Pizzeria owners must make sure employees know safety, hospitality and beverages — Bar Staff Training
Training bar staff entails much more than demonstrating how to make a Negroni or Aperol Spritz. Learning how to pour wine and beer and prepare cocktails is important, but pizzeria owners say they cover other important details when teaching crew members how to serve alcohol. Whether it’s a small selection of wines and beers that pair well with pizza, or a full cocktail program showcasing the latest trends, alcohol sales account for a large portion of dine-in revenues. Alcohol also presents risks, as restaurants that serve alcohol could find themselves potentially liable if a customer becomes intoxicated and injures themselves or others.
Safety is Crucial in Bar Training
At Soprana Rooftop Cucina in Asheville, North Carolina, safety is the top priority in bar training. The rooftop pizzeria, located atop the new Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, opened in March. “At Soprana Rooftop Cucina, we prioritize responsible alcohol service to ensure the safety and enjoyment of our guests,” Brian Sherwood, director of food and beverage at Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, and Sean Moline, outlets manager at Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown, said by e-mail. “Our team undergoes rigorous TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) certification, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate legal regulations seamlessly while understanding the nuances of alcoholic beverage flavors and pairings.”
There is mandatory TIPS Training, and the entire service staff is certified to handle alcohol service responsibly. Staff at Soprana learn key standards, such as how to verify a customer’s age by rigorously checking IDs to uphold legal age requirements. Another standard is bartender protocol, which refers to following strict procedures to prevent overpouring and maintain quality. Staff closely monitor guest consumption to intervene when necessary, and are trained to identify signs of intoxication and manage situations effectively. There are also preventative measures, which include promoting responsible drinking by offering food, water and regulating drink service timing.
This focus on safety takes precedence over other beverage-related lessons. “Our commitment is to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all,” Sherwood and Moline say.
Online or Classroom Bar Training
TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) offers online and classroom programs that teach responsible sale, service and consumption of alcohol. Employers need to check with their state authority to see whether online training fulfills regulatory requirements for the state. TIPS’s parent company, 360training, notes on the TIPS website that the program provides a “reasonable efforts defense” in third-party liquor liability lawsuits, and provides a means of mitigating ABC violations, which can result in lowered fines and a waiver of license suspensions.
Another safety-focused training program comes from the National Restaurant Association, which developed the ServSafe Alcohol training program. ServSafe, also available online or in-person, is designed to equip foodservice industry workers with an understanding of the risks and responsibilities of alcohol service, and help them gain critical skills to protect restaurant customers and reduce operators’ risk of liability. ServSafe training programs, which are also available for food safety, allergens and workplace issues, are updated frequently to reflect regulatory changes and policy updates. Some states have mandatory training requirements, while others are optional, and ServSafe maintains an interactive map of state requirements on its website.
Bar Hospitality Lessons
Pizzeria owners say bar staff training also covers service-related topics. Employees must learn about hospitality, and how to answer customer questions about the various beverages. “The vast majority of the guests are not going to be craft beer nerds, they just want a good experience,” says Ned Lavelle, cofounder of Pinthouse, a pizza and beer establishment in Austin, Texas. “We do a deep dive on beer knowledge so the team can speak intelligently with guests.”
Pinthouse makes and serves 200 different beers a year. Each location has about 40 beers on tap, and some beers change each week. Lavelle sends employees a newsletter that describes each beer’s hops, flavor, ABV and style notes. “We’re also starting to talk about mouthfeel and special ingredients or inspirations for that beer,” Lavelle says.
There are also quarterly tasting sessions to discuss new beers and flavors. “If we tell someone this beer smells like lichee or dragon fruit, we bring the fruits in,” Lavelle says. “The team can start to develop that palate and understand what those buzzwords mean so they know they’re not just words to make the beer sound exotic.”
The 20 to 30 bartenders across the four Pinthouse locations must be Level One Cicerone certified, which means they passed the Certified Beer Server exam of the Cicerone Certification Program. Bartenders also learn to talk with customers, find out what they like, and recommend the right beer for them. “Number one is they’ve got to have hospitality,” Lavelle says. “You have to read the guest.”
Take a Test
At Good Pie in Las Vegas, owner Vincent Rotolo works with a consultant to develop new drinks and to conduct quarterly training sessions with the bar staff. The drinks must be easy to prepare, delicious and authentic to the Italian food experience. “If I have to explain the drink, if it takes more than four steps, we’re not going to do it,” he says.
Bar staff must know about the different spirits, the various Italian wines, and other details. Rotolo sends the staff PDF documents with information about beer, wine and spirits. “What we are looking for in a service professional behind the bar is knowledge,” he says. “If you can’t name five single malt scotches, tell me how vodka is created, and know the difference between tequila and mescal, you can’t work behind my bar,” he says.
New employees must pass a test that includes making three cocktails. People who don’t pass can start working at the slice window, and gain knowledge to work as a barback, then bartender. Bar staff training is part of the larger strategy of providing memorable customer service. “It’s not enough to have great food or great beverages anymore,” Rotolo says. “It’s about the experience.”
Others maintain that hiring is a key element for success in bar training. “A great bar staff starts with finding the right fit,” says Christopher Pinsak, chief restaurant operations officer for BJ’s Restaurants. “At BJ’s, we prioritize high work ethic, self-awareness, great communication and organizational skills. If a candidate has these skills in place, they are already halfway to being a great bartender.”
NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.
