Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, then you have undoubtedly heard of Miss Cheryl Charming, a celebrity bartender, author, webmaster and host of the Annual Cocktail Film Fest. I was fortunate enough to sit down and have a one-on-one Interview with Cheryl herself.
Cheryl Charming (aka: The “Martha Stewart” of Modern cocktail Culture) Experience: 28 Years in the Food & Bev. Industry Books (9 Total): including, Miss Charming’s Guide for Hip Bartenders and Wayout Wannabes, & The Everything Bartender’s Book Coming Soon: Knack Bartending Basics: More than 400 Classic & Contemporary Drinks for any Occasion Websites:www.MissCharming.com / www.CharmingResumes.com
A Great Interview:
You can imagine that 28 years of experience behind the bar can make you an expert in your field. Miss Charming is no exception. In just a short hour, we discussed some great topics ranging from How to Get the Bartending Job of Your Dreams, Great Stories, Lucrative & Popular Bar Tricks, and how to become a Successful Bartender and so much more!
It was such an honor to speak with her and in such a short time, she shared so much valuable information that I know will make me a better bartender, and I hope it will make my listeners better bartenders as well!
James, How can I listen to this Interview?
Well…great question! I did record the entire interview and I am including it FREE as a Bonus to my NEWEST product: Tip Attraction: The Definitive Resource for Increasing your Tips and Becoming the Life of the Party which is LAUNCHING in just a few short days!! Check it out at www.TipAttraction.com.
For those of you who sign up and submit your e-mail address, you will get your copy of Tip Attraction at 50% off with ALL THE BONUSES! (yay!) And don’t worry, I will send everyone an e-mail letting them know when Tip Attraction is finally available to the public!
I will have TONS more to report in just a few short days so check back soon!
This is just a quick post before the weekend begins!
I am getting ready for a night out in San Diego right now, and then I have a few bartending gigs to work the rest of the weekend!
But I just had to get this quick post out:
For those of you who don’t already know, our newest product: TIP ATTRACTION, is nearing its launch date!
We are getting really excited about it, because we have a ton of great stuff to offer our bartenders, but the main goal is this: Show you how to increase your tips behind the bar!!
Visit www.TipAttraction.com and get on our mailing list. Everyone who does will receive their copy at a DISCOUNTED PRICE when Tip Attraction is launched!!
One of my subscribers, Kathy, sent me an e-mail detailing the events of her first bartending gig. I get these all the time from clients who are just so excited, and hooked on Mobile Bartending! Unfortunately, this e-mail was a bit different…ok a whole lot different. In my opinion, Kathy’s first event was a bit of a disaster.
I have attached her e-mail along with my response in this blog. Why? So we can learn from other’s Mobile Bartending Mistakes so we can all become better bartenders and make more money (yay!).
From Kathy:
“Hey James:
Thought I would drop you a note and tell you I now understand why you have your own bar! Did my first gig last night and did not go all that well….the guy had me set up in his backyard…it was dark; he had these hanging LUAU lights so it was great for his Luau. It set the stage for his company, candles on the table, etc., however I had a hard time seeing.
He gave me a Tropical Book that he wanted me to make the drinks from; he went so far as to have them marked on a chalkboard for his guest to chose what ones they wanted! Then he gave me the book.
Want to hear the best part ? I worked off of a cardtable! It was hard to bend over this table as it was so low, then for his supply of bottles he set them up on a child’s picnic table that was for 4 year olds that was even shorter then the table! My back was broke by the time I got home.
The table was the main problem …….no where to work; he had a blender on it at the right hand corner, the other corner he had a large pot that he made a batch of drinks in and in the other corner he had a display of straws, umbrellas. I was slow in making the drinks, he only had so much pineapple juice, I ran out……….then trying to find him, he’s in the house!
One of his guest went to get him to tell him I was out of supplies….got that juice and then of course (I was making Planter’s Punch) I ran out of orange juice; in the middle of all of this one of the guest wanted a different drink. It was hard for me to read his Tropical Drink book, I had to keep looking at each thing to go in the drink; I used a shot glass, guess the Guest thought I was slow and maybe they expected me to FREEPOUR. One of my friends said to put on the Speedpours so I did.
But when it came time ot leave I had a problem putting the right caps on the right bottle!! I also had to stand all night, so I have a backache!! The little bar stool I couldn’t even sit on as it was wobbly so I just tried to lean on it……..and not very well either I might add….plus with no water everything was sticky…I struggled and I think the guest felt it, at least some of them did; one guy said he kind of felt sorry for me working in the dark, at any rate…I just thought if anyone would understand you would.
I am just wondering if I had a bar like yours and I had an appropriate bar stool to sit on in between ….down time it might of helped…wound up with $100/ not bad $15/hr he gave me a $25 tip, at least I made a few bucks, 2 people picked up my card. Let me know your thoughts….
