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.