This is a piece I created a few years ago and we at Alconomics use as an
introduction and mainstay for bartenders of all levels:
The Code of Conduct for the MPB
• The Modern Professional Bartender (MPB) shall always behave in a manner that
befits the responsibility of the role. They are dispensing ‘drugs’ and need to
take clearheaded decisions; they have legal obligations on who, when and how
they serve
• The MPB shall at all times promote the role of the bartender as a Trade and
shall help spread professionalism throughout the industry.
• The MPB shall be knowledgeable about every product I serve: what it tastes
of; what it is made from; where it comes from; how strong it is; how it is
made; if and how it is aged; all of the main brands available on the market
globally.
• The MPB shall know how to properly serve all the products they stand in
front of: the 15 basic recipes using each spirit; the basic categories of
serves for each spirit; correct glassware;
• The MPB shall know at least 3 ‘selling points’ for each product – Trivia or
Technical.
• Knowledge of all tools and actions of a cocktail or high volume bar: bottles
and how handle them; pourers and pouring accurately in legal measures;
glassware types and how to handle them; shakers, mixing glasses; barspoons and
stirring, layering; strainers; drinks mats; ice types and usage; basic bar
set-up; cleaning procedures and importance; fridges and chilling;
• The MPB always leaves their problems at the front door and act as such for
the duration of their shift: they should be knowledgeable of major current
affairs but have no public opinions on race, religion and politics;
• The MPB shall always treat every person as a guest and not just a customer
and shall the respect them as such: never mentioning a guests previous visit;
judge the level of involvement the particular guest wants and cater to that;
recommend improvements in their drinking habits if asked yet serve every drink
with the utmost care and attention
• The MPB shall be aware of the profit motivation of bars and as such will be
aware of relationships with suppliers: ways of increasing sales and executing
your employers’ goals for market success; positive selling techniques and the
use of point of sale promotions and materials.
• The MPB shall be aware of exactly how drinks are made in the bar they work
in as well as generally
• The MPB shall be aware of the physics of drinking in relation to drinks
making techniques such as chilling, ice types, specific densities, hot and
cold drinks.
• The MPB shall be aware of all the Biological elements of their job: the way
alcohol is processed by the human body, the Blood Alcohol Concentration, the
nature of overindulgence; the factors that affect alcohol absorption; the
principles of pragmatic responsible drinking.
• The MPB shall have an understanding of the palate in relation to taste
categories and the mechanics of tasting in order to produce balanced drinks
and how ingredients affect taste.
• The MPB shall try and make every drink to demonstrate the skills of the
bartender: they shall be aware of ways to improve speed and efficiency of
drinks making without compromising the quality of the product.
• The MPB shall know how drinking habits, the alcohol industry and drinking
culture have evolved and are evolving in order to understand drinks making.
• The MPB shall be impeccably clean, neat and tidy in their personal
appearance and also in their working habits; they shall also maintain the
highest standards of hygiene in their workplace.