Buy FHM's December issue

Hi guys! It's been like 2 months since my last blog....been busy with stuff like school and the biz....but here's a treat....at last!!! we have an issue on fhm's December issue. I will try to post blogs if not every week, at the most 1 per month.Happy Holidays to all and you may try these drinks at your home!!!cheers!!!

Bar Catering- what it takes to suceed?

Mobile Bar, Bar Hosting, Bar Catering, Cocktail Catering- all these terms mean the same thing.

This concept entered the Philippine soil in the early 2000. A bartender would be hired to bartend in a house for a small party. And sometimes a group of bartenders would get hired for big events. Then for more convenience, some entrepreneurial bartenders thought of bringing the whole package right at your doorstep so that all you have to do is PARTY.

Nobody can claim that they are the BEST Bar host for it’s all a matter of preference, but there are some ways for one to be successful if not the best in this type of endeavor.

Here are some tips:

1. Bar Knowledge (Basic) – This is the very foundation to make your venture in bar catering succeed. Here are some of the things that you need to know:
Fermented- which would include wines and beers
Distilled –which would include rum, gin, vodka, tequila, whisky, brandy, and liqueurs

With knowledge of these now you need to know the different brands available in the market as well as their prices. Talking about liqueurs, it’s a tricky subject since there are lots of flavors available.
Then one must learn about the different bartending tools as well as their uses and where to buy them. You don’t need to buy the whole store, just the essentials.
Afterwhich, you need to know the different type of glasswares and choose which ones you really need for your outfit. Try to innovate.
And of course you really need to know how to mix cocktails. Although there are books, it is best that you enroll in short courses so that you may know how to execute these cocktails by learning the basic mixing procedures. You can inquire with us and we will teach you the right way.
Lastly, you need to be creative, as a mixologist, your palette should be accustomed to different flavors of beverages whether alcoholic or not. With added imagination you can whip up your own original concoction.

2. Strong Network – just like any business, this is very vital. you can start with your relatives, plan a small party and let them taste your creations. Afterwhich, you can contact friends, classmates, community, co workers, and eventually if they like your concoctions, your company will spread like a virus.

3. Marketing Strategies
Just like the 4 p’s of marketing –product, place, price, promotion, all these p’s are important.
Product – you can take pictures of your creations and make a brochure or post photos on fb or other network sites on the net. Actually, aside from your products, you should polish your service, and this would mean hiring well trained individuals. Your cocktails me be exquisitely thirst quenching, but if it is not served promptly then it would be useless. Service with a smile as well as attentiveness is also a valuable asset. Having experience is an advantage of your employee but you still have to train them so all of them would be in the direction that your company would like to go to.
Place – you can target your own neighborhood or you can target everyone. The question is…are you accessible?
Price – the bar catering businesses keep popping up like mushrooms. Try to check there prices and try to match it and be competitive. but remember, before you price, you have to be sure that your PRODUCT and SERVICE are full proof. Another tip is to have a good grasp of numbers so you know your way around pricing your packages.
Putting up this type of business, you would need around P50,000 – P70,000 to get you started.
So that’s basically what you need to be a competitive bar caterer, I could add having prayers and goodluck. Again, although there are many bar caterers in the market today, there is still room for more. But please make sure that you don’t treat this business as a fly by night thin. It pays to be legal.
Why should you believe me? You don’t have to, but I know what I’m saying since I have been in this business since 2002.

WANTED - Bar and Beverage management teacher

Here in the Philippines, Hotel and Restaurant Management schools are very much in demand to the extent that they keep on popping up like mushrooms. It's a very good business if you look at it in a different perspective since the school will get prospective clients every year.For these trying times schools have even lowered their fees so that the student can enroll in their schools.

In good business, in order for the school to entice enrollments, it should invest on its facilities and personnel.And depending on their target market, they should price their fees accordingly.


One prerequisite of this course is called Bar Management/Beverage Management.
This course generally deals with the subject of bartending both in theory and application. This course should supposedly have a Lecture part and a Laboratory part.

Unfortunately, some schools compress it into one preparation.Compared to other countries, we don't really have a solid bartending school. Bartending is just a part of some other trainings.

Can anyone just teach this subject? Does having a masteral degree make one qualified to teach this subject?

