was scrapped and it was back to the drawing board.  

If you want these drinks to be replicated at homes and bars around the world, keep it simple!

These are still principles we live by at Attaboy and any other affiliated properties. And, let me tell you, we have not exhausted all of the possibilities available to us. With a constant plethora of new ingredients coming to market every month, there are constant opportunities for new drink creation that still adhere to these principles. I’m still doing it 20 years later and so are the very talented members of our teams in both Nashville and NYC.  

If you want these drinks to be replicated at homes and bars around the world, keep it simple! As much as we all love interesting infusions, rotovapped ingredients and milk washed everything, if you want your creations to be spread and recreated everywhere, use readily available syrups, ingredients and spirits. Emphasise technique, ice, chilled glassware and high-quality ingredients and make sure you’ve mastered the above formulas. All drinks can be based and built off of these, even the weird ones with squid ink in them.  

The post Sam Ross: Why classic cocktails and formulas matter  appeared first on Campari Academy.

After 12 years working behind other operators’ bars – including Audrey Saunders’ Pegu Club and a little-known landmark in Madison, Wisconsin, Paul’s Club – I got my first opportunity to design my own work stations for PDT in 2007. I included renderings of it, along with the bar’s first and second level floorplans in The PDT Cocktail Book in 2011. I got so much positive feedback about this section that in 2017, I wrote a whole chapter on bar design in Meehan’s Bartender Manual. 

Since most bartenders don’t design their own bars on an unlimited budget, I got to thinking about how they play a key role in bringing bar design to life.

I divided the chapter into sections on location, concept, branding, interior design and décor with five floorplans of bars that exemplified these concepts and a home bar I helped design. As I reflect upon the usefulness of this chapter, I must confess that the information I’ve included in my book is probably better suited to a well-funded operator about to embark upon an ambitious bar project with a kitchen designer, architect and experienced bar manager than most bartenders, who have to make do with someone else’s setup.   

Since most bartenders don’t get to design their own bars on an unlimited budget, I got to thinking about how owners, operators and bartenders each play a key role in bringing bar design – whether your own, or someone else’s – to life. In this context, I’ve framed design as the plan you hand over to the builders (operators once a space is constructed).  

While great design has the capability of making an object or place’s use more enjoyable and memorable, like driving a Ferrari or sitting in an Eames lounge chair, achieving its full potential requires skill and imagination by its users. 

For owners 

Undoubtedly, the easiest time and place to get bar design right is well before the business opens, when the owners take over a space, hire an architect, contractor and kitchen designer to build their dream venue. Inviting a bar manager with service experience into the initial meetings with the owners and builders, which almost always occur with the GM and chef, helps ensure that front-of-house needs, like shared walk-in refrigerator and dry storage space, are allocated equitably.   

Major equipment and appliance purchases, along with the layout and orientation of where service hubs (like a host stand, bar, kitchen and manager’s office) will be only typically happen once; and that’s sometime between the owners taking the keys from the landlord and the business’s opening day.  

The importance of these decisions cannot be overstated. Making them in meetings with the key stakeholders who will oversee operations is crucial so the space can be designed to facilitate its operator’s intentions.  You tailor the suit to the person, not vice versa.  

The cost of closing a busy or underachieving restaurant for multiple days after it opens to remodel it with improvements can be avoided if electricity and plumbing are installed during the buildout to not only achieve a business’s ambitions, but grow it.  

This means investing in plumbing and electricity hook ups in spaces where costly machinery such as ice machines or refrigeration may be added later if the conservative estimate of a business’s potential is exceeded. Installation of new equipment and machinery can be completed over a short holiday weekend, or even at night: if permitted, messy construction and busy contractors can be avoided.  

The key to designing a successful bar for operators is having the vision and experience to imagine it operating at full throttle.

The key to designing a successful bar for operators is having the vision and experience to imagine it operating at full throttle. If you design a bar to handily accommodate its staff when they’re stretched to accommodate their busiest service, you’ll set them up for success. This includes everything from amenities like a coat check near the door, to essentials, such as a short distance from the service bar to the tables.  

The two areas of design that have changed the most since my book was released are adequate ventilation and outdoor seating options, which sure come in handy during a respiratory pandemic and will remain vital in the future.  

For management 

My book is oriented towards design decisions for owners, but what about bar managers and beverage directors, who frequently get brought in after the chef has spent the lion share of the opening budget (right after the architect finished designing another bar with no space for garbage bins, recycling or adequate plumbing for sinks and installed a proper dishwasher)?  

While it’s typically too late to rectify these oversights, management must still make the most of the bar design they inherit from the opening team.  

The three key features (which are installed as part of the design) of a bar that every savvy operator adjusts throughout service are lighting, temperature and the volume/playlist of music. Surely, the owners installed lights on dimmers (hint hint, owners) and tested them over the course of a full day before opening so they could be programmed for the gradual changes in natural light from sunup to sundown?   

And for hot or cold environs, the thermostat must be monitored to keep each HVAC zone of the room at the ideal temperature for harried servers and cooks and nattily dressed guests occupying the same space.  Most crucially, the volume and type of music must be tinkered with to maintain the right energy.   

There’s a whole chapter on the cocktail menu – because it’s that important – but from an operational standpoint, the menu is one of the most important design elements for a bar venue, as it’s the user’s manual customers rely on to construct their experience.  

Guests are looking for clues when they consider what to order: merchandising should guide them to it instinctively.  

From the staff’s perspective, a menu can break service by either being too broad and ambitious, causing too much churn, or too esoteric and mundane, yielding too little. Merchandising menu items through product placement and service rituals that call attention to what you want to sell (and are most capable and successful doing so) is good restaurant design. Guests are looking for clues when they consider what to order: merchandising should guide them to it instinctively.  

One last design consideration for managers is customer flow and capacity. Do you seat the entire restaurant or bar all at once, or stagger reservations or walk-ins to allow orders to be placed and executed for an even service? Do you start a line when your bar is at capacity, tell people you’ll call them when there’s availability, or allow a bar to become overcrowded?  

While packing a venue might seem like a good idea from financial perspective, there’s a sweet spot between a bar and kitchen achieving their potential (and growing from it) and utter chaos, which leads to disappointed customers and staff disaffection. This dynamic sweet spot is a design challenge on a nightly basis.   

For staff   

While it’s tempting for some bartenders to write off a bar for its poor design, the fact of the matter is that most bars aren’t well designed to begin with, or have major challenges due to unavoidable structural issues like supporting beams in an old building. Approaching each bar with the intention of making lemonade with its design lemons is how I’ve approached my career, with mise en place being the key tool to get the job done.   

