calgary fine art bartending school?

[M_Styo]

I'm looking to get hired as a bartender and ppl always tell me that u have to go to school for it etc. I looked up this site http://www.fineart.ca/calgary.htm and i'm planning to enroll in it since it looks legit but I asked one of the guys i work with at Seven Lounge, he's a bartender, and he told me that going to those kinda schools dont even help like its completely useless. Is this true? What does anyone know about it?

[Jlude]

usually bars want to train you their way...

You should try getting a bar tending job at somewhere small to start, then once you get the hang of it, apply somewhere else.

[M_Styo]

yeah thats true

but im just wondering if that school actually helps u get a job as a bartender. like will it make a significant difference if u have it in your resume?

[Jlude]

not as much as if you saved your money, took a shitty bartending job at some dive, then put that on your resume. Instead of paying to take that bartending course, you could get experience and make money and when you revamp your resume for the bars you really want to work in, I'm sure they're gonna like experience over that course.

[ryder_23]

Yep it is completly useless. What kind of place are you looking to bartend at? Just work your way up, and the bartenders you work for will teach you a few things and let u do it here n there.

[wintonyk]

as everyone has said waste of money. Only thing that helps with bartending other then bar experience is the responsible beverage service course.

During my interview for my present bar job though, I had to explain how to make basic drinks, (ie martini, manhattan, gin and tonic haha yes gin and tonic) Apparently someone got hired a few years ago and didn;t know how to make that.

I worked my way up to cocktail tending now. Started slinging drinks at a university bar, progressed to yacht club and weddings.

Bartending courses I have taken: 0

[mdeluxe]

Most places (including restaurants, pubs and bars) you wont even need a resume for. Its usually through networking and friends of friends and who knows who.

I would stratch the bartending school and start serving and work your way up

[JAYMEZ]

One bizzilion percent useless.

[M_Styo]

What kind of place are you looking to bartend at?
Like a busy club, lounge whatever. I work at Seven Restolounge right now and the bartenders there make a good $300-$700 a night on saturdays depending how busy it is so something like that 2-3 nights a week.

It's just that I heard it takes a year or 2 to work ur way up from a busser to BA to bartender. Everytime I ask someone about bartending they're like yaaa take bartending school or get your bartender's license. So I thought that's a legit shortcut but yeah I'm just confused why it would be useless cuz you'd know how to do everything and I heard they train in a real bar environment.

[Jlude]

Originally posted by M_Styo

Like a busy club, lounge whatever. I work at Seven Restolounge right now and the bartenders there make a good $300-$700 a night on saturdays depending how busy it is so something like that 2-3 nights a week.

It's just that I heard it takes a year or 2 to work ur way up from a busser to BA to bartender. Everytime I ask someone about bartending they're like yaaa take bartending school or get your bartender's license. So I thought that's a legit shortcut but yeah I'm just confused why it would be useless cuz you'd know how to do everything and I heard they train in a real bar environment.

Yup... you'll have to work your way up, which is why I said to go work as a bartender at some shithole place for experience.

[barmanjay]

Bartending course isnt all bad

you do learn how the spirits are made

how to properly make and serve drinks

short-cuts to remembering whats in each drink.

proper garnishes.

learn the types of wines and scotches (there are more wine/scotch drinkers with more money to burn than hi-ball/beer drinkers)

ie: long island iced tea - dont touch that girl - dark rum, tequila, triple sec, gin.

a certificate from a course will definitely get you in the door.

your attitude and willingness to learn the bar/pubs/clubs ways/drinks will land you the job.


I took a course, but never applied for a job bartending for 5 years.

the course gave me a foot in the door and a license to serve.

I started at the bottom of the totem pole (bussing) -> waiter -> servers tender -> 2nd tender -> head tender -> manager (3 pubs) -> pub/club owner before moving here and starting a new life.

I'll advise against working at a dive, try mid-upper end restaurants instead. You dont want to get caught up in the dark side,.... and its dark.
I'll never work in a bar again because of my jaded experiences.

The money is good, the sex is fun (from what i can remember - 12pk of beer a night, seriously),.....

now, if i'm lucky, i can do a 6pk in a week - killed my liver.


my advice - start in a restaurant, move to good pub/club and try getting into a real high class place. Better connections and future opportunity happens there, instead of where the next all-nighter sniffing party is after the dive closes.

[M_Styo]

^^ yeah I work in an upperclass restaurant right now called Seven on 8th ave as a busser/BA and I wanna go take this course and try to bartend elsewhere. think that's a good idea?

[barmanjay]

you're a big boy. You can make an informed decision now on your own.

[SI_futbol]

sadly calgary has nothing to do with being a good bartender, frankly its not very hard to get the hang of it unless ur flairing. its all who you know, i've bartended in australia at numerous clubs and cocktail lounges, and theyre miles ahead then pos calgary. Even thats useless here. You gotta start low and move you way up, and make sure you make your mangers feel really fucking cool, you'll be up there in no time.

[syeve]

I'm sure you know already, but the jobs that make $300-700/night are highly coveted and they don't just give them to anyone.

I have friends that worked for 5 years as doormen, busers etc before they are even considered. Not only that but once they do have the job they NEVER leave. Just make sure it's the right path for you, it is a lot of shit years in hopes of landing a sweet gig.

[Impreza]

Have you considered becoming a Sommelier?

[bravado]

Stumbled upon this topic by accident but I wanted to throw in my 2 cents.

I actually took the Fine Art Bartending course in Calgary about 5 years ago and I found work right away. But I actually got off my ass and walked into the bar and asked them to give me a shot. I didn't email resumes and sit by the phone waiting for a call back.

The skills I learned gave me the confidence to do that. I didn't want to work as a bar back or BA for a year. I wanted to bartend. And I did just that. Worked in the industry for several years while going through school.

I think it was like $400 or $500 something like that so for me. Money well spent.


My 2 Cents