Bartending Is a Real Career Path
Why people look down on bartenders, at least in the United States.
I’ve never been a professional bartender, but I can say I’ve been in a great many bars. A bar is more than just a place to get a drink. It’s a community, and the bartender in many ways sets the tone for that community. A bartender is also an artist, whose art engages all five senses. There are good bartenders, and bad ones. However bartending itself is a profession that deserves far more respect.
I decided to write this article because, a while back, I read through Nicole Peeler’s article on her experience of bartending before going on to complete her Ph.D. All and all, it was a quite interesting read. But one aspect did strike me as frustrating. It’s the idea that bartenders are somehow less than say a Ph.D. in some field. I do understand that it wasn’t the author’s intention of looking down at bartending, and indeed she said as much in my discussion with her. But I think the cultural perception of bartending influenced the writing to an extent, and it showed.
It’s true that the bar in question was a total dive bar, or apparently a private club that was quite divey, but bartending is a real career option, if you’re good at it. And it should be an even better option, except for the negative view that people have of the…