Mise en place, which is the configuration in which staff set up their station with tools, bottles, garnishes, menus, napkins, glassware, cutlery and other items for service is crucial for success.  While most bars and restaurants will standardise their set ups as a point of service, there’s always room for customisation to improve everything, from the way towels and napkins are folded to where water pitchers are stored and refilled for easy access.  

Creative mise en place shaves seconds off each move a server makes, which leads to time saving that can generate a whole extra turn of a dining room over the course of an evening.  

The other essential and easy-to-overlook design element bartenders hold the power to unlock is service. Great service can make up for the most difunctionally designed bar or restaurant. Bartending is a (functional) show put on for the customers, and as the star of that production, a great bartender can hide a lot of questionable design decisions in the darkness around their spotlight if they keep their composure and expertly guide their guest through the experience they want their guests to have.  

Great service can make up for the most difunctionally designed bar or restaurant.

One of my favorite quotes from my interviews for Meehan’s Bartender Manual is from Jack McGarry, who told me that: “As soon as I walk into a bar I can feel whether there’s negativity. Obviously, the first thing is, is this bar good? Do the operators care about it? But from there, you also sense the operator’s attitude. Are they an optimistic or positive person? You’ll quickly see that trait mirrored in their staff.”  

I couldn’t agree more: positivity in the form of a sense of hopeful possibility is what each and every guest is looking for when they sit down in front of your bar. Knowing this, and preparing yourself mentally, physically and emotionally each day before you open the doors is the operational equivalent of putting gas in a car or plugging in the fridge.  

Design must be animated in this way, as a well-designed bar should function intuitively, but the imagination and heart to make the most of it must come from its users.

The post Jim Meehan: When it comes to bar design, we all have the power to work with it  appeared first on Campari Academy.

A little bit about me 

My journey into bartending wasn’t just a job opportunity; it was a conscious choice. Like most people, I got into hospitality as a server at a French restaurant and what happened, happened. I was bewitched by all the clinking bottles I saw on the selves, the smell, the tastes, the sounds.  

Coming from a rural background, I was eager to conquer every new obstacle I encountered – bartending actually helped humble me. It became a journey of constant learning and personal growth. 

I’ve fallen in love with the atmosphere when toasting with people, when they smile and when they tiddle with the tinkling of glasses, you know, it’s very special and distinctive. And then the spirits world got to me. The challenge of learning new knowledge, connecting with people, and, of course, enjoying a good drink is what I cherish the most.  

Bartending helped humble me. It became a journey of constant learning and personal growth. 

I think that leads me to become easily a more happy person. Drinking makes me happy, making drinks makes me happy, people adoring my drinks make me happy.  

I consider myself a free-spirited person, finding success in not sweating the small stuff. A fearless and dedicated approach to life has taken me far. Unwavering determination and a single-minded focus can lead to unforeseen destinations. I might not know exactly where I’m heading now, but I know that I will get there. 

How I approach my work 

The most impactful advice I’ve received came from my mother: ‘Do whatever you want, be whoever you want to be, just don’t do bad things.’ This guidance not only shaped my personal values but also influenced my professional approach. 

Given my innate curiosity and the need for a thorough understanding of my craft, continuous learning is a cornerstone of my professional progression. 

I always want to continually refine my skills to stay at the forefront of the field for as long as I can, building a thriving business, and making a positive impact on the industry.  

The best advice from my mother: ‘Do whatever you want, be whoever you want to be, just don’t do bad things.’

Having been both an employer and an employee, I find motivation in the intrinsic rewards of the job itself. Permission to be creative and a sense of trust are the cherries on top.   

Brands have played a significant role in my career journey. In the initial stages, they provided essential support through training sessions, gatherings, and competitions, helping me integrate into the industry community. As a business owner, collaboration with brands has offered valuable opportunities to extend my reach beyond Vietnam, being both partners work and friends in life. 

My thoughts on mentorship 

While I don’t have specific individuals I look up to, I find inspiration from a diverse range of people both within and outside the hospitality industry. I believe everyone has unique experiences and insights to offer, and I am open to learning from various perspectives.  

I’ve always tried to learn from everyone but I’m going to do things my way.  

To me a role model is someone who embodies the qualities and values that I find admirable and aspire to adapt into my own life. I deeply respect individuals who consistently display professionalism, resilience, and a commitment to their work. Recognising the universal importance of these qualities, especially in a newly robust industry in Vietnamese culture, is crucial. 

I’ve always tried to learn from everyone but I’m going to do things my way.  

When I was younger I spent most of my time being a part of a team. Now I am leading my team myself, I prioritise a wealth of knowledge and the ability to offer valuable insights and guidance. Additionally, a keen understanding of the team’s goals is essential, setting the stage for a focused and motivated group.  

Given the unpredictable nature of human behaviour, effective leadership requires a clear vision of goals and unwavering dedication to achieving them and be able to build a good team.  

Encouraging the new generation about the strength of healthy competitive mindset, investing in professional development can go a long way in ensuring that the industry remains vibrant and supportive for the generations to come.  

My hopes for the future 

With a new and thriving environment like Vietnam, I envision a change in our industry towards even greater inclusivity and openness. Breaking down barriers and embracing different perspectives would create a more dynamic community. Not everyone will have the same growth choices so being supportive, even when they do things differently, would be a great start.  

Bartenders are the heartbeat of our industry, and each cocktail crafted is a statement of innovation. By continually pushing boundaries, embracing change, and being respectful to the professional itself, we shape an industry that evolves, is diverse and full of surprises. 

Not everyone will have the same growth choices so being supportive, even when they do things differently, would be a great start.  

Personally, I believe that every bartender holds the power to shift the whole industry if they invest their efforts in actively engaging in education, participating in industry events, fostering creativity, being supportive and unafraid to show their true colours.  

Considering my journey is just beginning, my focus is on doing my best at every step. Being happy standing behind the bar; crafting new drinks; cheering with customers and connecting with friends all over the world is my biggest fortune for now.  The joy of these moments defines my journey, and I aim to continue contributing positively to the industry, leaving a legacy of creativity, camaraderie, and genuine passion for the craft. 

The post The future is yours to create: Chun Chun  appeared first on Campari Academy.

It might sound like a cliché, but rarely will you find a saying that applies so perfectly to the bartending craft: practice makes perfect. 

Though tending bar is much more than just concocting delicious drinks, it is undeniable (and quite obvious) that tasty cocktails are a pivotal element for the success of a bar. And being able to consistently deliver the best drinking experience is a task that can only be accomplished by perfecting recipes, movements and ultimately service.  

Some will focus on muscular memory, repeating the same pouring routine over and over to get to the perfect sequence; others will train their palate religiously. Appreciation of the work that goes into honing a craft is something that trickles out across our industry, from the bar to people who work around our industry.  

