If money is tight, you’ve lost your job or fancy a career change, or just want to wow friends and family with your ‘flair pouring’ skills at a forthcoming birthday party, bartending can seem like an attractive and practical option to rake in a little extra cash or experience. The difficulty lies in the fact […]
Toronto Bartending Schools to Spice-Up Your Cocktail Repertoire
If, when friends or family drop by, your drinks repertoire extends to a rather limited offer of a bottle of warm beer or a badly mixed Jack and Coke, perhaps it’s time to increase those home bartending skills. Cities across Canada and the US now play host to countless bartending schools, all of which guarantee […]
The Importance of Managing Bar Etiquette as Good Business
Probably one of the most historically popular pastimes in all of human history is the gathering together at the old watering hole to socialize and mingle with one’s fellow compadres. It’s the one time when you can enjoy the taste of a more potent beverage and blend into a kind of atmosphere that can put […]
So You’ve Decided You’d Like to Try out the Hospitality Industry
Good for you. You’ve selected an industry that tends to thrive in a recession and can be an absolute gold mine in boom times. You’ve looked around at the servers and bartenders who have served you in various establishments and said to yourself, “I could do this job.” Well brace yourself, it can be a […]
So you want to be a Bartender
Let’s paint a picture. You work in a local sports pub. It’s 3:30 in the morning. Finally the bar is empty. Things are a disaster. There is still a good chunk of cleaning ahead. Through out the evening you tried to keep up but you probably won’t go home for another hour. The tip jar is […]
Bartender Tips: Five types of Problem Guests
“The first step in knowing you have a problem is to admit you have a problem.” Or so the saying goes. Pretty accurate quote to use, given it typically applies to substance abuse. At this juncture, you either work in or are attempting to work in an industry where you will regularly deal with people […]
12 Questions About the Smart Serve Certification Test
What is Smart Serve?Smart Serve (or SmartServe Ontario) was created with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) in 1995 to provide responsible alcohol beverage service training for the Ontario hospitality industry. Who needs Smart Serve certification?Smart Serve is now required by anyone who serves or handles alcohol, and managers and security staff in […]