Ideally, this subject should be taught by a professional bartender with a good grasp of English and a gift of teaching. Unfortunately, we cannot have everything.
If you really would like to pursue this profession, you must check if these traita are possessed by the instructor.

Why are these qualifications important?
1.Professional Bartender - Professional doesn't necessarily mean that he can flip 3 or more bottles(it doesn't follow folks).
Being professional means he has embraced the profession for a period of time and has been practicing and learning from it continuously.In order to share your knowledge you must have a very good background about it.Better if you still practice it.

2.Good grasp of English- Well this should be a no brainer but just to prove this point, English is still the medium of instruction. Most Liquors, tools, glasswares, and even terminologies are all in English and it would be best if you know how to speak,read and understand the language.

3.Gift of teaching - Now this is the clincher. God has given us talents and I would like to think that teaching is one very important gift. Not anybody can relay messages effectively to people. It's like if we go back to the 12 apostles. These guys were chosen. That is why there are courses offered on public speaking because it is harder than it looks. Not everyone can catch the attention of 300 students or 50 students in 1 and a half hours until 5 hours.Some people are good individually no doubt...but for them to share and transmit their talents or learning is another story.

These are simple qualifications really, no need to read the dictionary...but I guess in relation with the 3 trait one must have PASSION in teaching.

Who is Larry Guevara a.k.a "The Saint"?

Hi guys!!! It's been a while since my last blog. I have been a little busy with some stuff left and right but during that long stall I was itching to write one blog. Well better late than never.Here in the Philippines, I would like to think that there are only a handful of professional bartenders that I recognize and this guy fits to a T especially that he is also from the high seas.


Give us a brief profile of yourself.

- My name's Larry Guevara, a.k.a. "The Saint" because of my seminary backgrounds back in the days. I used to work for TGIFriday's from 2003 to 2005 but I'm now working as a Cruise Lines Flair Bartender for Celebrity Cruises. And when people ask me why I chose to be a bartender instead of becoming a priest - well, I realized there are more spirits behind the bar than in the church.

Place of birth, grade school, high school and college

- I was born in Bicol,Sorsogon. Spent my high school and college at the Our Lady of Penafrancia Seminary (to become a priest then.) I finished my first degree in AB Philosophy then eventually pursued culinary at the Philippines Women's University where I got my second degree in Hotel and restaurant Management.

What was your First job?

- I first started in the hospitality industry working as a Front Desk Personnel at Hotel Intramuros de Manila which was actually affiliated with the Hotel and Tourism Institute of the Philippines under the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines back in 2002.

What made u decide to pursue First job?

-Call it fate but I attended a seminar on Front Desk Operations as part of our school prerequisites and it was timely that the hotel was looking for a front desk personnel. I was getting high marks and the professor asked me if I would be interested to work at the hotel. The rest, as they say, is history.

Did u make it as a bartender right away?

-Just to give you a short background of my bartending career, I started applying for the bartender position at TGIFriday's since the beginning of 2000 but I didn't get the job until 2003. The thing was, eventhough I had the guts and the basic knowledge of becoming a bartender I later realized that I lacked alot on experience and bartending skills which explains why I didn't make the cut. But that didn't stop me from pursuing though my dream of becoming a bartender. In fact, like the story of Michael Jordan when he didn't make the cut in his sophomore years to play basketball, the experience taught me alot of lessons and made me even more passionate and determined to pursue my bartending career. Through research, constant practice and alot of heart poured into my new found calling, everything finally paid off when I finally got a flair bartender job at TGIFriday's Malate in 2003.


What Competitions have you joined? How did u do?

-My first bartending competition was at the Last Call Bartending Challenge for students (which you actually organized.) Since I joined TGIF I had the pleasure of competing and representing my TGIF Malate store in 2003 and in 2004. But my most memorable would be my first competition in 2003 held at TGIF Quezon City branch where I emerged as the first runner-up and the crowd favorite. It was a phenomenal competition for me coz for the record I was the first Filipino flair bartender who did the 3-bottle juggle combined with the 'swipe' and the 'figure 8' moves which the crowd have never seen before. That was the greatest achievement I'll never forget in my flair bartending career.

Do u think these competitions that who have joined will make u ready to join the top dogs of flair in the future?