We sat down with three craftspeople and asked them about their approach to their respective trade: their beginnings, the time it took them to master it and the importance of dedicating themselves to practice.  

Brent Bowie, co-director, Oakwood Cooperage, Scotland  

Brent Bowie has been involved in cooperage for the past 30 years, and launched Oakwood Cooperage in 2018, joining forces with director Graham Hamilton. Renowned as one of the most skilled coopers in the business, Bowie approached the role through school programmes, working one day a week while still a student, before going full time in 1995. 

Growing up in Speyside (home to the most whisky distilleries in Scotland) working in whisky was almost inevitable, be it at a distillery, at a cooperage or at a service provider for the industry. “My main interest was working with wood,” he explains of where his journey began. “There were lots of broken barrels available and distilleries required them. Although barrels are needed to be the same, they are naturally all different and this allowed me to see all their nuances, so my skill set was enhanced.” 

Training at Glenfiddich distillery, Joseph Brown & Sons and Dufftown, Bowie recalls how his profession evolved throughout the years: “When we started, we only used hand tools, but over the years machinery got much better: that’s why we believe that if the electricity goes off and you’re still able to work properly, you are a good cooper.”  

But to become one, it takes time and practice: “It took a month of broken fingers and hand-cuts to get the coordination needed. Still today, for any trainee the first year is key: it’s when you are slow and still unaware, and as with everything, you need to walk before you run, remembering that there’s no stupid questions.” Once you get through your first year, Bowie assures, improvement is easier.  

This job is not for everyone, but it grants a good lifestyle. If you put hard work in, you’ll get benefits out.

The industry has completely open doors and experience is minimal: “To become a cooper you don’t need any initial qualifications, you just have to be prepared to work hard and have common sense, since we use many sharp objects and heavy machinery.” You also get paid by the barrel, so being good with numbers is an advantage. 

Newly hired workers at Oakwood Cooperage begin with a tour of the plant to witness the processes and are then employed for short periods in every department with a mentor, learning everything about the barrel and the skills to work safely. Apprenticeships last four years, but after the third year, skills and trade tests are provided by the members of the Cooper’s Federation of Great Britain. 

According to Bowie, new energy is coming through: “We have invested a lot in having youngsters come into the industry. We are open minded: if someone is keen and interested to learn, we will spend the time to train them. This job is not for everyone, it’s very physically demanding, but it grants very good money and a good lifestyle. If you put hard work in, you’ll get benefits out.” 

Cooperage is a craft that has been practiced for centuries. Is there anything left to be learned? “You stop learning when you stop doing,” he says. “It is important to understand, though, that there is not one single way to do things properly, so not one single rule that you should learn to succeed. Certain things can’t change. I have worked in lots of cooperages, and the way we are is different from any other, not necessarily better or worse.”   

Hugh Scott Moncrieff, director, Cake Architecture, London  

For the past 10 years, Hugh Scott Moncrieff has been pursuing his passion for architecture and design. His Cake Architecture business features work in a variety of sectors, including cocktail bars, having designed the interiors (and not only that) for A Bar with Shapes for a Name in London.  

“I have had a fascination with the design of space since I was very young,” he explains of his route into his career. “I studied architecture at The Bartlett in London and at the Cooper Union in NYC. I don’t think it is absolutely necessary to have formally studied architecture to get involved in designing space, but at certain scales it is helpful.” 

Moncrieff began taking internships whilst at high school to get a feel for architecture, before looking up to professionals that helped him shape his approach to work: “I’m always particularly grateful to my professor Diane Lewis from the Cooper Union who taught about space through the lens of a poetic imagination. She was an incredible architect.” 

The switch towards being a professional architect and business owner was fueled by a consistent search for education and inspiration, resources that have been extremely important along the way. “I find interest in books, walks to look at buildings, looking at buildings, drawing buildings! Also just keeping a curious and open mind as you walk around the city.” 

I guess AI is making some pretty big impressions on things. I don’t believe you will ever be able to replace the creative instinct though, because it’s about joy and passion and that’s not available to a machine – yet.

This, plus a daily practice in drawing (the hardest skill to master, according to Moncrieff) translates into an essential, direct and concrete approach to his craft, also implementing technology: “Technology is of course constantly evolving and changing. I guess AI is making some pretty big impressions on things. I don’t believe you will ever be able to replace the creative instinct though, because it’s about joy and passion and that’s not available to a machine – yet.” 

Designing is a living and breathing thing. Practicing is fundamental, but nobody really knows how long it takes to master it to perfection, not even Moncrieffe: “I think it’s a lifelong effort really. I would say we ourselves are just getting started, and hopefully through some great projects we will be able to pass on our passion and dedication to the next generations. I’d like to teach someday too.”  

Is it true then that practice makes perfect? “Well, I’ll let you know…” 

Michele Giuman, glass master, The Glass Cathedral, Murano 

Entering The Glass Cathedral on the island of Murano is quite the experience, and a deconsecrated church is today home to a glass furnace, as well as being an event-hosting venue. Here, glass master Michele Giuman has been learning, mastering and demonstrating the rare craft of glassmaking for the past 30 years.  

“I still perfectly remember my first experience with glass,” he recalls. “It was my first fondita, the process through which glass crystalises. I was with my father, and he was concocting his signature combination of silica sand, potassium, potassium nitrate, limestone and soda, to put it in the oven.”  

Glassmaking has been the pillar of Murano and Venice’s economy since the 10th-century, with its produce still to this day known the world over. It’s a unique craft, filled with tradition and unwritten rules: “I started because I’ve always been very passionate”, Giuman explains. “I was pretty much born in a furnace. It takes dedication to become a glass master: you begin as a serventino (helper) and then move up to levare (taking the glass outside of the oven). With time you can become a servente (the glass master’s right arm) and if you are good enough you rank up to be a master. Otherwise, you stay a servente for life.”  

A solid mentorship and a natural artistic instinct can go a long way, according to Giuman’s experience, as he describes what new apprentices do when they begin: move the newly made glass objects into the tempering oven. “I learned from my father and a few masters like Fratelli Serena, Alessandro Barbaro, Mario dei Rossi. I can’t even count the amount of tries I had to undergo, before getting the gist of it, though everyone needs their own time. It allowed me to understand that we need to have a clear idea of what we want to achieve, much before starting the production process: a glass master visualises the object they want to create and the technique they need to create it.”  

Perfection? It does not exist. What we can do is put everything we have in our job and try to get as close as possible to being perfect. 

That’s because with different techinques come different tricks: the globally renowned soffiato (blowing) techinque is the one that grants less room for error, while the massiccio process makes it easier to adjust and re-work possible mistakes. It’s a variety of possibilities that The Glass Cathedral showcases daily: “We create new work every day, and every piece is unique. We often work on request, and we cooperate with artists coming from different branches (painting, ironwork, woodwork, sculpture).” 

