As far as industries go, service is about as fickle and inconsistent as they come. Which makes sense in some ways, I suppose, as the needs of all the personalities that make up our client base are as numerous as the wildly divergent personalities themselves. The arena we bartenders work in seeks to find a middle ground between pleasing as many people as possible and presenting a drinks program to them that we’re proud of, with our own personality, ideology and favourite products represented. As bars continue to become more quality-conscious they become leaner and more esoteric; product choice is made on a more educated basis than “it’s what we’ve always had.” The problem, of course, is providing the experience that the guests whose tastes do not match yours are looking for. Where to draw the line?
Simon Ogden 