The Best Cocktails to Suggest to Customers

The Best Cocktails to Suggest to Customers

by | Apr 27, 2016 | Career

From time to time, you’ll have patrons come in to your bar who don’t know what they want. Actually, this will likely happen often. From couples on first dates to friends catching up, there are a plethora of moments where you’ll asked to suggest just the right cocktail for that particular patron. So, what are the best drinks for when this situation comes to pass. We’ve got them here!

Margarita

One of the most popular drinks to order in America, you’ll want to have this on your suggestions list. It’s a simple yet refreshing classic, it’s a favorite for bar customers all over. Sure, it’s pretty common, but it’s also easily customizable so you can put your own creative twist on it: Frozen and fun? On the rocks and classy? Orange juice or a splash of grapefruit? Serve it your style.

Manhattan

Consider suggesting a Manhattan for your patrons who like whiskey (be sure to ask) and want a full-flavored drink to savor. You can then tailor it even more to the guest’s taste with the type of whiskey you use; go with a rye whiskey for a smoky, spicier flavor or a bourbon for a sweeter taste. It’s another classic that will do the trick for the right person.

Cucumber Basil Vodka

From one end of the cocktail spectrum to the other, this drink is light and refreshing, plus easy to sip on, making the cucumber basil vodka a tasty delight that will be sure to satisfy both regulars and infrequent drinkers alike. Suggesting a vodka drink is a smart move as it’s mild flavor is easy to mix. Try this tasty, but not too sweet or heavy, option next time a guest asks for a helping hand.

Mojito

The mojito makes use of a light rum, which many drinkers enjoy. With its mint leaves and citrus flavors, it’s a sweet, enjoyable treat of a drink. Another very popular cocktail that is also easy to make your own. To mix it up, consider offering an infused mojito, with flavors of mango, coconut, grape, apple. The possibilities are endless!

Grapefruit Paloma

If you want to offer tequila but skip the margarita option in favor of a more nuanced drink, consider the suggesting a Grapefruit Paloma. The kick of tequila is cut by the addition of grapefruit, and with the balance of sugar and lime juice, the end result is a pleasingly tangy, yet smooth, cocktail. While this option is a unique twist on an old favorite, its varieties have become widely enjoyed and requested in bars all over, so you’ll be making a wise choice to suggest this one.

White Russian

Many of these options have a summery feel to them. However, if you’re bartending on a colder day and feel the need to suggest a heartier option, consider the popular White Russian. It offers the dessert-like taste of Kahlua, along with vodka and cream. Not a party-all-night drink, the White Russian is an excellent option for a first drink or for quick catch-ups, as it’s meant to be enjoyed fully, and can be filling (for a drink). It’s one of the most delicious and fun options you have, so consider it for patrons looking to indulge.

These six options cover your alcohols and list some of the nation’s favorite choices in drinks, but you can always add your own twists and additions as you serve. Remember to ask your patrons what type of drink they’re looking for, they’re general likes and dislikes,then offer up your best from there!

Training and Certifications Required For Bartenders

Training and Certifications Required For Bartenders

by | Apr 13, 2016 | Career

Serving alcohol is a big responsibility, both in the eyes of the law and in terms of safety. Because of this, if you’re going to be bartending, or serving alcohol in any capacity, the proper training and certifications are not just advisable but most likely mandatory. While the specifics vary from state to state, here are some of the general rules to be aware of as a bartender or server.

The act of serving alcohol is hedged around rules to keep people safe, so many municipalities require bartenders, servers, or anyone else who physically handles/serves alcoholic drinks to have certification in responsible alcohol serving. Furthermore, most places require that training be completed and certification be in hand within 30-60 days of starting.

The course can go by many names depending on the state. For instance, those in California call it Responsible Beverage Server Training while Texas folks call them Texas Alcohol Bureau Control Classes. Whatever the name, they are all about the same thing: making sure everyone complies with the law and that they’re safe while doing so. As for specifics, here are the topics covered:

  • Current state and local laws
  • When and how to check IDs, including how to spot the fakes
  • Legal consequences of serving someone who is under age
  • Effects of alcohol and signs of impairment
  • Intervention methods and techniques

Most of the time, these classes have to be in person and you will want to check with your local government to make sure the town will accept that particular class’s certificate especially if you’re moving elsewhere.

Where can you find such training programs? Sometimes the local police or state alcohol boards provide classes as well as the certificate, but you can get it just as easily from certifying bodies such as ServSafe and Server Certification Corp. These certificates can last a year or two, depending on the issuing body and municipality.

Fortunately for bartenders and others serving alcohol, the legal requirements end there. There isn’t any place that requires a bartender to take classes or be certified in drink-making, just to be trained in safety, which is always the #1 priority.

Need to get certified?

Click here to get all of the information you need, including training options, class dates and times and links to register.