Technology has been a fundamental support for glass masters and their creativity. The ovens switched from being wood, coal or oil powered, to the modern gas or electricity-based ones. But some things can’t be changed by technology. “Tools such as muffole (mittens) or tempre (to make glass resistant) are the ones that improved the most,” explains Giuman. “The process never really changed, as it is not influenced by technology.” 

A craft that witnessed centuries of evolution is sadly now facing extinction, though: “On one hand, it is an activity that needs constant practice, we learn every day. On the other, we struggle to see a new generation of glass makers,” laments Giuman who is one of the youngest at 55. He hopes one day he can pass his knowledge down to the younger generation. Is he still in pursuit of perfection? “That does not exist. What we can do is put everything we have in our job and try to get as close as possible to being perfect.” 

The post Practice makes perfect: Learning your craft  appeared first on Campari Academy.

The idea of owning my own bar was not foreign to me. I’d opened a couple bars alongside my partner in my twenties, and before I moved to Hong Kong I knew that I didn’t want to open a bar in Portland, or at that time. I also didn’t want to move to New York to cut my teeth. I had already diligently earned my stripes and after a brief consulting trip in Singapore opened my eyes, I was ready for a global change.  
 
In 2015, I was recruited to become a sweat equity partner at what is now The Pontiac. Sweat equity is when you either get a discounted rate on your shares or they are given to you by the directors of the company in return for your added value to the business. This can look like a percentage of the company over time or based on financial goals and so forth.  

The legal implications of owning a bar change from state to state and country to country. It also depends on how much of the company you own. Ultimately, if you’re the majority shareholder and all the licences are in your name or the company name (which you would also own) the buck stops with you, metaphorically and literally. You are the one responsible.  

I think one of the biggest misconceptions of being a bar owner is that there is taking ‘ownership’ and being the actual owner.

In 2022 my wife and I created our parent company Hungry Ghost under which we’ve now opened our other venues. We partner with investors that have the same vision and are earnest about wanting to see the business succeed. I am stepping away from other business relationships where I am not the executive.   

I think one of the biggest misconceptions of being a bar owner is that there is taking ‘ownership’ and being the actual owner. I have been in a couple situations at this point where I am a minority shareholder at best but have built the venue from the physical ground up and taken full ownership of it. The brand, the team, the culture, the cocktails and the heart were built by my hand.  

Front-facing the audience, I am the owner for the purposes of needing to transfer and sell the vision but I was not the owner. It happens a lot in sweat equity scenarios. I think if we continue to be open about our experiences, then we can educate the next generation on how to navigate these opportunities. Achieving sweat equity can still be a vital and invaluable chance to learn and build your career.   

 There are real challenges that make the job a constant learning curve which is exhausting. I am tired after the 2019/2020 political demonstrations and riots (in 2019 HK saw its first recession in over a decade) followed by the turmoil, occupational whiplash and need for endless endurance and from covid.  

Not only did we adhere to bizarre and unwarranted social distancing mandates, but our borders were also closed from March 2020 to April 2023. It’s been a long five years and though she is undeniably iconic and a force to be reckoned with, Hong Kong has not fully ‘bounced back’, so maintaining a state of survival instead of relishing in a state of thriving is hard after putting in all the work.   

It is impossible to make sure you won’t ‘get burned’. At the end of the day this is business, and our most effective tool is communication.

But it is all hard. If you want to be an owner, you need to swallow that reality and use it to empower you. I love nurturing people through hospitality and art. It is the way I transfer my energy and I need to be able to do that in my own way on my terms.  

If you want to educate yourself on the back-of-house of ownership, get a good lawyer and involve yourself with mentors, both peers and/or otherwise in multiple professions outside of F&B. Ask all the questions. If you are the creative person, get someone that is business savvy. A functioning business doesn’t run on creativity, it sells it. Then protect that creativity in writing. Don’t let anybody steal your shine! For real.  

It is impossible to make sure you won’t ‘get burned’. At the end of the day this is business, and our most effective tool is communication. Parties often feel like they have been done wrong when there isn’t communication or transparency. And often they/we are done wrong. Unfortunately, that is a part of the learning process.  

As we grow our companies moving forward it is important that we do our best not to repeat the mistakes that we have learned the hard way. (In hospitality we tend to learn most things the hard way, so I know that statement goes against the grain a bit.)  When in doubt ask for help, look for guidance and be open to the process. And get a lawyer and have some fucking fun!

The post Beckaly Franks: What they don’t tell you about being a bar owner  appeared first on Campari Academy.

Sometimes considered a hindrance by un-educated guests (who publicly bash bars for using too much of the stuff for either watering down their drink or taking up too much space in the glass), ice can be a real cornerstone of a cocktail. Think of a smooth Old Fashioned, or a sharp Negroni: they would not give you the same excitement and satisfaction if they were not stirred with high quality ice, and served with an ice chunk that contributes to the proper dilution.  

Though tracing the origins of ice itself can prove to be quite the task (the oldest ice sample on earth is 800,000 years old, excavated by the EPICA Antarctica project) it never ceases to stop the bar industry going down the rabbit hole of how it entered and dramatically changed the course of drinks history. Articles abound, entire books have been written, and YouTube videos explaining the science behind the magic are plentiful to keep professional bartenders (and home bartenders too) up-to-speed on what is cool in ice right now. It’s also a market that, according to CNN, was worth more than $5 billion in 2022. So, what’s the hype? 

Ice through history 

When it comes to ice’s origins, they are unsurprisingly storied and full of characterful personalities. One such person was Frederic Tudor – otherwise known as the Ice King. When his brother William (an enlightened literary man) joked about shipping ice all over the planet during a picnic, Tudor saw an opportunity that would make him one of the first American millionaires.  

In the middle of the 1800s, Tudor built a fleet of ships to transport huge ice blocks from his native Boston’s lakes to places as far as India, the Caribbean and Hong Kong. Far from succeeding at the beginning (his first shipment almost entirely melted during the journey, and once docked he was struggling to find buyers) Tudor found himself incarcerated several times in debtor’s prisons, before honing his method and establishing a valuable market.  

Bar professionals are still on the quest for the perfect ice.  

He would go on to experiment with better stocking methods, using hay or grains, and once a fellow Bostonian, Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth, invented a horse-powered sawing system that allowed Tudor to quickly cut and mass produce ice blocks in 1825, his business was flying. From then on, Tudor’s ice empire, which accounted for ice houses (stocking venues) all over the world, would go on to reach Hong Kong in 1845 – and the rest is history. 