- I've been out of the competitions for some time now but I believe that with my experience and the level of my flair bartending skills now I can say that I've progressed alot. However, there are alot of competitions both local and international and they all have different rules and regulations to follow. I'm really looking forward to being back in the competition circuit soon most especially that I've finally found my own style of flair. Nowadays, it's so easy to watch flair moves in the internet like you tube but in real competitions (like the FBA sanctioned events) copying or executing moves would not get you farther as compared to working on oyur own original and raw moves.

Who do u look up to? Local/ International?

- Since I started with flair bartending I've always looked up to the Argentine style of flair like the Delpech brothers, Adriano Marcellino, Juan Llorente and Christian Oldan. I've always liked their fluid style of flair. I started dancing when I was young so their style opened my mind the possibility of incorporating dance and flair in my moves. Also, they always put on a great show and a smile on their faces everytime they are on stage which makes it even entertaining.

Who gave u the “Saint” monicker?

- I was first called the "Flair Devil" back in 2003 coz of my sick moves and out-of-this-world style. But I guess this monicker caused me my 2 competitions so I finally decided to change it to "The Saint" because of my seminary background.

Working on ships, what can u say about flair in ships? How about bartending in general? Is it easier to work in ships or landbase?

- Flair in the ship is now becoming a rule rather than an exemption. My point is, more and more flair bartenders are getting jobs because of their extra skills as compared to a bartender who can't flair. In my present company, for example, they realized the importance of competing with the shoreside establishments like in Las Vegas so the company finally decided to bring the concept of flair bartending in ships thus they added the concept of the Martini Bar which is actually a flair bar. Apparently, bartending in ships is way more different in a landbase bar or restaurant although the same basic knowledge and skills have to be acquired first in order to succeed as a bartender. Like in a chain restaurant, the bartenders creativity in preparing cocktails can sometimes be limited because of the company rules and standards. However, this shouldn't stop anyone from pushing the envelop because like any other profession bartending is a continued process of learning, of trial and error. Now, working in cruise ships as compared to any landbase establishment is not an easy job. It is more demanding; involves longer hours and a lot of 'special cleaning' most especially in the US ports where the United States Public health inspectors get onboard the ship to check whether the standards on sanitation and safety of the ship are followed and met. It is a grueling job being in the cruise ship too because of the trainings and the drills that all crew members have to undergo throughout the contract.

Have u made contributions in your own little way to promote our profession?

- Every time I'm working behind the bar, I always take pride in my profession and in the cocktails that I prepare for the guests. I can assume that I stand out above the rest not only because of my bartending skills and knowledge but most importantly because of my personality behind the bar. Also, whenever I'm given the opportunity to give out talks to an audience I always try to bring them in into the bartender's world of flair and mixology. In my flair shows, however, I always make sure that I have the Philippine flag with me so I can be better recognized as a Filipino flair bartender who is proud of my culture and heritage.

What is your signature move if any?

- The "foot swipe" like a breakdance flair move. The "London Bridge" with a bottle and tin exchange from between my legs and a whole lot more.....Hehehehehe...Check out my videos in youtube! Search for speakeasy101.
So what's next for the Saint?
- Life is a very unpredictable reality so for the moment I just want to go with the flow and let the tides of life lead me. Working in the cruise lines has been one of the best part of my career so I guess I'll keep on travelling for now to see the world and enjoy life to the fullest. Cheers!

WILD SHOOTER ELATION FOR SOBERS PROMO

WILD SHOOTER ELATION FOR SOBERS PROMO

Basic Bartending Seminar

We will be hosting a Basic Bartending Seminar at the Ultima Entrepinoy Center on May 18 and 29. Another session will be on May 25 and 27 for those who can't make it on the first. Early birds can take advantage of the discounted price of P1,600 (normal price is P1,700). Here's the poster we created for this workshop.



Hope to see you all there!

Bartending 101-How to make the best/perfect martini

I was eager to write this article due to the fact that I read an article a year ago entitled, “How to make the best martini”, written by a pastry chef I suppose, but the whole article was presented by a barista, who is a brother in the beverage industry but specializes in coffee concoctions.

Well, the article was very misleading because the title asks how to make the BEST martini. But it was answered by showing the concoction of a PERFECT martini. These are two different topics. So the article was a bit useless but it wasn’t surprising for it wasn’t done by a professional bartender which is supposed to be the master mixologist.

