Around the Bars: What makes a good bar manager?
Cara Devine on managing to your personality, and why you should train yourself out of a job.
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15 years ago I graduated from university and took a trip around the United States with friends. Most of the group were returning home to get started with ‘real life’, straight into graduate jobs, but one friend and I weren’t quite ready to face that music yet. We applied for a working holiday visa in Canada and arrived in Vancouver with just our suitcases, our bank accounts nearly drained. Employment was first on the agenda. Having worked in a restaurant while studying, I headed straight to a strip of bars and restaurants and pounded the pavement with my resume in hand. Sometimes naivety is useful, and I ended up handing it in to one of the best cocktail bars in the city, who took me on as a host.
After my first shift, I sat down for a knock-off. The menu was full of pre-Prohibition classics, and I didn’t understand every second word; this was long before amari and vermouth were common parlance. The bar manager asked what my favourite cocktail was. Sensing this wasn’t the place to ask for a Skittle Bomb, I said French Martini — the height of sophistication to me at that point. They didn’t have Chambord but he made me a Gin Sour with celery bitters and it was a savoury revelation. He saw the dawning spark of excitement on my face, and from then on made it a mission to introduce me to all manner of new flavours and products. When I was applying for a job in a cafe, he came in early to teach me how to make coffee properly. I was sent the bar manual and invited to bar trainings, even though it wasn’t necessary for my position at the host stand. I can honestly say, without that encouragement, I wouldn’t have the hospitality career I have now.
That is good management.
As I have progressed into positions of seniority, that’s something I have tried to bear in mind. I was recently asked to speak to the Russell Place management team (Gin Palace, Bar Ampere, Black Kite Commune, Bijou) about my experiences in the industry, and particularly my approach to management. It was a great exercise in reflection — sometimes, when you’ve done something for a while, you forget why you approach things the way you do. Especially in a post-Covid world where many leaders of the industry moved away from service and less experienced bartenders were quickly moved up to fill the gaps, it's important to remember that management is an entirely new set of skills separate from being a gun bartender.
I’ve made my fair share of mistakes along the road, and there are plenty of situations that I wish I’d handled differently. But, I think trying to adhere to a few key tenets of management can help you, the team and the business evolve in a healthy way.
Good management is supporting and motivating your team to provide the best guest experience
While knowing your way around a spreadsheet and strong organisational skills are obviously important, a large majority of management is soft skills. You are in charge of controlling the vibe in the venue. Of course the ambience has to be right — lighting, music, temperature and so on — but there’s also just a general feeling when you walk into a bar and everything is ticking along as it should, even if it’s busy. As the manager, you need to lead with composure and do the troubleshooting behind the scenes which allows your team to concentrate on the drinks and service. There’s no point playing the blame game in service — maybe some prep wasn’t done the night before, and that can be addressed later — but in the moment look for the solution and keep the team morale up. Don’t forget positive feedback, as well as negative.
Manage to your personality, and to the personalities of your team
One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started managing was that I felt there was a certain way I had to behave and react. Thankfully a new generation has changed this attitude, but at the time most hospitality management was modelled on the abrasive chef style: it's my way or the highway. This is not my personality, and I have had much better success with a more collaborative approach. Similarly, I started to realise that some staff members responded better to structure, some to encouragement, others to autonomy. Get to know your team, their strengths and weaknesses, and their life outside of work, and implement roles and training around that.
You should be training yourself out of a job
Gatekeeping is the easiest way to burn yourself out. When you feel that you’re the only person who can possibly do ordering, rostering, cocktail development, events — everything — you end up on a hamster wheel and it's impossible to have the time and space you need to keep a general overview of everything; things start to slide. Identify key support within your team and train them up to be able to take things off your plate. I’m happy to admit I’m not the most creative bartender, so I delegate cocktail development while keeping an eye on costings, ease of prep and so on. Try to provide a wide range of training, and utilise outside resources — you can’t know everything, and that’s okay! Reps are always happy to come in and talk about their products, or ask bartenders you respect with specific skill sets to talk about their area of expertise. Remember to tailor support to the individual. Not everybody wants to be a competition bartender, and there are plenty of other skills that can be nurtured (photography, design, admin, social media); hospitality is a business with many facets.
As a manager, you are the only difference between a positive and negative outcome when problems arise
Of course we’d love it if the job was all sunshine, rainbows and training sessions, but we’re in the people business and people cause problems. Having clear structures helps manage this — if there are particular cleaning or prep tasks assigned to each day, for instance, it stops one or two hard workers feeling that they are picking up the slack for the whole crew. Where there is a heavier situation or ongoing issue, meeting off-site for a coffee can help diffuse tensions. It's important to keep a healthy amount of distance to be able to deal with interpersonal issues within the team; believe it or not, most problems will not be solved at 5am knock-offs.
And of course, we have guests. Remember that every person who walks into your venue brings their own baggage; the aim is always to de-escalate, being firm but fair and backing up your staff when needed. Creating a sense of respect and behavioural boundaries for both staff and guests is key. I always give someone an opportunity to correct their behaviour before taking it further.
At the end of the day, the manager is the face of the venue, and the team that they build and nurture is their legacy. There is no better feeling than having someone come in at an entry level position and seeing them grow and build their own career. Strong management creates a strong venue, and a stronger industry overall. Keep up the good work guys, it is appreciated!
Around the Bars
- I spent last week tasting the rainbow at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards where I was lucky enough to chair the liqueurs panel. Tasting through 30 limoncellos is quite a task but someone has to do it! It’s great to see the industry develop with the general standard being higher than I’ve ever seen — if you want a chance to try some delicious new Australian products, make sure you sign up for the industry tasting of the trophy winners on Friday 2nd August — you can do that right here.
- I have a new local! The North Fitzroy Arms Hotel has had a facelift — it still has a cosy feel but with a new look food menu (headed up by Barney Cohen, who I worked with at Bomba, so yes, the croquettes are bomb) and a much more interesting wine list. Can confirm the Negronis are delicious too. How good’s the pub?
- You have two more days to make the most of Rye July. Pop into Goodwater for Olivia Kelly’s Mama Tried, a concoction of black sesame-infused The Gospel Straight Rye, coconut washed amontillado sherry, stewed rhubarb cordial and a pickled rhubarb garnish-snack — it's a winner. Or, head to The Gospel socials to find some delicious offerings near you. And to all who are close to finishing Dry July, congratulations!