A long way we came, from those pioneering times: when ice first became regularly available, bartenders would keep a huge block of it on their counters, shaving off the amount they needed to cool down their concoctions. Technological evolution then led to ice machines and ready-to-use ice cubes, while in the meantime bartenders re-discovered techniques and temperatures for perfect recipes. Now, bar professionals are still on the quest for the perfect ice.  

Entering the market 

In 2003, Shintaro Okamoto began what would become his main and major activity: ice-making for the bar world. It was the beginning of an incredible snowball effect: “I already knew quality ice was cherished and praised in Japan,” Okamoto says, “where restaurants would have ice blocks outside to invite people in, and bartenders worked with it. But around 2007 or so, I had a visit from some key players from the bar world, like Don Lee or bartenders from PDT, and we started talking about what we could do with ice and how we could scale it. 

“When we did, no one was doing it in the USA, or thinking about investing in it. We experimented cutting ice from large blocks to certain sizes, understanding which ones would work in different glassware. Don would take dilution ratios – it was amazing to see it unraveling. Once people tried it, there was no coming back and from there was a chain reaction.” 

We have to educate bartenders and bar owners on how to keep their freezer, how to optimise their stocking area. We need constant communication and adjustment.”

Shintaro Okamoto

Fast forward to the present day, and the ice-making market is bursting with new companies popping up at fast pace, according to Okamoto. This leads to the creation of a solid system, that needs consistent attention: “There’s a global ice community where a sensible amount of knowledge is shared. We discuss the degrees of attention one must keep for the business to thrive: once you have the product, how do you take care of the client? And how do we continue educating our client? There are a lot of things that need to be maintained to make the transaction consistent, a lot of different ways to care about our product, to deliver it perfectly to the bar doors. But we also have to educate bartenders and bar owners on how to keep their freezer, how to optimise their stocking area. We need constant communication and adjustment: it is, in a way, our idea of customer care.” 

In a market that saturated almost immediately, there’s only one secret: “The difference is set by ice vendors who understand bar culture and bartenders: they open late, they accommodate to bars hours, they deliver large shapes depending on the buyers’ needs, not theirs.” 

Modern times 

Today’s bar scene focuses on clear, transparent ice: “During the pandemic a lot of people started making cocktails at home,” says Camper English, journalist and author of The Ice Book. “They realised by sharing on social media how ugly cloudy ice looks.”  This, says English, is what created a massive increase in awareness in the value of good clear ice in cocktails, which impacted bars too. “It’s almost a standard now, and big, cloudy chunks stand out – not in a good way.” 

Drinks prices post-pandemic also went up, along with expectations. This tracks with a much deeper understanding of the topic by bartenders: “Only in the past few years have bartenders outside of Japan got hands-on with ice again,” explains English. “There are many more options, people understand that each drink has its own chilling and dilution, and more bartenders are customising every drink with ice.” 

Let’s not punch down cloudy ice too much, though: according to Dave Arnold, author of Liquid Intelligence, in terms of a strict final outcome, there is no difference in texture, dilution or flavour profile, as long as you are mixing correctly. This comes with a caveat: “If your ice is very cloudy, when you shake it shatters in your tin, then it changes the surface area the liquid is in contact with, and that can change things.”  

We drink with our eyes first, and clear ice looks so much better.

Camper English

It’s also true, he says, that sometimes cloudy ice stored in a bad smelling freezer can retain that smell. Needless to say, as English points out: “We drink with our eyes first, and clear ice looks so much better. Guests’ perception benefits from it too: to make a comparison, you can drink fine Champagne out of a simple cup or a using fine crystal flute – the experience is completely different, yet the liquid does not change.” 

Dos and don’ts 

Arnold also points out a few common mistakes and suggestions to keep in mind while handling ice, to achieve the perfect serve of a cocktail: “When you shake you need one large chunk at least, to provide an appropriate texture,” he explains. “When serving a cocktail on the rocks, ice sitting in a glass for a long time translates into less dilution, so a big chunk will keep the liquid cold while not watering it down: as a rule of thumb, the wider the surface area, the more the dilution.” 

Ice can also be too cold, he explains, leading to unwanted results. “If your ice is too cold and you pour a carbonated product over it, you will yield a lot of foaming.” Mastering the so-called tempering temperature is one of the secrets that allows a cocktail to be chilled to perfection. “Tempering temperature should be a couple of degrees below zero, the exact spot where ice is not quite wet, not melting, not frosting.”  

Due to a substantial number of reasons, ice can also play a very important role in a bar’s costs spreadsheet. It is true that an ice machine is essential for any cocktail bar, but don’t dismiss the possibility of buying the ice you need. “In Japan you can find very small bars with small freezers,” explains English, “so they opt for regular, daily delivery: not necessarily ice cubes, but clear pieces of irregular shapes, it’s a very long tradition.” 

There are many facets you can explore to keep costs under control, he says, such as the size of the bar and, if there are other bars in the portfolio, you could have an ice-cutting lab for several bars to lower the cost. Not all markets will have a huge amount of suppliers, he admits but it could work out cheaper, “compared to the labour cost or equipment or space for making your own.” 

Yes, chef! 

Ice has definitely been understood as one of the most (if not the most) important ingredients in cocktails, and there’s a very specific role you can now find at bars which is helping them expand the guests’ experience: the ice chef. Raul Arcayo is the ice chef at pioneering Peruvian cocktail bar Carnaval in Lima, uses his knowledge of the raw material (aka water) to create experiences with ice, through cocktail making. “These experiences can involve all the senses or just a single one,” he explains, “depending on what we work with (dilution, temperature, dryness, shape and color, sounds).”  

Right from the beginning of his career, Arcayo was challenged with the task of creating the first ice programme for bars in Latin America. “It was a constant surprise and learning based on trial and error. Many hours of practice, understanding and investing in resources to achieve my goals.”  

Major challenges would include the lack of equipment, tools and technical service, the necessary consistent controls of purity and cleanliness of raw materials, and the lack of spaces designed to provide an experience of that level: “Not all bars are designed or equipped for an ice programme and an ice chef,” admits Arcayo, “but all bars today can have and display correct and adequate ice for a high-level cocktail menu.” 

Always be aware of your machines, and know what type of treatment the water with which you produce the ice needs.

Raul Arcayo

Having an actual ice programme includes key steps that cannot be overlooked, he explains. Firstly, you need to be aware of the type of bar you have, the style, concept, size and operational spaces. Secondly, you must have the clear conviction of wanting to take the cocktail making to the next level: “investment and consistency will be the two elements you will never have enough of.” Finally, you will need training or advice from an experienced expert and knowledge of the subject, because it not only depends on the equipment, but an understanding of risk factors is also required for the prevention and efficiency of the service. One more precious piece of advice: “Always be aware of your machines, and know what type of treatment the water with which you produce the ice needs.” 