Okay, now let’s try to answer the topic on hand. How to make the BEST martini?

To answer this question, I have made a research on my own and I would rather have you read through the following articles:

• How to Make the Perfect Martini by the Art of Manliness
  
• Wikipedia's entry on martini
  
• Martini Making by Kris and Howard Case
  
• Mix the Perfect Martini from AskMen.com
  

Based on these articles, one must know first the right ingredients to a martini. For the “purists,” gin is the base for this cocktail, nothing more, nothing less. Vodka just got into the picture because of that famous agent named James Bond. When talking about gin, since this is a pure cocktail, choosing the right brand is also critical. If your budget agrees, go for the premium if not ultra premium brand.

Same goes with the dry vermouth. There are I think 3 famous vermouth makers: Martini & Rossi, Noilly Prat, and Gancia.

As for the garnish, the olive can either be pitted or non pitted. I would prefer mine with blue cheese…real tasty. As for the glass it has to be chilled. And for the procedure, for the “classic dry martini, we “stir and strain” not “shaken” as James Bond would prefer it. Oh, and since when making a martini it would be usually gin and just a dash of vermouth, make sure you do not fill up to the rim since it will not look “classy."

For the perfect martini cocktail, it is simply just gin with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth. There is even a 50/50 martini with equal parts of gin and dry vermouth.
Moving fast forward, ever since James Bond, the martini has evolved. From gin to vodka, from pure to flavored bases like apple, orange, banana, chocolate, etc . And now well people have infuse the cocktail with the glass as some martinis are called as such since they are placed in the martini glass.

To answer the question, how to make a perfect martini…I would have to say “how to make a perfect cocktail?" It would have to have a balanced taste. And the trade secret of achieving that is knowing the size of the glass. If you know the size you know how to put the ingredients equally and apply it not only to one but to as many orders and still achieve a CONSISTENT taste.

Basic Bartending Workshop in Gordon College

2010, our first stop in our campus workshop tours in bartending is Gordon college in Subic Olongapo. This event would not have been possible without the help of Ms. Aurora Juico, Dean Gloria Dimes, the 4th year HRM students who organized the event and the faculty who supported the activity with their presence.
Here is a list of the topics that we covered for this workshop
Basic Bartending Module

Introduction
How to land a bartending job on ships

I. The Bartender
Dramshop Law
Basic tools and glasswares

II. Beverage
Types of Beverages
Fermented beverage and Distilled
Non-Alcoholic
Brand Recognition

III. Basic Mixing Skills

IV. Supplementary Skills
Tray Handling
Pouring beer
Wine Service
Bar Service – Order Taking, Inventory

V. Cocktail Mixing

VI. Flairtending fundamentals

You may check our facebook fan page for pictures of this event
Want your school to be next on our list? BOOK NOW.

NC II Bartending in the Philippines ---is it necessary??

If one will go to Google.com and search, ”What do I need to be a certified bartender?,” there is a link that would say that one must be at least 18 years of age since it is the legal age of drinking. There are some states that would say 21. It really depends on the law of each state. I also read that to get a certificate you must attend classes, in this case “bartending classes,” that go thru 8 sessions for 4 hours each, after which, you take a final exam and get a certificate.

Here in the Philippines, “Bartending” is part of the course Hotel and Restaurant Management. It is divided into lecture and lab parts and is better known as beverage or bar management which is usually taken by students in their 2nd or 3rd year in college. In this regard, we can say that we are following what other countries are doing in terms of following the legal age for drinking. If one finishes the course, one gets a diploma since a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management is good for 4 years.

Although now, since I believe there is an Associate course which lets the student finish the course in 2 years, it is here they get a certificate.Another thing I know is that there are really “bartending schools” in some countries, not just short courses but schools. And the more credible schools do placements in establishments.

So after reading these I would say that so far I am a certified bartender based on the information I got. I searched another website and I would say that I need this training to be really certified:

(Taken from the link http://www.certifiedbartender.com)

Bartending Licenses

As a general rule most states do not require specialized training, certification or licensing for Bartenders, however, some localities (counties and cities) require Bartenders apply for a license to Bartend. It is strongly encouraged that you check with your local city hall to determine if one is required where you plan on working. The licensing fee varies but generally it it costs between $25 and $50 and takes less than 1 month to receive -- usually it can be processed in a couple of days. Most do require Bartenders to go through some sort of Certification program such as the B.A.I.'s Certified Bartender course.

