Message 9662 of 22774 in Behind the Bar

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> 
> > I'm afraid i would.
> > 
> > Not because you don't LIKE garlic but because you won't TRY a dish 
> > 
> > because it's got garlic in it.  You'd most likely fail as a chef for 
> > 
> > making either a bland underseasoned dish or an overpowering vampire 
> > 
> > slayer. :)
> 
> Well, if you'd fail me for something like that, I think it's a great 
> thing I'm not attending your cooking school.

Obviously i don't run a cooking school, my point was that you would probably 
fail in the industry as a chef if you weren't willing to try things.  How many 
(good) chefs do you think make a sauce just by measuring ingredients and not 
by trying it and fine tuning?

> 
> Besides, eating garlic does not lead to anything that is illegal

Does drinking have to? I've finished work, had a bottle of beer and will 
shortly be going to bed.  No laws broken as far as i know, and i've had a beer 
i'd not had before which i can now compare to others.


> > I'm sure it's possible to serve drinks and follow recipes as a 
> > none-drinking bartender but surely you can see the weaknesses of 
> > being in such a position? 
> 
> Actually, no, I don't.

Not even a tiny bit? Don't get me wrong, this doesn't have to be a black and 
white, right or wrong, discussion but i can't understand this.  If there were 
another person almost identical to you, the same work experience, the same 
enthusiasm for service etc.  Do you not think they would have even a TINY 
advantage over you by having actually tasted a drink you/they made, even if 
they didn't like it?
 
> Surely, you can see that one can make drinks, and do a GREAT job at 
> it, without putting your lips on the guest's glass.

Absolutely, but i never suggested putting your lips on a guest's glass, did i?
 
> I don't know of any bartender that knows how EVERY spirit tastes.

Nor do i, but i can honestly say i've tried almost everything on every bar 
i've worked on.  So far, i don't like brandy/cognac.  I've tried them on 
several occasions and just don't get it, if a customer came to me for a 
recomendation i'd have to say i've not tried that brand, i've heard xyz about 
it but could direct them to another bartender who perhaps had personel 
experience of that drink.  I can see that compared to someone who does drink 
brandy, that is a weakness.  I guess it depends on the place you work though, 
if you can get by without specific, personel knowledge/experience then you're 
right, you can be a bartender without ever drinking.
 
> I have a passion for SERVING, and for serving beverages. That's what 
> I do.

I agree, there is more to bartending than just the drinks, otherwise we 
wouldn't do it, we'd just sit at home surrounded by our bottles.  Hmmmm... 
ever wondered why it is we all want to do things for people?  A new thread 
perhaps....

> 
> Again, I'm not anti-drinking. I just don't care for the stuff. I 
> still don't get why that would bother any one else.
> 
> Can you please explain that to me?

And i'm not against you, or anyone else choosing not to drink, i just think 
it's beneficial as a bartender to have had personel experience. Another string 
to your bow if you will.  I don't want to complicate things further by 
bringing in another annalagie (sp?), but if the question was "I can't add up, 
can i still be a bartender?" then similarly, yes you can, you can do the job 
but compared to someone who can, you'll have a slight disadvantage.

JAM


-- 
-------------------
"If you don't write down your goals on a regular basis, you'll end up working 
for someone who does."