Kathy”
Here was my response, hopefully this advice I give her will also help you avoid these common pitfalls!
From James to Kathy:
Hey Kathy!!
What a nightmare! But I guess we can chalk it up to a great learning experience here!!
So, here is EVERYTHING you can do as a mobile bartender to make sure that NEVER happens again!
Get a Mobile Bar or Have an Alternative:
If you don’t have YOUR own bar, you need to get one ASAP.
Until then, try finding a suitable substitute. (A portable table, etc.)
Or, Rent one and charge your clients (plus interest)Most Importantly: Have the bar arrangement settled BEFORE you arrive at the event. Don’t try and solve the problem when you arrive.
Know The Drink Menu:
If the host is going to throw a “curve ball” at you, with unique recipes and a menu that no one has ever heard of, make sure you get the names and recipes BEFORE the event.
While booking, ask “What types of drinks would you like me to serve?” This way, you can look everything over and get an idea for how to make the drinks
If necessary, make a 1 page cheat sheet and keep behind the bar
Let There Be Light!
ALWAYS check BEFORE the party starts and make sure you have enough light. My host always asks, “Do you have everything, James?” BEFORE the guests arrive, make sure you have an adequate light source. Don’t wait until it’s dark.
At the worst case scenario, a BUNCH of candles at the bar will do.
Bring Your Own Back Bar:
Take more control of your bar area, provide your own mobile back bar table.
Bring a small portable table of your own for the back bar!
And yes, bring a stool if you must.
Charge More $$$!
I know you are just starting out in Mobile Bartending, but I would be offended if that is all I made in an evening. Change your pricing strategy.
Charge $147 as your BASE rate
DONT CHARGE HOURLY
If your host is tipping you, it should be a MINIMUM of $2 per guest. I think $250 sounds a lot better to you than $100, right?
Wait until I show you how you can make $500-600 a night.
Kathy, I hope this info helps you on your path to Mobile Bartending Success. But let me tell you…you are making all of the mistakes I made when I first started, I am actually getting “angry” and “fired up” for YOU. I feel like the host totally screwed you big time, and your biggest problem is that you are not taking control and showing him the confidence and knowledge that you have. If you want to continue learning from every bad situation, it is going to be a long and painfully bumpy road.
***************
Well, I hope everyone else can learn something from this situation. I have dealt with problems like Kathy’s before, but not anymore! The Bartend-4-Profit System is your roadmap to success as a Mobile Bartender, check it out at www.Bartend4Profit.com.
Whether you re a mobile bartender or you work in a bar or restaurant (or both!) you need to learn this valuable lesson that my dad taught me as a small boy:
“Take care of your tools, and your tools will take care of you!”
Even though he was refering to his old woodworking tools, the principle still rings true to bartenders. To be fast, efficient, and effective, you MUST have the proper tools!!
Guest author Jeremy Shirk, author of Make Money Bartending, presents us with all of the tools us bartenders need This is a GREAT article, please read through it carefully…enjoy!!
13 Crucial Tools Every Successful Bartender Must Have
“A man is only as good as his tools�” is a phrase I’m sure you’ve heard before and it applies to bartending as much as anything else.
You’ll only ever be as good as your tools, so make sure you’re not without them. The quality of your tools can make or break your experience behind the bar so it’s important you take this lesson seriously.
There are countless bartending tools out there. Will you use them all? No. But there are certain tools that every bartender must have. In this first lesson, we’ll be taking a look at those “must-have” tools so pay close attention.
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Bottle Opener
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Now whether you’re working in a low or high volume bar, a bottle opener is not only crucial to your speed, but also your hands!
Imagine opening every bottle of beer ordered with your bare hands� you wouldn’t last the night without seriously doing damage to your palms.
There are many different types of bottle openers out there on the market� everything from a simple “key-chain opener” all the way to a “butterfly bottle opener”, you know, like a butterfly knife? Pretty cool.
Find out what works for you. I’ve used the same stainless steel “speed opener” for years now, it does the job (with style) everytime so I�ve had no reason to switch.
The best, most versatile wine opener is known as the waiter’s wine opener. It’ll always do the job, even on the most difficult and the most stubborn corks. Compare this to many others out there that often break the cork or have you struggling in front of the customer to get the damn thing open.
A waiter’s wine opener includes a corkscrew (worm), a sharp blade to cut the seal of the wine and also a bottle opener device if you’re desperate for one.
I recommend a “two-level” lever on your opener as well, that’s what I personally use. Mine has never failed me in opening a bottle of wine.
This is the stainless steel thingy you see bartenders pour ingredients into for a martini or shooter and shake vigorously. This is a must-have for all bartenders.