What Is T.I.P.S.? Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol.

If you serve alcohol or employ people who do, more and more of our courts have a message for you. You've got to do more to stop intoxicated customers from driving drunk. To help you avoid that risk, and help save lives, there is a proven training program called TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol). Generally your employer will provide this training to you either as an ethical choice or potentially to receive a reduction in liability insurance rates.

What Is L.E.A.D.S.?

The L.E.A.D.S. (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs Alcohol Seller/Server Training Program) is a free, voluntary prevention and education program for retail licensees, their employees, bartenders and applicants. It began on January 1, 1991 with a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Since February 1995, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has funded the program. Since 1991, the L.E.A.D.S. Program has trained over 100,000 people.

The curriculum is designed for licensees, managers, bartenders, and employees. There is no separate management curriculum. Program length is 3-1/2 hours, except for Fairs/Special Events Training, which is 2 hours.

Benefits Of L.E.A.D.S Training

Reduces risk of liability, including criminal (court action), civil (lawsuit) and administrative (ABC accusation).

1. L.E.A.D.S. Training can help reduce the risk of license revocation.
2. Possible reduced insurance premiums.
3. Provides ways to deal with difficult situations.

So you see, these 2 training programs are very important. I have asked this question before, how come we aren’t really strict in serving alcohol to minors? The answer I got from one mentor is because of our economic situation. This I believe shouldn’t be an excuse because we shouldn’t limit our learning based on what we have in our country.

When I worked on ships, serving alcohol to minors was strictly monitored and followed. One could lose a job right away when found out. I being in a situation where I was with a mother and daughter. The mom ordered a bottle of champagne from me and asked me to give her 2 glasses and pour champagne in them. Based on dramshop law, L.E.A.D.S. and T.I.P.S., what would you do?

I have been in the bartending profession for about 11 years now and I have been connected in the academe for about 5 years. When I arrived here n the country supposedly for my vacation, I was fortunate enough to have been invited as a judge in one in-school bartending competition. Upon conversing with some people from the academe I found out that it is now required for educators to take competency exams so they could teach aside from taking up a masteral course eventually. Wow! Actually, it is a good idea to be “certified” but at the back of my head, is it worth taking the exam? One will pay a fee and for what, to get a piece of paper which states that you are qualified to teach Bartending which here in the country, I believe there is really a need to certify educators into teaching bartending since not anybody can really teach this profession . And I have been in both academe and industry for what, more than what is necessary?

I had second thoughts but I figured since I wanted to go back to the academe again, then "let us do what the Romans do." After 2 weeks of delay I finally came to the assessment center with my picture, resume, and P900. I didn't study deliberately to see if I will pass or not based on mere stored knowledge.

After taking the exam which I would say lasted for about 2 hours since it contained written and practical exams, I would say I passed. As I write this blog I did pass! But here's the catch, I felt that I was shortchanged. I was expecting more since I paid P900, I didn't get what I paid for. I could have been happier if I found the exam hard and it would be easier for me to accept if I failed having known I didn't prepare. If there would be readers from TESDA, let this blog be an appeal, I am not mocking this exam but please make it more worth its fee. There were some instances that kind of affected my ego.

I took the same exam with a fourth year college student and we paid the same fee. I am not being arrogant or something but can't there be a level so there would be an appropriate exam for a certain bracket or group? I used to teach in TESDA Women's Center and I would think that the things that I have been teaching them to pass the NC s the same questions I answered. I only look up to a handful of people that I consider mentors in the area of Bartending, and none of those are connected with TESDA.

I paid for an exam which was photocopied poorly. with some misspelled and missing words, and some poor grammatically constructed questions. I believe that nobody's perfect. I have nothing against the assessor for he was just tasked to assess. I have nothing against the assessment center for the questionnaires I would think is centralized. TESDA is supposed to be highly regarded as the center of skills development. But where is the skill in developing a well thought of, well-produced exam?

