Bartending : The Truth about This Profession
Bartending:The Truth about This Profession- One of the most eclectic and engrossing careers in the hospitality industry is ‘Bartending’. However in Indian society because of the earlier prevailing mindset, bartending is mostly considered as a B-grade profession. But when it comes to today’s generation, they have their own definition of bartending revealing the real truth about this profession.
Even the top hotel management colleges in India include bartending under the food and beverage heading in their course curriculum. And these days there is an increased surge observed in hotel management graduates opting for a career in bartending. Let us say, out of several career choices in hospitality, if wine and beer raises up your spirit and so do the night life, why don't you make a career out of it? With the growth in the F&B industry, new restaurants, pubs and bars are mushrooming all over in different parts of the country. So there is never a dearth of options in this profession. Here is all you need to know about the life of a bartender, working hours, salary prospects, job opportunities and more.
What is a Bartender?
A bartender is a professional who formulates and serves mocktails, cocktails and hard drinks in a bar. Whenever you step into a pub/bar for drinks, the first conversation you have is with the bartender. He engages you in a good conversation and tells you about the types of cocktails or drinks you must try or may even show you up with the jugglery. They are extroverts with charming nature and pleasing personalities. In this new age of urban nightlife, bartending as a profession has come into a limelight.
Top Colleges for Bartending in India
In India aspiring bartenders can opt for courses in bartending from various institutes across India. Some of them are:
1. Indian Professional Bartending Academy, Pune
2. IIBT (Indian Institute of Bartending), Chandigarh
3. Flair Mania Bartending Academy, Chennai
4. Fair-o-Logy Bar School and Events, Mumbai
There are courses like Mixology & Flair Bartending, Professional Bartending Course, Advance Bartending Course, Craftsmanship Course in Bartending, Certification Course in Wines & Spirits, Molecular Mixology Course, Basic Flair Bartending, Certification Course in Blair Flair, Exclusive Bartending Course, etc
Bartending as a Profession
Bartending as a profession can be very challenging. Apart from the fun and glamour, anything to everything that goes round in the bar is on the shoulders of a bartender. The responsibilities include cleanliness, managing the inventory, billing, being updated with the latest offers, new arrivals and many more. Bartenders are also responsible for confirming that customers meet the legal drinking age requirements before serving them alcoholic beverages. One needs to be a clever manager in dealing with people.
There are both the best and worst parts of this profession. While working you will get innovative in creating various cocktails of your own for which you can earn fame to be known. You will deal with depressed and angry people. Either you will have to face their outbursts or you can also cheer them up by listening to them. This can turn out even to be a personality-changing experience for you. The worst part is there is no family life of a bartender. There are sleep-deprived nights, long working hours, and dealing with drunk and angry customers. Thus in the end it is the personality and skills of a bartender that play a crucial role in achieving greater heights in this profession.
Bartending as a Profession for Girls
The subject of women bartenders broadly combines the two biggest insecurities of contemporary Indian society – the pertinent questions regarding women liberation and empowerment along with the contentious issue of alcohol sale and consumption. In 2007, came the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of India, which not only overturned an archaic 1914 law that prohibited women from tending bars in the National Capital Region but it also stressed upon the fact that it was the duty of the State to ensure safety of women who choose to work at bars.
Shatbhi Basu, is considered to be the pioneer of bartending in India with experience which spans over three decades. She has in the past hosted a television show on mixology, authored a column in a mainstream daily as well as a book. Plus, she runs her own professional bartending academy called STIR (Mumbai). Debunking the myth of unsafety in context to women bartenders, Shatbhi argues, “The whole safety factor in case of women bartenders is blown out of proportion. Why isn’t it considered in the case of women in housekeeping in hotels or those working late nights in restaurants and coffee shops? These days more and more educated women are entering this field just like they are in any other profession which they were previously discouraged to take up.” Thus hotels & restaurants should encourage lady bartenders as they add more flair to the bar.
Job Opportunities in Bartending
There are numerous career options in bartending from the food and beverage services to other hospitality sectors. Bartenders get jobs in clubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, cruise ships and more. They are also hired by private businessmen to tend the bar at their parties and events. There are also freelance bartenders who pursue their higher studies besides bartending. They go on pursuing courses like diploma in beverage services , tea management courses and other hotel management courses. Then after a few years in bartending they shift to other hospitality areas. Some of the job opportunities for bartenders are:
Cocktail Caterers
Liquor Sales Representative
General Manager of a bar/Restaurants
Beverage Consultant
Mixologist
Salary Prospects
On an average trainee bartender, receives around Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh per annum. An experienced bartender gets around Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh per annum, whereas a head bartender is paid around Rs. 9 lakh to Rs.10 lakh. The salaries vary according to the level of organisation a person is working in.
Thus, success in this field depends on motivation, training and required skills. Now due to increasing demand in this field, those students who are in the hotel management and hospitality field are taking short term courses in bartending as an add-on to their skills.
Articles
Browse Hospitality Colleges by State
Explore Career Options (By Industry)
Food Scientist
A food scientist enhances the safety, quality, and nutrition of food products. They work on developing recipes, testing for quality, analysing nutrition, optimising processes, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Their work spans labs, factories, and offices, often in collaboration with engineers and quality teams to create safe, innovative, and cost-effective food solutions for the market.