Trends & the future 

Thanks to its social media appeal, renewed interest from bartenders and scientific progress, ice has been in the center of a steady trend for the past couple of years. Bu what’s next? We are witnessing ice shipments from arctic planes to deserts, but how sustainable and planet-friendly can this be? And how can we be sure our ice is being sourced safely? Recently, the online community was stormed by the news of an ice company shipping ice from Greenland to Dubai, in order to provide it with ‘pure’ ice.  

It’s a dichotomy Arnold recognises. “I was in Iceland in 2018, and I was surprised people weren’t going at the glacier to get it. It is a cool story when it is in your backyard, but shipping it is just crazy. It’s not going to make the drink taste any better, just make it cost more, and give it exclusivity… It’s tone deaf, though, because I don’t think people want exclusive experiences if they’re not green or quality driven.”  

I don’t think people want exclusive experiences if they’re not green or quality driven.

Dave Arnold

Okamoto pinpoints the matter: “It’s trending in a way, but I would describe it more as a point of legitimation. Once you experience quality and a range of possibilities, that’s a point of no return. We are here to stay, I think it’s amazing that what we have created has become a global standard. The Dubai thing is an expression of what’s going on, though I think people don’t realise that glaciers have not the cleanest water, because of all the time it took for them to develop. At the end of the day, we are in the service industry, and that’s what will always matter the most.”  

The post The (new) Ice Age  appeared first on Campari Academy.

Last week, as I worked behind the bar as usual – mixing drinks, engaging with guests, and tackling a mountain of dishes – I found myself reflecting on the journey that led me here. Next month marks 28 years of full-time bartending for me, during which I’ve witnessed decades of trends, innovations, and significant industry-wide shifts.

Throughout my tenure, I’ve encountered nearly every imaginable approach to bartending, many of which I’ve gratefully discarded. I’ll never forget my early days when, at my first job, the manager tasked with training me insisted that limes were simply unripe lemons. It took me some time to recognise the fallacy in that assertion, but I’m glad I eventually did.

My foray into bartending began modestly, as it did for many during that era, driven not by a passion for knowledge or hospitality, but by a pressing need to cover my rent while attending university.

Initially, I approached my work at the bar with minimal effort, simply aiming to enjoy myself and make a little money. However, that initial experience sparked something in me, and within a few short years, I found myself immersed in studying every available resource on bartending and cocktails. Soon, I developed a genuine passion for hospitality, cocktails, and bartending techniques.

Over the past three decades, I’ve had the privilege of working in some of the most renowned bars in the industry, ranging from bustling nightclubs to cosy speakeasies. At each juncture, I’ve endeavoured to share my knowledge, initially through my website and eventually through my book, The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique, which has been embraced by bartenders worldwide since its release a decade ago.

One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned is the importance of mastering the basics. Whether it’s precisely measuring ingredients or skillfully shaking and stirring, every aspect of cocktail technique contributes to crafting the perfect drink. Despite their fundamental significance, these basics are often overlooked by aspiring bartenders eager to showcase their creativity.

I remain steadfast in my belief that excellence lies in the meticulous pursuit of perfection. As hosts, I believe it’s our duty to stay informed, challenge assumptions, and continually refine our craft. Thus, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran like myself, I hope you’ll find value in the following sections.

We’ll delve into several key techniques which I believe every bartender should master, from assembling a cocktail to preparing and serving it to guests. It’s important to note that this is merely a foundational overview, and for those eager to delve deeper, I recommend exploring the wealth of reliable resources available on the subject.

1. Measuring and building

The first step to making a cocktail seems like little more than getting ingredients into a mixing vessel, but I implore you to take measuring seriously. With a shaker or mixing glass in front of me, I take the utmost care in precisely jiggering every ingredient – denying the urge to rush the process.

At some point in your educational travels, you’re going to hear that you should always build a cocktail starting with the smallest volumes, in case you make an error and need to start over you won’t be throwing expensive ingredients down the drain. I appreciate the sentiment, but I disagree.

I don’t think of an Old Fashioned as a drink made from syrup and bitters, bolstered with whiskey. I think of an Old Fashioned as a whiskey cocktail that I’m subtly modifying into something sublime with the addition of sugar and aromatics. Therefore, the idea of starting the drink with a couple of dashes of bitters is confusing to me and would likely lead to more errors on my part. If you find this odd, backwards method of building drinks as confusing as I do, then I suggest finding the system that works for you.

Not wasting the bar’s valuable product is indeed important, but a well-constructed and delicious cocktail will encourage your guests to come back time and time again.

2. Working with egg whites

Egg whites, an ingredient steeped in tradition yet revitalised by the cocktail renaissance, are sure to feature in your bartending repertoire. At my bar, it’s not uncommon for guests to favour egg white cocktails over other options, underscoring the enduring appeal of this classic ingredient.

Egg whites are most commonly incorporated into Sours, cocktails featuring lemon or lime juice. Bartenders of the mid-19th century recognised that egg whites imparted a rich, creamy mouthfeel and softened the bite of high-proof spirits and citrus. Early recipes called for a mere ‘dollop’ of egg whites; contemporary recipes typically specify ½oz/15ml.

The resurgence of egg white cocktails has spurred bartenders to employ various techniques to achieve a thick, white ‘head’ atop the drink; from special tools that are placed inside the shaker, to help aerate the whites, to battery-operated milk frothers, and even complicated systems of shaking the drink without ice, either before or after chilling and diluting the drink. All of these methods require extra steps and/or equipment to achieve the desired effect.

I have found that these affectations can mostly be dismissed by following three simple steps. First, make sure your eggs are the freshest possible. Second, lightly beat your egg whites after separating to make them easy to measure and quick to froth. And finally, using a proper shaking technique will ensure that your egg white cocktails are consistently frothy. The most important of these steps, I feel, is a proper shake.

3. Shaking

Shaking a cocktail is perhaps the most iconic technique in bartending, often associated with the profession and garnering significant attention. If you don’t believe me, just treat yourself to a quick image search for the word ‘bartender’ sometime, and tell me how many of those pictures feature someone standing behind a bar, wielding a cocktail shaker, and grinning like an idiot. However, given how iconic and important this technique is, it’s surprising how frequently I encounter bartenders who lack proper training in this fundamental skill.

On its face, shaking seems pretty basic: get the drink cold, and get those ingredients combined. Simple, right? But when we sit down to blind taste an array of cocktails that have been shaken using different methods, it becomes clear to us that some just look, feel, and taste better than others.

