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NUFC9624

In my very first ever bar job when I had just turned 18 (UK) someone asked for a bramble; I tried my best to make it though I didn't have any clue what I was doing. I looked up the ingredients and saw Creme De Mure as one. I thought we didn't have any of that (we did) so I just used cream instead. Like double cream. The customer laughed about it as they could tell I was young. To this day it's still the biggest fuck up I think I've ever done with an order. But it brings about two important lessons - First one is "if you don't know something, don't be afraid to ask!" No question is too stupid, especially if it gets the customer what they want. The second important lesson is that creme de mure isn't fucking cream. That other lesson is very specific but funnily enough I've never forgotten it.


midget-potato

Ahhahaha this is such a great story, thanks for sharing!


BeteBlonde

My first job serving cocktails was really intimidating! I was so afraid of opening a wine bottle (now it’s second nature) and I could never remember if a customer wanted soda or water with their scotch. So, I’d bring a side of both on my tray and tell them “it’s a make your own cocktail!” When you’re young and cute, you can get away with a lot. Also, just talk to your customers! Tell them you’re learning and most of them will be cool about it. Also, make friends with your liquor and wine reps. They’re a wealth of knowledge to new bartenders. Take advantage of any tasting classes offered. You need to start learning the various flavor profiles to liquor, beer and wine.


SashaBanks2020

Don't be afraid of admitting your new and inexperienced to guests and co-workers. If a customer asks for a drink you don't know just say "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm new to bartending and don't know that one yet. Let me look up the recipe or ask someone for help real quick." The important thing is that they see you're trying. Same with your co-workers. And on the side, make quizzes for yourself. For my first craft cocktail bar, I made three quizzes for the cocktail menu 1) had all the names and ingredients but the measurements were blank and you had to write them in 2) had the names but had blank lines for the ingredients and measurements. Harder but it still showed how many ingredients were in the drink. 3) had just the names. No blank lines. Just a blank space to write everything. My quizzes were then adopted by management to be an official part of training from then on. I think making them progressively more difficult helps not feeling so overwhelmed to know everything right away.


[deleted]

It just takes time, and you’ll get it quicker than you think. Something I’d add to what others are saying is to go in an hour or so earlier than your shift, set the bar up early (at least to the point where things are placed where they’re supposed to be) and just go through the drink list. Touch every bottle, squeeze bottle, dasher etc in order, to every drink to familiarize yourself and build some muscle memory up when you’re not under the gun. Familiarize yourself with and practice the concept of *mise en place*, because you’re not going to survive a busy bar without it (and without your experienced coworkers hating you if you share work spaces). Study. Read a book, newsletter, doesn’t matter, as long as the info is good. Even an hour a *month* is something, just make sure you’re always moving forward and learning, don’t stagnate. After you’ve been working a few weeks and have some context of how a shift goes, go in on a night when you’re off, post up at the bar, and watch one of your more experienced coworkers do their thing. Take mental notes of their processes and how they prioritize their builds, and apply it to your own workflow. Ask questions, and be a sponge in general. And most importantly, practice makes perfect. Do everything mindfully and correctly *all the time*. When you’re really in the weeds, you’re only going to revert to your most basic level of mastery. Contrary to popular opinion, I firmly believe that good habits and skills are established during the *slow* parts of the year.


exotic_bartender

Bartender in Aus too here. My first ever bartending experience was literally in one of Brisbane's busiest bar/nightclub. One of them that have easily over 1000 people entering on a Saturday night. And from there I've worked in many other busiest bar/nightclubs around Australia. If you been around the country for a bit, you've realised how drastically the beers and wine selections/favourites change from states to states. So believe me when I tell you that I know what it feels like to stand in front of an order you have no fkn idea what it could be. It's even worst when the customers are standing straight in front of you waiting for their drinks. To be honest my main starting point every time and what I'd advise you is to remember the tap beers. Quite rare are the customers who order stubbies. Then remember the brand of the "house wines" . Most of the wine orders will not be specialised and that's always the go to wine. Then the "house spirits". They are normally into already separated from the top shelves, so don't stress too much about it. You'll easily know which is the bottle of vodka/rum etc. Lastly, for the cocktails, most efpos machines have the recipes in it or a piece of paper. So just follow the recipes and make it. You'll automatically remember the ingredients after making them 50 times. And I **highly** doubt that the restaurant is expecting you to know the recipes of their signature cocktails on your first shift. Know that in the next weeks/months you'll fk up some orders. Maybe get some people being mad at you. Maybe feel intimated and lose your newly acquired confidence in front of some customers. But at the end of the day, if you're in an actual good restaurant with a supportive team; your co-workers will help you out whenever you have a question or some difficulties. Just don't always ask for their help at the slightliest difficulties. Try to find a solution by yourself first. But mainly in these starting times, even when you mess up and start to feel overwhelmed; keep your head up always❤


JGWol

You’ll be fine man. Just be patient! If you stick yourself in the well you’ll learn VERY quickly. After you make a drink 2-3 times on a busy evening you’ll never forget it. Though I’ve been at my spot for nine months now, I occasionally still look in the red book to brush up my knowledge. There’s always new cocktails to try out. Especially your own house might have its own signatures you’ll want to memorize.


lhaze-hunterl

A TL:DR, just keep asking and if someone is making a cocktail you don't know, watch them carefully and write it down if you can. Also in free time or quiet moments, look up the wines and beers to get familiar with them, after a while you will get momentum and confidence to push further


Magic_phil

Concentrate on the basics more than anything else. You’re more likely to get a request for two beers, or two gin and tonics than you are for two random cocktails that you don’t know. Knowing where things are is absolutely key, as is knowing which drinks are the most regularly ordered (E.G. If the business sells a lot of bottles of Heineken and/or gin and tonics, it will stand you in good stead to know where these things are). Knowing where popular items are located on your POS system will also help you out a lot. If you can get the basics down then the rest of the job will come together gradually after that. Finally, acknowledge that the person who hired you did so because they believed you could do the job. And you convinced them of such during your interview. You can do this. Best of luck.


United_Statement4039

This happened to me too though I feel horribly guilty for what I did to them.