Diego Cabrera: Be anxious – constantly search for new knowledge

Talk to your team more, and bring people together outside both the space of the bar and work hours. It’s my personal secret for sane planning of working time and process.

A professional bartender can determine what cocktail suits a particular guest or another; they don’t simply know how to make cocktails professionally.

In order to become successful in the profession, practice every day, and be able to separate yourself from others and do your work differently.

Be anxious – constantly search for new knowledge. Don’t wait for a teacher to show up and give it to you. Search for information yourself – on trips, in books, in conversations with people and observations.

When hiring personnel, I look first of all at whether there’s a friendly person in front of me. Are they open? Do they behave naturally? Everything else can be taught!

When talking with customers, we strive to serve them professionally, and at the same time be friendly while maintaining distance. People come to our bar to relax!

In conflict situations, the most important thing is patience. Happily, they happen rarely. We treat alcohol like a medicine that we prescribe to our clients, and you always have to be on your guard with it.

Only hire good, open people who know how to respect each other, and work will be easy!

A professional team and consistency of leadership make a bar profitable and popular.

The biggest difficulty in learning the bartending profession is to accept its essence: you’re working when other people are relaxing, and sleeping when they’re working. If you can manage that, you can enjoy the profession.

Mixology – is a real art. The art of combining flavors and creating something new.

In order to become a professional bartender, you need both knowledge and talent, just like in any other profession. First of all, have patience and try to feel people out.

I love my work, but sometimes I get tired. In my opinion, it’s better to stop and clear your head. For example, you can leave the city and switch gears to something else.

Photo: Borja de Corral