We are talking about economic crunch, so why charge so much for something of low value? If I may I can help suggest making the exam a more dignified one and as I have mentioned a separate exam for the students and instructors. I think this goes back to what I have observed that the bartending profession here is very much taken for granted. I cannot blame them for there are really very few qualified and credible individuals who can teach the profession. It is not just flipping of bottles. Again, I call to all educators, with the COHREP's theme of MOVING FORWARD AND BEYOND, let us indeed do this in every little thing we do so we can teach our students to be globally competitive.

STAND UP PINOYTENDERS

Our day usually starts by reading the newspaper. After the headlines, we turn the page to the Lifestyle and Entertainment section . What do we see? Browsing along, a full two-page article on food, articles about different cuisines(Japanese, Chinese, American, Mexican, Portuguese, and of course, Filipino) and about this famous chef who came to Manila to conduct a one-week cooking workshop together with a Filipino in-house chef of a newly opened resto in Quezon City.

Wait a minute? Readers might choke themselves upon reading too much about FOOD & CHEFS. No offence meant, but what about DRINKS? People like to eat but they also like drinking a lot. We have been so educated about food just by reading these articles but we haven’t really learned that much about what we are drinking. Have we? Well, there are a “few” drops of articles regarding drinks, but they only appear once in a blue moon or after a rain dance. There are some pictures of “Drinks of the Month” of some of the five-star hotels here in Manila and we have read this very successful article about red wine being good for the heart and about an anniversary of this famous bourbon whiskey giving a brief description of its history and that's it. We give credit to those who contributed these articles for at least we readers have something to sip while gobbling up the other articles.

But what about the people behind these exciting, colorful, exotic and at times intoxicating drinks? If the chefs are given credit for the creations they have made, don't they deserve an article as well? When one goes to a bar or restaurant, who dispenses those drinks, and who does the cocktails? Who whips up the frappuccino? Did anyone notice them? It’s about time that they’d be given equal recognition as well since not only do they concoct drinks but they concoct them infront of the guest, thus making them elite in the industry.

Let’s call them PINOYTENDERS. Who are they? Technically, they are the Filipinos who tend the bar. In the industry, they are known as bartenders and baristas. They are the ones who come up with those specialty drinks and “drinks of the month” that we long for. They give us a shot of Tequila, a double on the rocks, and a well-crafted blow job. They are the ones that we approach whenever we need someone to talk to. And of course, they are the ones who do those death-defying bar flairs and mind-boggling tricks behind the bar that after you leave the place you’d still be wondering how they were able to do that. I was even surprised that there’s a bar in Manila that has its own version of Coyote Ugly.

No offense again, but maybe it’s time to focus on the beverage aspect of F&B since this is the more profitable side of the Industry if given the proper attention…right Mr.Cost Control?

We raise a glass of SHERIFF that we drink at THE BARN as a toast to all Pinoytenders that we’ve talked to, laughed with, encountered, and befriended. May you continue to whip up those drinks to quench our thirst. Cheers!!!!!!

Who is Rey Navoa?

Rey Navoa
Filipino Bar Manager of the High Seas

There is a saying which goes, “It’s not what you know but who you know…” well I am blessed in this life time that I crossed paths with people who have eventually become my mentors or people who I look upto. In our beverage industry here, rarely will a genuine person open up and allow his life to be read by the public. This interview will give you a clear idea of what I mean.



PB: Please tell us something personal about yourself.

REY: I was born Aril 19,1959 in Caloocan, Manila. I studied Highschool in Lakandula Highschool and took my college in Feati University as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering student. I tried to study flying in PATTS since I really wanted to be a pilot but when my father died I had to stop.

PB: I see. So after college what was your first job?

REY: Well, I started as a tinsmith/solderer, then in SSS as a processor afterwhich I worked as a clerk in SM Makati which is where I met my wife.

PB: So how did you end up working in ships?

REY: ShoeMart Makati was close to Manila Garden at that time. And out of curiosity, I resigned in SM Makati and looked for a job in hotel and luckily I was hired in Silahis Intl Hotel as a janitor for 4months.Then I tried my luck abroad(Kuwait) as a Butler for 2 years (1979-1981). Then I came back and applied again same company ( Silahis hotel) but this time as a banquet waiter (1981-1982). I would say I was at the right place at the right time.

