Is bartending a good job

Bartending school reminds me of a conversation I once overheard between a head chef and an aspiring chef.

The head chef said:

“If you want to work in my kitchen, you can start out by peeling potatoes.

If you choose to go to chef school first, then great! You’ll spend a lot of money learning cooking theory and techniques that you won’t necessarily need. And when you finish chef school and ask to work in my kitchen, you’ll still start out by peeling potatoes!”

This is exactly the same way I feel about formal bartending classes.

Is bartending harder than serving

Except, instead of peeling potatoes, you’ll be washing glasses, taking out the trash, changing kegs, and waiting tables.

You’ll spend a lot of money learning bartending theory and techniques that you won’t necessarily need.

And at the end it, when you’re looking for a bartending job, you’ll still start out as a barback or server.

The reality is, bartending is learned & mastered on-the-job. And no amount of schooling can replace that.

A Graduate in Action

I was first introduce