Food Inspector
A Food Inspector ensures the safety and quality of food by inspecting facilities, enforcing regulations, and preventing contamination. They examine food products, check sanitation practices, and uphold public health standards. The role requires knowledge in food science or biology, relevant certifications, and strong analytical skills. Their work is essential in preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining hygiene standards
Food Engineer
A food engineer applies engineering principles to food production, processing, packaging, and storage to ensure safety, quality, and sustainability. They design processing systems, develop packaging and storage solutions, handle supply chain issues, and ensure compliance with food safety standards. Their work combines engineering, biology, and chemistry to improve food systems.
Food Technologist
A Food Technologist develops safe, nutritious, and innovative food products through research, quality control, and process design. They work in labs, processing units, and sometimes on-site to ensure food safety and customer satisfaction. With growing demand for healthy and processed foods, this career plays a crucial role in modern food production and technology.
Family Social Worker
In a career as family social worker, an individual help those people who grow up in dysfunctional families and suffer from mild to extreme dysfunction. Some people are able to overcome the obstacles that childhood brought them and have a positive impact on the future. This negative behavior brings great pressure on family members. Sometimes they need help to learn how to deal with certain family situations or problems faced on a personal level. Individuals who opt for a career as family social worker can help restore harmony by providing services to families in crisis.
Chef
Individuals in chef career path work responsibilities include planning the menu, observing the kitchen, and supervising the entire kitchen staff. In the beginning, a trainee chef might be asked to wash dishes, clean the kitchen, and chop vegetables. There is a gradual process of learning and growth to reach the final destination ‘head chef’.
Every restaurant needs a culinarian and the country has a thousand great restaurant chains. So, there are immense career opportunities as well. In this article, we will discuss Chef roles and responsibilities, how to become a Chef in India, Chef skills, Chef eligibility, how to become chef after 12th and Chef qualification.
Event Manager
An Event Manager plans, coordinates, and oversees events like weddings, conferences, and festivals. They work with clients to understand needs, manage budgets, coordinate vendors, and handle logistics. Strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential. Career opportunities exist in agencies, hotels, or freelancing, with growth potential into senior roles like Event Director.
Travel Agent
A travel agent helps clients plan and book trips by arranging transport, accommodation, and tours. They offer advice on visas, insurance, and travel safety, and handle itinerary changes or cancellations. Using industry knowledge, they customise travel experiences and secure deals. Travel agents also support clients throughout their journey, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
Linguist
Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning).
Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French, German, Italian.
Hotel Manager
A hotel manager oversees daily hotel operations, ensuring guest satisfaction, staff efficiency, and financial performance. Key duties include managing guest services, supervising staff, handling budgets, maintaining facilities, and promoting the hotel. A degree in hospitality and work experience are usually required, along with strong leadership and communication skills.
Food Stylist
A food stylist is a culinary art specialist who is responsible for making the food look arranged in a presentable way decked up with accessories for a close shot. He or she works with chefs, photographers and editors.
Bartender
The bartender is the person who mixes and serves drinks at the bar. He or she helps the people to serve drinks at parties which adds to the glamour of the event or the night and makes the environment like a party mood. It is difficult to plan parties without the help of a bartender serving beers and alcohol with all the mixing techniques.
Students can pursue BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management), or other related courses to opt for a bartender career in India. Here, in this article, we will discuss the details of how to become a Bartender in India, bartending a good job, bartender career growth, bartender roles and responsibilities, bartender courses in India, and bartender skills.
Station Master
A Station Master ensures the smooth and safe operation of trains at a railway station. Appointed by the Railway Recruitment Board, they manage train schedules, operate signals, oversee station facilities, assist passengers, and supervise staff. Their role is crucial for maintaining safety, punctuality, and passenger convenience, making it a responsible and rewarding career in Indian Railways.
Linguist
Linguistic meaning is related to language or Linguistics which is the study of languages. A career as a linguistic meaning, a profession that is based on the scientific study of language, and it's a very broad field with many specialities. Famous linguists work in academia, researching and teaching different areas of language, such as phonetics (sounds), syntax (word order) and semantics (meaning).
Other researchers focus on specialities like computational linguistics, which seeks to better match human and computer language capacities, or applied linguistics, which is concerned with improving language education. Still, others work as language experts for the government, advertising companies, dictionary publishers and various other private enterprises. Some might work from home as freelance linguists. Philologist, phonologist, and dialectician are some of Linguist synonym. Linguists can study French, German, Italian.
Travel Planner
A travel planner is a professional who assists clients or people in planning and organising their trips. He or she is responsible for making arrangements for the client's travel requirements such as reservations, booking flights, and arranging transport. A travel planner may also visit the holiday destinations and resorts to help the clients make informed decisions.
In a career as a travel planner, he or she must design cost-effective travel packages according to the client's needs and budget and provide the best recommendations to them. The travel planner oversees the negotiations for the accommodation, transportation, rental companies, tour guides and restaurants for the clients to get the maximum benefits of trips.
Travel Agent
A travel agent helps clients plan and book trips by arranging transport, accommodation, and tours. They offer advice on visas, insurance, and travel safety, and handle itinerary changes or cancellations. Using industry knowledge, they customise travel experiences and secure deals. Travel agents also support clients throughout their journey, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
Travel Journalist
A travel journalist explores destinations and shares experiences through articles, blogs, or social media. They plan trips, manage logistics, and may create guidebooks. A degree in Journalism or Mass Communication is typical, with added value from internships and skills in photography or film-making.