Over the last 12 months it has been easier than ever to get a job. As industries recovered from the pandemic and supply chains started to get back on track, everyone needed help. From the local pub to the biggest suppliers it seemed everyone was looking for skilled workers, and the bar was set a […]
Thanks to Google, Your Resume is No Longer Good Enough Read More »
It’s the impossible stories that frame our lives. Those utterly stupid, tragic, unpredictable events that change the way we see the world. They can be swift and without warning like a fire in the night, or a slow burn that erupts after being stoked for years. Every one of us has these memories. Those moments
The Last Time I Drove Drunk Read More »
While unlikely to cause real harm, it’s important to be aware Back in 2014, I had just started to dip my toes in this modern cocktail revival. I remember the excitement in the industry when Cocktail Kingdom first released their beautiful line of professional copper barware. It had this cool vintage vibe that we were
The Dangers of Copper Barware Read More »
As restrictions slowly loosen around the country, it’s only a matter of time before bars and pubs get the green light. Your favorite gastropub or cocktail bar with sexy small plates is surely starting to look at what it will take to open their doors and welcome back the public. This pandemic is unprecedented and
What Will it Look Like When We Reopen? Read More »
Music and lighting are the two most important factors in determining the ambiance of a bar or restaurant. The problem is that those things are often an afterthought and aren’t discussed or managed as well as they should be. How many times have you been in a bar where the music was blasting so loud
Is Your Music Driving Away Business? Read More »
There’s something comforting about a simple, unpretentious watering hole. You know the type; the ones that have been around since before our grandparents time, where working people went to unwind after a hard day on the job. What we now consider to be a dive began life as the neighborhood tavern, a place to socialize,
Why I Love a Good Dive Bar Read More »
I had been a bartender for just under three years when I was promoted to run the bar program at the historic Public Hotel in Chicago. Originally known as the Ambassador East Hotel, it housed the world famous Pump Room, an exclusive restaurant and favorite watering hole for countless celebrities and captains of industry from
5 Things I Wish I Knew as a New Beverage Director Read More »
I used to be against batching. Boy, was I wrong. I just really felt that most cocktails taste better when they are prepared a la minute. Then I made a menu full of complex cocktails, some with 7 or more ingredients, and changed my tune. Now, let me just say that if I worked for a
Batched Cocktails, a Good Idea? Read More »
We’ve all been there. A delayed flight and only one crappy airport bar is open, or your hotel is in the middle of nowhere and the options for a well stocked watering hole are slim. It’s times like these I’m happy I’m a bartender and I can quickly sum a place up and know what
10 Great Cocktails From Any Bar Read More »