One can quickly disappear down a rabbit hole of videos on the internet, learning all sorts of mystical techniques from experts who will tell you that you need a certain shape of ice, or perhaps an elusive wrist motion that will result in a ‘smoother’ cocktail with less ‘sharp edges’, whatever that means. But I’m here to tell you, from someone with a degree in physics, that all it takes is a lot of very cold ice and some very vigorous wrist snaps to get that shaken cocktail where you want it: ice cold and very aerated.

Nine times out of 10, the simplest and most effective solution is the one that’s overlooked: the shaker doesn’t contain enough ice. So if you feel like your shaken drinks are missing something but you can’t quite put your finger on it, try filling your cocktail shaker to the top with ice – it might just be the fix you’re looking for.

4. Stirring

I love stirring a cocktail. Compared to the brute-force method of shaking, stirring a cocktail is elegant and refined. And while stirring is the mixing method that requires the least amount of technical skill to accomplish successfully (the drink should be well-chilled and incorporated, there isn’t much else to it), I have found that a beautifully executed stir has the power to enrapt the entire bar, as the spoon dances gracefully in the mixing glass at the hand of a master.

Since it’s nearly impossible to describe the subtle technique required to command that sort of attention, I’ll share my personal experience. During my journey of mastering this art, I dedicated downtime during my shifts to the practice of stirring. I’d begin by filling my mixing glass
three-quarters full with ice and adding water to mimic the volume of a cocktail; 3oz/90ml works perfectly. Then, with the spoon tucked between the ice and the wall of the mixing glass, I would practice turning the spoon with the flick of a wrist. It takes some time to perfect, but after practicing for a week or two I am confident you’ll be able to master this simple and beautiful skill.

5. Peeling citrus garnishes

Now that our cocktail is complete, it’s time to finish it with a flourish – and often that comes in the form of a citrus peel twist whose oils have been expressed over the surface of the drink. You can make that twist with a knife, but the current industry standard is a horizontal peeler, often called a ‘Y peeler’ because it’s shaped like the letter Y.

Now, while the Y peeler is designed for removing the soft peel from vegetables and fruits like apples, it’s not ideal for citrus. First of all, it’s engineered to remove the bare minimum of peel, which is great if you want to peel a potato while preserving the most amount of flesh, but less so if you’re trying to get a nice thick swath of orange peel for an Old Fashioned.

A couple of years ago someone at a training I was doing at a local wine bar offhandedly mentioned using the bar’s cheese slicer to peel citrus. You know these tools, they’re typically one solid piece of metal shaped like a tiny spatula, with a long handle and a slit in the blade that you use to peel hard cheeses. I nearly laughed the suggestion off but instead I tried it and found it made the most beautiful citrus. Since that day, the cheese slicer has been the only peeling tool we use in my bars. It’s faster, it’s easier, it produces a better end result, and it’s safer: since switching over not a single one of our bartenders has accidentally peeled off a fingertip – a common and very painful side effect of the classic Y peeler.

The goal here is to create an even ribbon of peel, with enough of the white pith underneath to give the peel some structure and firmness. Hold the fruit firmly in your nondominant hand and start the peeling process. Once the blade is engaged, use your nondominant hand to turn the fruit , always remembering not to move the blade, but the fruit. Being able to maintain precise control over the blade is important not just for the appearance of your peels, but also for the safety of your fingertips.

The post 5 techniques modern bartenders must master according to Jeffrey Morgenthaler appeared first on Campari Academy.

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. 

The post The future is yours to create: Tom Godfrey appeared first on Campari Academy.

When it comes to creativity in bartending, it’s easy to focus on the final product. But the hows, whys (and often why nots) of creating something from scratch are sometimes best understood in a bartender’s approach to their own creativity. From the space they create in, to how they deal with deadlines, working to a brief or coming up against creative blocks, there are many factors at play when it comes to every individual’s approach to their craft.  

In order to fine-tune and hone our craft, asking questions around how we approach it can be instrumental in solving problems that come up along the way: Where does our creativity come from? What is your process? Where can a bartender draw inspiration from? How can you set up your ‘ideal’ environment to create? And how do you cope with creative blocks?  

To answer these questions, sometimes looking at how other people create in other industries can re-focus our understanding of how we create in ours. So, we asked two creative minds from artistic fields other than bartending, to share their processes and approaches to creativity: their methods may unlock a new way for you to approach yours.  

Samuel Douek, film director, London 

A former architect, Samuel Douek began his filming career in 2017, with his portfolio spanning films to commercials and music videos. His work includes partnerships with artists including Little Mix, David Guetta, Kara Marni, Aurora and Denai Moore, and brands including Uber, Amazon and Absolut Elyx. In 2018, Douek was named one of the British Fashion Council’s New Wave Creatives

When it comes to the inspiration behind my creative process, it can be instantaneous or a slow burn – sometimes non-existent. I like to read a lot and reference mythology often, so a lot of the time I draw from books I’ve read, films I’ve seen, or even my own diary. Life experience is often the most valuable source of inspiration. If I’m stuck for ideas, I often take long walks or long travel journeys via bus or train to provoke thoughts, and it always helps to light that spark. But as soon as I’m ready to go, I need a quiet space all to myself, either my office if it’s empty, or my dining room table. I dial up the music and get my head down, working for hours to get the idea out of my head and onto paper.  

Briefs for my work can come in different forms. Sometimes they are a single sentence, other times five-page PDFs. They can even (rarely) be fully open to interpretation. The approach varies: some clients are more liberal, and others have a very specific idea of what they want. I find it’s important to remember that while film is an art form, if you’re working in the commercial or music space then ultimately you’re there to do a job – and the best business is repeat business. It’s never a good idea to throw your weight around for your own ego when often you can express yourself as much as you like within the parameters of a brief.  

Once a project is awarded, my first step is always to find the right team who will help me execute it. That’s first and foremost a producer, the most important asset to any project. Then come the heads of department: camera, art, styling, make-up, choreography, editing, etc. Finding the right crew for the right project is what will help you bring your vision to life. Plus, nobody likes working with arseholes so it’s great to pick a team that will support you and that you’ll enjoy spending time with.  

Then comes creativity. My creative process always changes., especially if the project is more narrative driven or more choreographed/set-design focused. When starting a design-led project I sketch a lot, whereas if it’s dance-led I’ll start workshopping movements with a choreographer as soon as possible. It’s natural to have creative blocks, so when I do I just try and be kind to myself. Sometimes it’s not your day and you need to listen to yourself and take a break – it will come when it comes. In my entire career there has never been a single project without an obstacle that throws a massive spanner in the works.  

In terms of motivation, I give myself constant deadlines to work to. For example, I’ll try and finish a set task like completing a pass of a storyboard before lunch or before the gym. Also, if I make sure I get enough sleep, eat well and exercise then I find I’m my most productive. Obviously, this all goes out the window in times of intense pressure, but we do what we can when we’re able to!  