A good rule of thumb for cocktails is, the colder it is, the better it tastes. Why else would bartenders concoct a drink by pouring pre-chilled ingredients into a shaker with ice, shaking like crazy and then serving it in a chilled glass? Because you want every part of the process to be “chilling” to prevent any “warming” of the cocktail.
There are two types of shakers out there:
1) Standard Shaker
This is a three-piece stainless steel shaker that has the strainer built into it. I find the Standard Shaker is not as common among professional, working bartenders.
It consists of the shaker tin, lid with strainer and cap. Perhaps it’s more complicated design with smaller parts discourages working bartenders from using this more often. But it will do the job just as well as the�
2) Boston Shaker
From my experience, the Boston Shaker is actually more standard among professional bartenders. This one is simply a shaker tin with a separate mixing glass that’s slightly smaller in size. It�s a two-piece device that you simply seal together to shake the cocktail.
The tendency is seal it as tight as you can and proceed to shake, although this is not necessary as you can often seal it too tight, and then not be able to open it when you�re done shaking and ready to pour the concoction.
If you’re ever in this situation, use the edge of the bar and clip the overlapping metal lip (which will always be on the outside, as the glass is always smaller and fits inside) against the edge of the bar. You can also “twist” them apart, that will often break the seal too.
But avoid all that by fitting them together nice and snug instead of as tight as you can.
You can purchase shaker sets in all types of different sizes and styles, but they pretty much fall into one of the two types listed above.
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Strainer
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Again, you’ll find many different types of strainers on the market. But the only kind I’ve ever used and would want to use is the Hawthorn Strainer.
You know, it�s that real funny looking stainless steel thing with the handle and the spring coil. The purpose behind the spring coil on the strainer is so you can fit it into all types of different shaped glasses. So it�s a very versatile tool.
I should mention that when using a shaker I often do not use a strainer. I use the Boston Shaker and simply crack a tiny opening in the seal between the two and pour out the concoction “cracked egg” style.
If you’re more of a visual learner like me, Tom Cruise does this when pouring his “Turquoise Blue” Martini for Gina Gershon in the two floor NYC nightclub in the movie Cocktail.
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Coasters
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Not every bar uses coasters. But it�s a good thing to have. They�ll prevent a lot of unnecessary wet spots or rings on the bar from moisture off the side of the glass.
I’ve worked in slower, classier places where using them is mandatory. I’ve also worked in higher volume nightclubs where you don�t use coasters because you�re wiping the bar down every five minutes anyway, so why bother? Which leads me to�
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Bar Towel (Rag)
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A fresh, clean set of bar towels is something every bartender needs. In high volume places, the bar is constantly needing a wipe down from spilt drinks, drink rings, sticky shooter glasses, etc.
I like to have a minimum of four, strategically placed wet bar towels in my working area at all times.
One thing I teach you in Bartending Secrets Exposed is to have everything systemized. You want things as seemingly insignificant as location of your bar rag to be the same every night. You don�t want to think about where it is everytime you need it, you want it to be second nature, you want to be able to grab it without even looking!
The party can often get sloppy so you must have your bar rags close at hand.
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Ice Scoop
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Forcefully cutting through and scooping your ice with an actual glass is a very stupid thing to do. Yet I see bartenders do it all the time. I don’t even recommend you “gently and carefully” scoop the ice with the glass. There’s just too much margin for error.
If you chip the glass, and you know it, you’re spending the next ten minutes emptying and refilling your ice well. If you don’t know it, and you happen to serve a customer a drink garnished with glass shavings you could be in some serious trouble.
Using a metal ice scoop is mandatory as a bartender. It really doesn’t take more time to scoop ice with a separate scoop. You can also do some fancy tricks once you get good too.
If you work in a bar that allows free pouring, you won’t be needing this handy tool. But in most regions of North America free pouring is illegal and you�re required to use some sort of measuring device, whether it’s an automatic or manual device all depends on where you work.
While I’m not a believer in the automatic devices you see nowadays, using a shot glass or jigger (manual device) to measure the amount of alcohol you pour into each drink is what I’ve always done as a bartender.
For those of you who work at places with extremely tight inventory control. I offer you an amazing “overpour fake” technique in Bartending Secrets Exposed to keep the “tip friendly” relationship with your customers while keeping your integrity with the boss. Click here to get it now!
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Garnish Picks
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Skewers, plastic swords picks, arrow picks or whatever you want to call them are for those exclusive garnishes like olives and cherries. They really add to the presentation of a drink and are a must-have for those customers you want to really impress.
Whether it’s giving the customer three olives with their martini or an orange slice and a cherry with one of my seductive martinis, I always have a supply of garnish picks close at hand.
