Who is a barback?

Bar-back – this phrase has two meanings. Firstly, this is the name of the part of the bar counter located behind the bartender, and secondly, this is the person who is engaged in maintaining cleanliness and preparing preparations. In America, such people are often called Bus Boy, but in our country the name of the barback profession has stuck.

So, let's figure out who he is and what he does.

Almost all public catering enterprises have a linear-functional organizational management structure, and at the very, very bottom of the hierarchy, in small print, you can see a line with the inscription: “Barback”.

A barbeque is a bartender's assistant, his right and sometimes even left hand. It is thanks to the barback that the bartender can, without being distracted by internal manipulations, take care of the guests, prepare them great cocktails and be visible throughout the shift.

Features of the profession

In the Bartender's Bible, an entire paragraph entitled “Smile through Tears” is dedicated to this profession, because it is the barback who is responsible for the successful functioning and smooth operation of the entire establishment. The barbecue organizes internal processes - everything that is not visible to guests, but without which the establishment cannot operate. Why “through tears”? It’s simple – it’s time-consuming, monotonous, rather monotonous and physically challenging work, but! This is where all the great bartenders started - after all, knowing the full cycle of the work process, you can see the strengths and weaknesses of the bar in the future.

Basic responsibilities of a barback

The range of responsibilities of a barback may vary depending on the category of the bar and the staff. The main responsibilities include:

Maintaining the cleanliness of the bar counter and everything behind the bar. All inventory , utensils and equipment must be in perfect condition, always clean, dry and polished;

Checking the fullness of the bar. All bottles and the general content of the bar station must be full. If the barback sees that something is running out, it is necessary to replenish the supplies so that, if necessary, the bartender has everything at hand;

Keeping bottles clean. All bottles must have clean labels and be free of dust and stains. The barback is also responsible for this;

Preparation of preparations. Of course, some premixes that require complex technological processes are made by bartenders, but the preparation of freshly squeezed juices, garnishes , syrups and cordials is the direct responsibility of the barback;

Polishing dishes. The barback is responsible for the perfect cleanliness of all glasses in the bar.

Basically, the bartender is trained by the bartender. He reveals to him the secrets of mastery, teaches him the algorithm of actions and becomes a kind of mentor. The barbecue, in turn, reports to the bartender, and how well this tandem works directly affects the profit of the establishment and the positive emotions of the guests.

Benefits of working as a barback

The barbecue has a fairly wide range of responsibilities, which allows you to control many processes. In a good bar, in just a year or two, a young man who polishes glasses and changes barrels of beer can become an excellent bartender. Knowing how all the processes take place in an establishment, in the future you can easily exercise control in a different role as a bar manager or director.

How to share responsibilities with a bartender

In simple words, the division of responsibilities looks like this: everything that is shown in videos on social networks and classic films - a bartender with a smile, a shaker and a lot of guests - is the functionality of a bartender. Filled bottles, chopped fruit, clean glasses and all the equipment at hand are the responsibility of the barback. In reality, a bartender is a kind of teacher who not only explains the name of this or that glass, but also immerses in complex technological processes of preparation, suggests how to quickly learn recipes, instructs and teaches in all the nuances.

A barbeque is an indispensable person in a bar, because when the rear is covered, work is a pleasure.