It’s very important to remember that you’re never finished. Ever. You just have to learn to get used to drawing a line and moving on. It becomes a lot easier over time. I used to obsess over things that no one else cared about, but now I have more perspective to know what the important things are that I need to worry about, and what you can let slide for the sake of meeting deadlines. “Pick your battles,” as my agent always says. 

Mark Reihill, illustrator, Ireland 

Mark Reihill has been a professional illustrator for longer than he cares to remember. His work features collaborations with bars like The Dead Rabbit and Satan’s Whiskers illustrating everything from prints and T-shirts to their award winning cocktail menus. Mark also created several comic books including the award-winning series ‘Off Girl’ and WWII thriller ‘Ratline’, and has worked with globally renowned brands such as Adidas, PokerStars, and Usborne Publishing

Most of my work is digital which requires me to work and draw on my Mac, so I spend long hours in my studio. That might sound tedious, but I always have music blasting during the day; if I’m working late, I prefer spoken word: podcast, audiobook, etc. I feel it’s important to surround yourself with things that inspire you. 

It may sound ridiculous, but in terms of inspiration I think the project itself inspires me. I thrive on the journey , I look forward to completing the project and having a new piece of art to share. I approach each brief the same way: by listening to the client’s needs and working out the best, most creative solution. Some briefs require little or no research, others demand months of RnD. I’ve been given briefs as a single line, a two-hour meeting and everything in between. In turn, I’ve delivered a single-concept sketch, or several rounds of sketches. Those first steps are the most exciting. I love breaking down a brief, sketching lots of quick ideas and seeing what fits. 

Each project is unique, and the process of each individual one will be unique too. Saying that, I try to work in three stages: brief, concepts, artwork. Once I receive a brief I take some time to research, then I work-up a sketch (usually one to three concepts). Once shared and approved by the client I move onto the artwork stage, which is by far the most time-consuming part. But once the artwork is at a stage that I am happy with, we fine-tune it (small tweaks to colours or compositions, for example) and once signed off, it goes to print. With each new client, I try to develop a unique style for their brand or project, while also maintaining some of my stylistic motifs. This means the style is new and fresh, but you know it’s a Mark Reihill piece.

For everything to go smoothly, deadlines are pivotal. I like to work on three or four projects at a time, breaking my day up: one project in the morning, and switch to another in the afternoon. This keeps me creative and the work interesting – I never get bored or stuck on a brief. If I do find myself struggling with a particular piece of artwork, I simply pivot to another project. Overlapping projects also means there is no downtime as often the deadlines are staggered, so when a piece goes to print, I move onto the next job. 

If I can’t resolve part of a brief, I’ll just step away from it and work on something else for a while. I find that the solution to difficult creative briefs come subconsciously at the most unusual times: driving, in the shower, falling asleep at night… I don’t really suffer from creative blocks, but if I find myself with time between deadlines, I have a ‘wish list’ of people, characters, and objects saved on my computer, so I’ll pull from that and illustrate something to get me back into the swing of things. 

Finally, I always keep in mind that, to quote Leonardo da Vinci: “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” As an artist, I’m constantly seeking to improve my craft. I’m never truly 100% happy with my artwork, there is always room for improvement. I work to deadlines, and that’s when the job is finished, but honestly, I could keep going. 

The post How a film director and illustrator approach their crafts  appeared first on Campari Academy.

In the bar business, I believe the most crucial aspect to consider as a leader is teambuilding – and mentorship plays a key role in creating a strong foundation for a team to flourish.  

It may come as a surprise to some people in the industry, but I don’t consciously consider myself a so-called ‘mentor.’ That suggests I am on another level, but even now, after nearly 20 years working in bars, when I’m behind the counter, I immerse myself in cocktail crafting and customer service as a bartender. Even though I’ve expanded my bar, and launched my own products and brands, I’m still a bartender. 

I believe the most crucial aspect to consider as a leader is teambuilding – and mentorship plays a key role.

My taste of seniority as a bartender started when I was still really young, as I was fortunate enough to become a bar manager at the age of 20. Being given that opportunity at that age had an impact on how I looked at management, mentoring and creating a conducive environment for a team. Since then, I’ve realised that nurturing younger talents is crucial in running a successful establishment.  

My mentoring skills notably improved after winning a big bar competition in 2012. It was a significant turning point when I began fostering competition skills among junior bartenders. Subsequently, with each new establishment, I continued to appreciate the importance of mentorship. 

When it comes to my own career, I don’t have a specific mentor in bartending; essentially, I’m self-taught. However, my journey has been shaped by the influence of many respected individuals. For instance, when I was 20, the owner of a bar where I worked taught me about the business and mindset of running a bar. Later, at a Sherry-specialised bar, I delved into the world of spirits, history, and more.  

I’m focused on showcasing alternative paths beyond entrepreneurship, encouraging young bartenders to have diverse career choices and dreams.

When I’m working with my teams at The SG Club, my new bar Sip & Guzzle, and my other projects, I make an effort to maintain effective communication. When going abroad for guest shifts or events, I always bring an assistant, which allows me the time to engage in various discussions and provide guidance. 

And when it comes to the specific focus of my mentorship, it goes beyond the bar. In Japan, many bartenders consider independent entrepreneurship as the ultimate goal. However, given the challenges of running small, profit-limited establishments, and the saturation of bars, it becomes tougher after becoming independent.  

Therefore, I’m currently focused on showcasing alternative paths beyond entrepreneurship, encouraging young bartenders to have diverse career choices and dreams. For instance, actions could include splitting shares of an existing store to form a partnership, receiving support from SG Group for independent ventures of a scale that might be challenging for individuals, advancing to roles such as executives, or establishing new companies or departments. I aim to create various paths for them to go down. 

Taking mentoring seriously is also important, as it can have such a direct impact on the success of someone-else’s business. 

I also believe that that bartenders who have strong mentors have a better chance of becoming mentors to the generation below them. Why? Because they’ve experienced the positive impacts of coaching and building strong teams. 

Despite the visibility and responsibility I have of being looked at by younger people in this industry, I’ve never felt that being a ‘mentor’ in this way has been a burden; on the contrary, I really enjoy it. For instance, when my mentees win competitions, it brings me a joy that feels the same as if it was my own achievement. But taking mentoring seriously is also important, as it can have such a direct impact on the success of someone-else’s business. 

For those who might be future mentors on the global bartending stage, I have a few words of advice. Firstly, develop the ability to perceive others’ strengths and weaknesses, provide precise guidance based on that insight, and gain experience in leadership. Secondly, guiding others as a mentor contributes to personal growth too. And last but not least, let’s not forget to strive for improvement every day. 

The post Shingo Gokan: Mentorship is the foundation of building strong bar teams  appeared first on Campari Academy.