Sometimes we may feel like we can work behind the bar forever. I mean, what an amazing job? We get to bring the party and make people happy every night. It’s great! But chances are even if you could physically work behind the bar forever, likely you won’t want to. Whether you’re burnt out mentally, your industry schedule doesn’t work well with the family you are trying to start or you’re just inspired to try something different, stepping out from behind the bar and doing something new can be incredibly challenging. There aren’t many good resources about career movement for bartenders either.
My guest today is Chris Tunstall. In 2003, like many of us, he started out as a bar back at a restaurant. Many years later, after a lot of challenging but rewarding work, Chris and his wife Julia now run a successful business of their own. They are the hosts of The Mixology Talk Podcast, they run A Bar Above, an educational resource for working bartenders, and have their own line of bar tools designed specifically to meet the rigors of the modern bar. I got to sit down with Chris and learn about all of the challenges he faced, what drove him to start a business and how he’s stayed connected to the industry we all love so much .
Check out our conversation in the player to learn about career movement for bartenders, and don’t forget to hit subscribe and check out our homepage for more. We have new conversations every week, so stay tuned. I’ll see you next time!