Get ServSafe Certified in Denver

Get ServSafe Certified in Denver

by | Apr 12, 2016 | Career

The ServSafe Program leads the way in providing comprehensive educational materials to the restaurant industry through face-to-face and online instruction. Certification classes are provided monthly by the Colorado Restaurant Association. If you’re not located in Colorado, check your State’s Restaurant Association website for event information.

ServSafe Alcohol

The purpose of the ServSafe Alcohol ® is to ensure that servers, bartenders, and managers have the information they need to understand and implement the skills of responsible service. Participants should leave the program confident in their ability to make sound decisions and handle potentially intoxicated guests. A workbook is provided as a reference tool for your operation.

 

Next Class:

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Colorado Restaurant Association
430 E 7th Ave
Denver, CO 80203

 

Who Should Attend: Managers Supervisors Bartenders, Servers, Barbacks, FOH, Owners, Operators
Cost: $40 CRA members, $55 non-members
Registration form (REQUIRED): View/Download here

 

ServSafe Food Safety

ServSafe Food Safety® is a program of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The Manager Certification course is a 1-day immersion course, offering basic food safety concepts. This program has a certification exam; passage of the exam is acceptable in 95% of American jurisdictions with a training requirement.

 

Next Class:

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Colorado Restaurant Association
430 E 7th Ave
Denver, CO 80203

 

Who Should Attend: Managers, Supervisors, Chefs, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, Kitchen Managers, Owners, Operators
Cost: $140 CRA members, $180 non-members
Registration form (REQUIRED): View/Download here
7 Things To Know About Wunderkind ‘Bar Chef’ Shaun Traxler

7 Things To Know About Wunderkind ‘Bar Chef’ Shaun Traxler

by | Apr 6, 2016 | IndiNews

All it takes to know that Shaun Traxler is one of the most creative up-and-coming bartenders in the industry (aside from tasting one of his concoctions), is checking out his Instagram account.

From images of his “Bedrock Breakfast”, the aptly titled alcoholic interpretation of Fruity Pebbles to “Deez Nutters” with butter washed rum, egg, salted peanut and honeycomb syrup, Traxler’s creations are anything but standard happy hour fare.

For those who know Traxler, however, this comes as no surprise, since the man himself is anything but your typical bartender.

In fact, he sees himself as a different breed completely, preferring to refer to himself as a “bar chef” instead of a mixologist.

From his professional beginning as the winner of a statewide mixology contest in Arkansas to his current full-time gig running the bar Sideways on Dickson in the same state, Traxler has still managed to fit in making guest-lecturer appearances at national conferences and keeping up a continuous flow of hard-to-believe new adults-only drink recipes.

And when he finds himself with a rare block of free time in his professional schedule? That’s easy. He fills it, just as he did in late March 2016 when he partnered with Bay City, Michigan’s bean roaster Populace Coffee to host “Coffee and Cocktails”. In an interview with Bay City Times the day before the event, Traxler shared the reason behind his distaste for the title “mixologist”, where he gets the inspiration for his creations and what he sees for the future of his career. Here are 7 takeaways from the Q&A with the self-titled “bar chef”.

Bowling alley beginnings

Traxler credits a bowling alley job at Pinny Lanes in Pinconning, Michigan with giving him his first taste of working behind a bar. While his official job title was mechanic, his love of bowling kept him wandering the lanes to check out games. There, bowlers would catch him and ask that he fetch drinks for them. While the unofficial orders were more often for soft drinks than beer, the experience gave him his first taste of life as a bartender. From there he worked the bar at a Buffalo Wild Wings, and nearly every position thereafter was as a bartender.

Foodie at heart

Traxler’s professional experience has largely been behind the bar, but his personal passion has always been more for food than drink. As a result, he finds inspiration for new cocktails primarily in the dishes he loves the most.

Traxler attributes the complex and unusual flavor profiles typical of his creations to his love for food.

One example? An arugula-pear salad topped with gorgonzola became the inspiration for a drink that married gorgonzola-washed tequila, pear, balsamic shrub and arugula. The verdict? “It tastes really good,” according to Traxler, which we’re sure is an understatement.

‘Bar Chef’ explained

Aside from the fact that his concoctions sound more like they belong on the light fare menu than they do the drink menu, Traxler shies away from the term “mixologist” for another reason as well. “It’s a term that has…become bastardized,” he opines. “…you’ll see people putting gummy worms in a cocktail and calling themselves a mixologist.” Hence, the title of “bar chef”.

A day in the life

When he’s not hosting events like the one with Populace Coffee or indulging in recipe-inspiring meals with his wife, Traxler spends his time behind the bar at Fayetteville, Arkansas’ Sideways on Dickson.

He laments that the crowd is comprised mainly of college students, but adds that there is also a craft beer and cocktail menu that he is proud to have created. “…you can dip your toes into every market,” he boasts of the 150 beers, 115 whiskeys and 24 ciders Sideways stocks.