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Pour Spouts
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Whether you free pour or not, a bar that deals with any type of volume and has any interest in inventory control should have these on all of the high moving liquor bottles. There are many different styles of pour spouts out there:
-plastic
-metal
-neon
-glow in the dark
-slow pour (3 seconds per ounce)
-fast pour
-screened
-flapped
-measured
All have some associated benefit or gimmick. But I like things simple so I use the metal slow pour spouts on all my liqueurs and the metal fast pour spouts on all my well liquor which I�m using a shot glass for anyway. Why wait three seconds when you�re measuring with a glass already?
Time truly is money in this industry.
Now at this point you might be thinking, “Jeremy, you’re talking about the kind of tools and supplies the bar should be supplying, you’re making it sound like I have a choice on what kind of pour spouts I use.”
Realize I don’t want you to go out and start buying pour spouts and garnish picks. Those expenses should be left to the bar you�re working for. But remember that YOU’RE the one working the bar, not the manager. If the bar where you work has crappy pour spouts and doesn�t even use garnish picks, it’s up to you to suggest it!
I believe it’s your choice. After all, you’re the one using it, right? Managers will always be open to suggestions if it will improve your speed and performance, thus, increase sales.
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Straws
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This is obvious, but you should always have straws close at hand. The bigger or more you give the customer, the better. You control the speed at which your customers drink by how many straws you give them. Make ‘em drink fast so you increase your sales (which equals more tips).
Ask any bartender out there and they’ll agree that besides “a drink”, you’ll be asked for “a light” or a pen more than anything else.
So what’s the best thing you can do??? Have them close at hand!
Have a ton of pens to lend, because you may not always get them back and you always want to have enough. Also, always have a load of matchbooks to give to customers in need.
I also recommend you have a sleek butane lighter of your own for customers needing a light right at your bar and also when flaming drinks are necessary.
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Tip Jar
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Last, but certainly not least is to have your own tip jar.
While I go into extreme detail in Bartending Secrets Exposed on the true art and science of the tip jar, what I’ll tell you here is that having one is a must! You�re losing tips without one!
Have your own, preferably a wine carafe. The tapered neck of a wine carafe means once a tip is in the jar, it’s in. You won’t have any hands dipping in to swipe your hard earned tips, which can often happen in a busy nightclub.
~~~ The author of this article, Jeremy Sherk, is an expert, world-class bartender who has helped
thousands of bartenders land their dream job and explode their level of cash tips. Rather than hitting your head against a brick wall trying to succeed on your own, let him take you by the hand and show you exactly how to land the bartending job of your dreams making hundreds in cash per night! 100% Guaranteed! Click here now for all the details!!
I have always wanted to do this but had absolutely no idea of how to put it all together! James, your system is by far the greatest system for a complete business I have ever seen. I made $600 on my first gig and booked another one from it. Thank you James. You really have not only helped me, but also changed my life for the better!"
Thanks for everything. Your program is really amazing! I have been a bartender for 12 years, I love it. I have worked in some real cool bars in Atlantic City, now I live in FL and work in a cool bar. I am a bartender period. Anyhow enough about how awesome I am.
I am almost done building my own portable bar from barplan.com. Also Elance was great I had my logo design done by someone on elance. Thanks again James!!
"The Greatest Mentor" James and I have never met. I bought the
Bartend4Profit System and he has been here for me every step of the
way. His guidance really kept me motivated to keep my business going.
I started my mobile bartending business only 5 months ago and the
business just keeps rolling in. I have hired 5 of my friends to
bartend events for me because there have been to many to do myself.
The Barten4Profit system is really just plug and play and would be
easy for anyone to follow. Thanks again James.
I just wanted to thank you for your awesome program. I'm currently working for a local caterer as a their Bartender but looking to move forward and start my own company very soon. After reading your book (twice actually), I'm ready to make the move and start the company. You're program definitely arms you with everything you need to start the business and answers all of the questions that keep most people, myself included, from making that jump from employee to business owner. The support and forums on your webpage are incredible and I also went ahead and ordered plans to build my own portable bar as you suggested. Thank you for your help !!
Cheryl Charming
Learning from our Mistakes!
Know The Drink Menu:
Kathy, I hope this info helps you on your path to Mobile Bartending Success. But let me tell you…you are making all of the mistakes I made when I first started, I am actually getting “angry” and “fired up” for YOU. I feel like the host totally screwed you big time, and your biggest problem is that you are not taking control and showing him the confidence and knowledge that you have. If you want to continue learning from every bad situation, it is going to be a long and painfully bumpy road.
Well, I hope everyone else can learn something from this situation. I have dealt with problems like Kathy’s before, but not anymore! T
The author of this article, Jeremy Sherk, is an expert, world-class bartender who has helped
