BARTENDER - a "cool" job for young people

Although not too new in Vietnam, bartender has been and is a "hot" job for many young people in the context of the increasingly vibrant development of the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

For Thanh Quang, being a bartender is both artistic and technical and requires serious training.

Passion is not enough

As an introverted girl who does not like to communicate with strangers, Xuan Hien never thought of becoming a bartender until she met a teacher who was both professional and enthusiastic, which made her interested in learning more about this field. With a love for creativity, Xuan Hien persistently studied to become a real bartender. To mix a drink with an impressive appearance and flavor, a bartender must have knowledge about alcohol, from its characteristics to how to combine it, countless recipes, and at the same time be solid in the art of performance (from juggling, spinning, shaking and pouring drinks skillfully)... Besides, due to the dynamic environment, diverse customers... bartenders are required to be equipped with knowledge, communication skills, and a certain level of foreign language proficiency. Bartenders also need to balance their lifestyle and maintain their health when the nature of their job is to work at night. It was a journey with many challenges and risks, and when looking back, Xuan Hien feels proud when she has matured.

Bartenders not only mix drinks mechanically but also very delicately, flexibly and creatively to create drinks with attractive flavors and unique visual effects.

For Nguyen Thanh Quang, the journey to becoming a professional bartender was quite arduous. The boy from Ben Tre used to study refrigeration engineering but due to financial difficulties, he had to drop out and work at a Thai restaurant. Thanks to his quick wit and diligence, Quang quickly became the head chef and saved money to go back to school. After careful research and observation in the F&B industry, this time Quang chose to study at Saigon College of Tourism . Going to school in the morning and going to work in the afternoon, there were times when he felt exhausted, but Quang told himself that he must not give up. Lecturer Thanh Duy - Quang's teacher - wholeheartedly guided and helped his student connect with employers.

With professional ethics as a core value, Quang has proven himself in a short time. Continuously improving his skills and cultivating positive energy, he creates goodwill by providing customers with the best listening, understanding and service. He has been assigned to assist in teaching some courses and enthusiastically returned to school to be a professional consultant in bartending competitions.

Thanh Quang recalls the early stages of his career, less than 2 months. A customer sitting at the bar asked him to pour 3 glasses of B52. This cocktail requires the bartender to be calm, especially not to shake his hands, to pour 3 beautiful layers. With the support of his colleagues, Quang successfully fulfilled the customer's wish. The customer was very satisfied and invited Quang to have another glass. Quang asked the manager for permission and drank with them. It was a meaningful moment of connection and encouragement for Quang.

Xuan Hien constantly cultivates professional capacity and enriches life experience.

Strive to shine

In August 2023, Nguyen Thanh Quang won first prize in the Flor de Cana Sustainable Cocktail Challenge 2023 and will be the sole representative of Vietnam to compete in the Asia- Pacific finals in November this year. The winner will continue to participate in the global finals of the Sustainable Cocktail Challenge in Nicaragua in 2024.

For female bartender Xuan Hien, her guiding principle is: be brave. Be brave to follow your own decisions. Be brave to let go of things that make you insecure. Be brave to face unexpected situations. Xuan Hien confided: "Accumulating many practical values ​​from the profession and people, I have never regretted but always cherished my rich experiences when I clearly understood what I was striving for."

Despite being an amateur and having to take the exam during the peak study month, Thien Phuc (middle, white shirt, glasses) still excellently won the highest prize in the Summer Drink Contest 2023. Photo: THAO PHAM

A good bartender not only knows the standard recipes for many types of cocktails, but by adding or removing one or a few ingredients, they create delicious, unique and nutritious dishes with their own mark. To develop sustainably, bartenders need to be truly responsible, love their work and constantly improve themselves. Especially after the pandemic, the tourism industry opened up, the number of international visitors is a potential source of customers that cannot be missed. Recently, schools have also paid more attention and invested more in training and fostering bartenders for young people. Recently, the Summer Drink Contest 2023 of Saigon College of Tourism has created a good buzz. Ms. Ngo Thi Quynh Xuan, Principal of the school, said that the contest is for candidates who are not specialized in bartenders with the goal of inspiring the passion and inspiration of young people for a profession that is in great demand for human resources. Although it was held for the first time, the competition received enthusiastic response, thereby discovering many talented factors, showing creativity and sophistication in "combining" ingredients, notably tropical fruits, to create all kinds of delicious and beautiful drinks.

Nguyen Thien Phuc (a student majoring in hotel management) was the champion of this year's competition. According to Thien Phuc, thanks to getting to know many peers who share the same passion for bartending and being passed on knowledge and experience by mentors who are former students of the school, Phuc has become more confident. This guy plans to pursue a career as a bartender seriously in the future. After this success, the competition organizers hope to expand the competition to schools in Ho Chi Minh City next year.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su/bartender-nghe-chat-cua-nguoi-tre-20230812205503141.htm