During my slack hours I would work as a busboy in the Piano bar of that hotel. And because of a very untimely incident which turned out to be a blessing, I was removed from the banquets and got promoted as a barboy(1982-1983) in that piano bar. I really had to start everything from scratch for I had no knowledge of bartending but I was a fast learner and I could easily pick up. So for 1 year (!983-1984) I got promoted as a bartender. But at that time I was bent on working on cruise ships specifically Holland America Lines for my other batch mates in the hotel were already working there.

In 1985 I joined a bartending competition organized by the hotel and fortunately won. The management already had heard that I would be resigning so they tried to promote me as Bar Captain.

PB: So did you accept the offer?

REY: I was really determined to work on ships so I declined. I started 1985 in Holland America Line thru United Philippine Lines which was the crewing agent.

PB: What can you say about your first time on ships?

REY: It was a big adjustment on my part. Nobody was there to teach me how the ships standard was. There was no “buddy system”. But I focused on the job.

PB: Did you feel homesick?

REY: No. Actually, the more I was motivated to work when I was surprised to get “tips” in dollars Even my wife was happy since I send her money. I just did my job everyday and after my first contract I was fortunate to be promoted as Bar Supervisor.

From 1985 to 1994 I was Bar Supervisor and in that year I was the 3rd to the last Filipino that got promoted as Assistant Bar Manager.

PB: Wow! How did you feel about your promotion?

REY: Well of course I felt glad but I was just doing my job consistently and I am happy that they noticed it. And here’s more…in 1995 I was asked to launch the Ryndam ship as ABM and after it set sail the head office offered me Bar Manager position! I was the first Filipino Bar Manager in Holland America Line. I was the trendsetter so to speak for hiring other potential Filipino BM’s in the fleet.

PB: The First Filipino Bar Manager on the high seas!!! Congratulations. So what happened next?

REY: From 1995-2005 I continued my job as BM in the company until 2005, Seattle head office came up with a new structure. All of the BM’s were asked to step down as ABM’s. But after 15 days they put me back as BM in Ryndam for they got some letters coming from other officers in other ships asking why I got demoted.

PB: Saving grace?

REY: Actually I didn’t even know they protested until Corporate BM Roman Koppler and Sandra Scraag both from Head office in Seattle told me. I’m just happy that even officers acknowledge my hard work. But in December 2006, I asked Seattle if they could give me a 5 year vacation. In January 2007 Mr. Fernandino Lising, President United Phil. Lines offered me a teaching job here in Antipolo.

PB: Which leads us to this next question. How is teaching as compared to managing?

REY: It was also a major adjustment for I didn’t see myself in this position. But if there is one person who I would have to thank it would be Mr. Dax Jaurigue. He was the one who encouraged me and told me that I can do the job. So I researched, took trainings, talked to people and I told myself that I can do it.

PB: Mr Rey you have a very interesting and inspirational life. Can you tell us the secret of your success?

REY: I just do my job well and I make use of the gift that God gave to me. I am very personable. If I see my people are happy then I am happy.

PB: How about investments? Can you say you have saved enough money?

REY: In that department, I can say technically I don’t need to work anymore. In 2004 I was able to put up a building apartment. I have properties in Sta Rosa Laguna, Baguio, Valensuela, Malabon and anitpolo.

PB: This is definitely an article worth reading by all the other seafarers who want to be like you. Any words of wisdom for all the seafarers out there?

REY: O yes. Spend your money wisely. Do not be a one day millionaire. Invest your money.

PB: On that note, thank you very much for your time Sir.

Bartending as a Profession

What is a REAL Bartender?

I am currently working as a bartender on a cruise ship and I can safely say that it is a different kind of experience. Nature of the job is basically the same as being a bartender on land. At first I thought that I will find it hard to adapt because of the tall tales I have heard before I got this job.

But bearing in mind that I have been bartending for quite sometime as well as teaching the profession, needless to say, everything else became like second nature.

This post is a very good way to start 2010 because this is the essence why this site was made. I remember we had one training for us bartenders and our head bartender asked us, “What is a bartender?”

Our head bartender said a bartender is the one who mixes drinks…does this…does that…etc. etc. … and I thought, oh, how slow can you get?

