Top 10 guidelines to practice Wisdom behind the Bar
Posted on July 6, 2010
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Since arriving on American soil from his native Yugoslavia in 1996, Dushan Zaric has become one of New York’s best professional bartenders, distinguished for his ability to bring together potentially harmonious spirits on both sides of the bar.
Dushan helpfully contributed this preview of his own seminar, “The Mastery of Wisdom Behind the Bar”; Saturday, July 24; 1-2:30; Grand Ballroom North, The Royal Sonesta Hotel.
- A real, grown up bartender is much more than a drink mixer. He is more than a server, as well. Ideally s/he is a union of 3 personalities. Integrate The Mixologist, The Sage and The Rock Star into a well oiled character that oozes confidence in every situation.
- Master the practice of “relaxing into what is”. That will keep you at a safe distance from desiring the situation to be different then it is and it will keep your inner dialog about your preferred likes and dislikes at bay. The greatest benefit of all is the maintenance of “energy” which results in a happy, positive attitude.
- Remind yourself as often as possible that everything you perceive is filtered by your mind, which is a very complex thing. The world you perceive is subjective and so is everyone else’s. An 8 ounce fillet mignon might look like a satisfying meal to you but someone else might see it as an example of cruelty to animals. Remain un-identified and free of associations and judgments as in reality you can only know yourself.
- Experiment with your cocktails. Whether you jigger or free pour, try to see if the level of your awareness corresponds directly to the taste of your drinks. If it would be all about correct measurements and high quality ingredients – ten a machine would do a much better job at making cocktails then any human. And we won’t admit that now, will we? Be honest and open-minded. You’ll be surprised!
- Be clean, be healthy, be always on time, be respectful of everyone, study, listen, have your code of ethics and follow it, lead by example and above all strive to develop humility. Some of the greatest bartenders were and are very humble in their service performance.
- Remember – you never know who is sitting in front of you. Maybe the person 2 feet away is a liquor company executive looking for a new brand ambassador? Or maybe the couple that is so polite is looking for a partner in their new restaurant/bar?
- As Dale DeGroff put it: “it used to be bartenders people went to see and not bars”. And that is exactly the idea. Become “All things to all people” – a well balanced professional.
- Find a Teacher – judge him by his fruits! Do not for a moment believe that you already know it all just because you have grown a mustache, wear suspenders and have read Harry Johnson’s Bartender’s Manual. Look for a bartender that will teach you the whole enchilada. And when you find him, spend some time watching him work and check out his apprentices. If you like what you see ask him to take you on as an apprentice and do what he tells you.
- Pass it on! You are now the last link of a long chain of bartenders who have been passing the knowledge from teacher to apprentice for countless years. Whether you are aware of it or not you are a part of a lineage. Do you want a future Wikipedia page to have your picture with the comment that says: “…and this is the shmuck with whom the lineage ends…”? As soon as you are comfortable with your insight, start teaching others. Only teaching will create more learning as an effect.
- “My father, a landlord of distinction who ran three successful pubs in his lifetime, taught me that in order to be a good publican-which requires qualities very similar to those of a bartender-you must have “as many faces as the town hall clock.” He didn’t mean that you shouldn’t be true to yourself and speak your mind when need be. What he’s saying was that it’s often necessary to react to situations in such a way as to guide the outcome to a pleasant conclusion.” – Gary Regan, The Joy of Mixology
