The profession of a bartender is one of the most important in the restaurant business. And indeed, not a night club or restaurant where guests are waiting for colorful cocktails or misted bottles, and not a single coffee shop or bistro where the public orders coffee or juices, can do without the “man behind the counter”. Interestingly, in the literal translation from English, the word formed from the nouns “bar” and “man” is decoded as “man in the bar”. In fact, no matter how simple this profession may seem, the bartender has very different responsibilities - depending on the specifics of the institution in which he works.
So different bartenders
Each catering establishment assigns its role to the bartender and determines the number of duties for this position independently. Accordingly, the requirements for employees can vary significantly. In one cafe, it is enough to know the assortment and be able to use the available household appliances, in another institution you will need to know the rules for elite alcohol and cocktail recipes, and in the third, this specialist must personally develop a liquor map.
The bartender-cashier vacancy is quite widespread (a person serving drinks and snacks from a bar to guests of a cafe and calculating visitors). In this case, the rack is most often active, and visitors serve themselves. The profession of "bartender-waiter" is common in small cafes with good service. In this case, the employee immediately takes orders from visitors and serves them food and drinks at the table, and also independently prepares a bar menu.
Basic bartender duties
Getting a job in a cafe is almost always possible without work experience in this area. Moreover, the profession of a bartender almost always involves a little training in a new place and a probationary period. The thing is that a new employee needs to study the theory and practice of the institution’s menu, to learn how to use the available equipment.
The job description of the bartender is drawn up and approved by the management of the cafe or restaurant. Responsible employers introduce this document to the applicant during the interview or offer to carefully study at home before going on an internship. Almost any bartender has the following responsibilities: to maintain cleanliness and order at the workplace, to prepare and serve drinks and snacks of the bar, to monitor the supply of goods entrusted to him. At the same time, each item deserves detailed consideration: for example, in one institution this employee should only wipe the shelves and bar, and in another, he must wash the floor in the bar every shift.
Cleanliness and tidiness
The bartender must come to work 30-60 minutes before the opening of the cafe. His morning usually begins by checking the cleanliness and order of the workplace and examining the supply of drinks and foods. In some institutions, the bartender has the authority to independently compile a procurement list, while in others he must coordinate this issue with the administrator or another person responsible for this process. For catering establishments, compliance with sanitary standards is of great importance. Any job description of the bartender includes requirements for maintaining cleanliness in the bar. Regularly flush all shelves and cabinets, work surfaces. It is most often permissible to hand over ordinary dishes to a general sink of a cafe, but the bartender must wash the equipment and tools himself.
Approximate assortment of bar
All restaurants and cafes provide for the division of the proposed products into two categories: “kitchen” and “bar”. Accordingly, the cooks and their assistants are responsible for the first, and the bartender for the second. What kind of goods does the “man at the counter” have to work with? These are traditionally drinks: juices, tea, coffee, milkshakes, alcohol. As well as ready-made snacks and pastries. Sometimes the bar includes some types of desserts - ice cream, mousses and others. Accordingly, the duties of the bartender include knowledge of the menu and the ability to cook and prepare for serving all the dishes of the bar menu. Each institution has its own standards for each dish by its weight in grams and the exact composition. There are uniform rules for the design of drinks and snacks before serving customers.
Should a bartender be able to make cocktails?
Modern movies and promotional videos often show us the employees of restaurants and nightclubs, capable of quickly mixing any cocktail in seconds. On-screen bartenders often juggle glasses or shakers, build pyramids from champagne glasses and demonstrate other tricks. Is all this contender for this position supposed to be able to do?
Cocktails - drinks made from several components - are indeed present on the menu of many establishments. However, to prepare them with a special artistry and in front of the public, only some elite restaurants and nightclubs require. Most often, the duties of a bartender in a cafe are reduced to the ability to mix all the components in the right proportions and beautifully design a cocktail in accordance with accepted standards. However, you can get a job in a catering establishment without even having these skills. In fact, in the art of mixing cocktails there are not many special secrets, it is only enough to observe the proportions correctly. Most drinks are mixed in a shaker, and some are poured in layers.
Bartender requirements
Everyone who decided to try their hand within the framework of this profession is interested in what kind of requirements are presented to the bartender. Owners of elite establishments who do not want to spend a lot of time training new employees from scratch usually require experience in this area. Regardless of whether the bartender communicates directly with customers, guests of the establishment see him, therefore attractive appearance and neatness are important qualities for this profession. Requirements for a bartender can include sociability, friendliness, the ability to attract people and even knowledge of foreign languages. Usually, the personal qualities of an employee of this category are of concern to the employer if the bar is active, and customers can sit right behind it and place orders.
How to become a bartender?
To work in a catering establishment, you must go through a medical commission and get sanitary book. Today, some colleges and schools train specialists such as a waiter, a bartender. The duties and all the nuances of this profession, of course, are best studied in detail if you really want to succeed in this profession. Bartenders are also trained in a variety of courses. But, as practice shows, it is not at all necessary to undergo any special training. Quite often, even students without a special education work as bartenders. A successful employment often depends on having an interview and establishing personal contact with the employer.
Profession bartender: duties and salary
How much do people pay at the bar in Russia? The bartender's salary level depends on the region and the status of the institution in which he works. It is worth noting that without experience it is difficult to get into a premium restaurant. Accordingly, the employee’s income also depends on his qualifications. For regions, the standard salary of this specialist is from 9 to 25 thousand rubles per month.In Moscow and St. Petersburg, bartenders receive from 20 to 40 thousand rubles. Usually at least two bartenders work in shifts in one cafe or restaurant. Accordingly, the most likely work schedule: 2/2, 3/3 days or a week later in a week (total about 15 work shifts per month).
Now you know what the bartender should be able to do and how much they pay for all these skills. Think: Do you really like this profession? And if there is no doubt, go ahead - in search of a suitable vacancy!