I just kept silent for the duration of this seminar because I felt like I didn’t have the same wave length as the rest did although I know the others didn’t simply care. If you would read the previous lines again, it is not “what is” but “who is,” yet technically before you ask the person you should try to find out the noun where the person was derived from.

I hope I am making sense here…

Bartending According to the Books

Our profession, bartending, comes from the word “bartend” which is made up of two words “bar” which means any horizontal object which can act as a barrier between the bartender and his/her beverages from the guest and ”tend” which means to serve or dispense.

A bartender is the person who is in charge of the bar…in some countries this person is known as the barkeeper. So first and foremost a bartender should know everything that he has in his bar and what his bar is all about.

The profession as defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary :

A calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.

A profession is a vocation founded upon specialised educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain"[1]. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, professions involve the application of specialised knowledge of a subject, field, or science to fee-paying clientele.[2] It is axiomatic that "professional activity involves systematic knowledge and proficiency."[3] Professions are distinguished from other occupations represented by trade groups due to their level of legal recognition.[4]

Based on my research, during the olden days, almost anybody can be a bartender. You can be a college student who wants to earn some extra money or you can be a somewhat older person who wants to keep busy for the remainder of your life.

An example of this is the young student who is working his/her way through college and often too young to even legally buy liquor in a bar themselves; but can earn an extra income serving drinks in that same bar as a bartender.

On the other side of the coin, an elderly person can turn their hands to bartending to supplement their pensions. Between these two extreme age groups there are all kinds of people who fill the position of a bartender.

In fact, barmen have been likened to the man in the streets (or should we say man in the pubs) psychologist or priest. Those two additional professions, inevitably, come with the job.

Bartending is really one of those really ancient occupations that have been around since man first started picking up 'ladies of the night' from the very earliest forms of taverns.

However, although prostitutes are often termed as being part of a profession (or indeed part of the oldest profession), very few people ever think of bartending as a profession at all! It is just a "fill-in job" in most people's eyes.

Here in the Philippines, during the 70’s until early 90’s people who tended the bar were just “accidental” bartenders, they were either underemployed or were just trying to make both ends meet. But during the mid 90’s bartending has become a course/subject under the BS Hotel and Restaurant Management course/discipline.

How I Became Interested in Bartending

Personally, I took the course at first because I wanted to eat…but as I encountered this course in my 2nd year which is called Bar Management Laboratory and Lecture, interest grew since I must admit during those days drinking after class was a routine. But I stumbled into this movie by Tom Cruise entitled Cocktails and if you watched this movie, who wouldn’t want to be a bartender with the perks that come with it?

And so the interest for flair grew when I tried having a short training in TGIF.

After graduation, I had to be a bum for some months since during my time, if you wanted to apply for a bartender job, all the ads would say “with 3 years experience.”

WOW, a fresh grad having experience…hmmm…Sucks, right?!?!

I always tell myself how can you have experience if you can’t be given the opportunity to have one? But then again it’s all about timing. I finally landed my bartending job simply because nobody else would take the job because of the pay. It was kinda low at that time…but I didn’t go for the pay since I was just starting out…I wanted to gain “experience.”

So let’s get back to the topic at hand…bartending is indeed and should be a profession. If anybody can be a bartender before, not anybody can qualify as a professional bartender. It’s not enough that you know how to mix drinks. The knowledge in bartending never ceases, from the different brands of liquors available in the market, to the bar trends, to the latest cocktails that people drink, and every other information about bartending that you should at least have an idea about since the growth of the profession now is tremendous!!!

Possible Career Paths of a Professional Bartender

In fact, if you really love the bartending profession, let me show you how diverse and interesting one’s career can be if he is really a “professional.” If you decide to work whether for a free-standing bar, a hotel or a cruise ship, this is how your path would be:
If you decide to be your own boss and be an entrepreneur:

That’s why I miss being in circulation when it comes to the business. I am surprised that since I have been gone during a contract, some people here in my country claim they are the best or that they were the first. My friends, you as well as I know that talk is cheap. Walk your talk. Be a professional bartender and do your job. That’s all that matters.

If anybody would ask me if I am a bartender, I would say I am a professional bartender.

PS: The first picture on this article is Professor Jerry Thomas, the father of American Mixology.

The second picture is Harry Schraemli, a swiss author who wrote books on cocktails.