Actress Maggie Smith once said, “The time onstage is easier than the rest of one’s existence. At least for those 2 1/2 hours, you can be quite sure who you are.” Even though she was talking about acting, I’ve never heard the experience of bartending so aptly described.
I’ve often referred to bartending as analogous to “being onstage.” All eyes are on you and much of your guests’ experience will depend on your performance. But it’s more than just performative, it’s about losing yourself in the moment.
I can think of dozens of people I know who are excellent cooks without ever having been a professional chef. Yet, I can think of only one person off the top of my head I’d consider a “mixologist” without them ever working a day behind a bar. With such trust bestowed upon us by coworkers and guests, we can think, speak and act definitively, in a way that is not only empowering, but defining.
Even if it’s only for the duration of a shift, it can be a respite in an otherwise complicated and uncertain world. There is freedom in structure and I’ve never felt freer than when I was “turning-and-burning” with my team on industry night, standing-room-only, and 12 drink tickets deep in the well. Bartenders refer to this as “organized chaos” or “being in the weeds,” but the more hectic it got, the more calm I became.
There was only one option: Get it done. One team. One goal.
We all knew our roles and nothing could have been simpler. In fact, this d.