Professional endgame

While he is content running Sideways for now, ultimately Traxler aims to open his own bar. He hopes to achieve his goal within three years but stipulates that he has yet to settle on where he wants it to be. While he appreciates the potential in cities such as Detroit, he adds that having a child in Arkansas means that realistically he will probably stay in the state for the long run. What he does know is what vibe he is aiming for.

“It’s going to be super intimate. I’ve always wanted to do something that incorporates live jazz…”

Those with shallow pockets may not want to hold their collective breath, though. Traxler also wants his establishment to be “…super intimate with very expensive drinks.”

Personal favorites

Surprisingly, despite the entire collection of recipes and potential recipes at his disposal, Traxler is a meat-and-potatoes man when it comes to pouring one for himself, preferring whiskey neat (like the bottle of Elijah 18 he got for his last birthday) and, of course, beer.

To check out more of Traxler’s creative libations, drop into Sideways. Even easier? Check out Instagram and take in the photos featuring his newest recipes for some inspiration.

How To Answer 5 Of The Most Common Interview Questions

How To Answer 5 Of The Most Common Interview Questions

by | Mar 21, 2016 | Career

To even have a chance at getting a restaurant or hospitality job, acing the interview is a must, and that requires at least some preparation. While you can’t anticipate answers to every question asked, there are some interview questions that nearly every restaurant and hospitality job seeker will face. These are also some of the most difficult questions to answer, and that’s why planning strong responses can drastically increase your chances of nailing the interview and ultimately landing the job.

What is your biggest strength?

A good place to start when planning your answer to this question is by asking yourself: in which aspect of the job am I most confident and which do I enjoy the most? The skill or responsibility that answers both questions makes for a great response because it’s genuine.

A general rule of thumb that applies to this question in particular is that the interview is not the time to be modest. A manager can only have as much confidence in an applicant as the applicant has in his or herself.

Selling oneself by emphasizing strengths as strongly as possible is key here.

Remember, though, that while embellishment is to be expected and perhaps even recommended in situations where experience is lacking, telling outright lies is ill-advised. Not only will getting caught cause others to question your moral compass, but it will likely land you in a position for which you are unprepared.

What is your biggest weakness?

Do not answer this question without careful thought; the person asking is a potential employer, not a therapist. Plus, a wise candidate will turn this into yet another opportunity to highlight his or her strengths.

A good example would be something like taking on more shifts than desired in a past position because it describes a person who will work to the point of exhaustion in order to avoid letting down his or her team. A good quality in the end.

Again, be as genuine as possible when answering this question because chances are your interviewer has heard it all, or said it all. So, if you’re lying your pants off, it will most definitely show. PRO-TIP: if you can’t think of anything, ask a coworker what they think you could work on and take it from there.

What is your favorite part of the job?

When answering this question, take the opportunity to illustrate to the interviewer that you know the ins and outs of the job and the industry culture. An easy way to do this is by using the jargon and slang that you would typically here around the workplace.

This question also provides an opportunity to express what it is about working in a restaurant or service establishment that makes it where you want to be, rather than where you have to be. Whether it’s getting to work with all types of people, facing a different challenge every day or something that’s unique to you, it’s worth sharing.

Go a step further by relating your answer to the business for which you’re interviewing.

For example, if you’re interviewing for server position and your favorite part of the job is giving customers recommendations, add that this job in particular is exciting because of the variety of dishes on the menu. This shows motivation and dedication.

What is your least favorite?

While this is not the time to air grievances, either about past employers or the industry itself, a successful candidate must not fall into the trap of saying that there is nothing that he or she does not like about the job.

While this would be ideal if true, in a perfect world, it is simply not possible and will sound as disingenuous as it is. Answering with an aspect of the job that everyone universally dislikes is a better move. It will ring true and serve the additional purpose of making you relatable to the interviewer.

One possibility? Griping about bad tips. Just be sure to express the understanding that it comes with the territory and be sure to mention that you wouldn’t let it affect your performance.

Why would you make a good addition to the team?

Working in the restaurant and hospitality business is always a team effort, no matter how you slice it because, in the end, all that matters is the experience of the customer or guest. Making this experience a positive one depends not only on your performance but also on the performance of your coworkers.

That said, being a good addition to a team ultimately means that you’re doing what you can to support it.

With this in mind, a winning answer doesn’t have to be overly complicated, it just has to emphasize the fact that you’re willing to be helpful. A wise way to express this is by stressing your readiness to help co-workers without no need of extra incentives; that it’s part of the job to do whatever you can to help the team.

 

Planning is just half of the battle, though; you also need practice…

Have a friend or family member conduct a mock interview that includes the above questions in the days leading up to the real interview. This will help to work out any kinks in responses and to avoid awkward pauses or excessive use of filler words. Plus, it will boost your confidence, giving you a leg up on the competition!

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