Interview With Sydney Bar Manager, Steve Crozier

Sydney’s bar scene is booming. Even in the face of the lockout laws, the city’s drinking establishments are always looking for new staff. To find out just what will cut it in this competitive industry, we speak to Steve Crozier, the bar manager of The Baxter Inn, Sydney’s finest whisky bar, to see what he looks for in his staff.

What key things does a bartender need to find work behind a bar?
They need to be personable and friendly – these are the unteachables. The knowledge and know-how can be taught – personality, unfortunately, can’t. Have a strong work ethic, it’s a hard slog behind here sometimes, and if you give up mid-shift, you drop the rest of your team in the shit. You can learn everything else.

Can you take someone on that is yet to get their RSA?
No, not in NSW. Get this ASAP.

Does the type of experience required depend on the venue? What would you be looking for for The Baxter Inn?
Absolutely. We stock over 700 whiskies so you need to have some previous whisky experience and it’s a very high octane bar so you need at least 3-4 years behind the stick making cocktails just to be able to keep up with the pace. It’s a very daunting bar to first walk into.

What can someone do if they have no previous bar experience?
Barback or Glassy. This is how most/almost all bartenders start out. It’s far better to be a barback or glassy in a good bar and gleam information of well-informed staff, than to go work somewhere shit where they might stick you on the bar straight away but you learn nothing.

Can a new employee expect to do a trial shift?
We do not hire staff without seeing how they handle customers and seeing their methods. A trial shift is a must. This also gives the potential employee the chance to test the water before being hired and then hating it after one day.

Does The Baxter Inn have any kind of training program?
Absolutely. All new staff are given initial training from their induction date which covers all of our basics from what straw goes in what drink, what glass for what, how to handle glassware correctly, right through to how to make a Negroni/Sazerac/Old Fashioned cocktail. This is on-the-job training with a manager by your side for at least your first few weeks. We then conduct monthly sessions on all spirits, wines and beers across the group, and at The Baxter Inn we also conduct monthly whisky sessions for staff to present on a particular whisky distillery.

If someone was on a working holiday visa, would this put you off hiring them?
We always hire depending on the individual. We’re all career bartenders/managers at The Baxter Inn and we look for that in an employee. It shows dedication to the job, not just a means of earning money. People that take the effort to visit us and know a little about what we do are always considered. Someone mail blasting a CV with a generic cover letter to 30 venues and forgetting to bcc the other bars so we can all see, will probably not be considered. We will always consider people with any visa.

How can bartenders continue to improve their skills?
Go to other bars and get a broader understanding of the industry. There’s a whole world of good boozers out there who all do things differently. Watch and Learn. Also…Read. Books are incredible.

How would you describe the Sydney bar industry?
The calibre of Sydney’s drinking holes is as high as it has ever been! People are moving here from all corners of the earth to work in this industry.

What are the best things about working in the bar industry?
The late nights? Jokes. The community. Being a part of an industry where you can travel the world and pretty much stay with/visit friends the whole way just on the back of friendships built in bar work is something you won’t get in any other job. Also, the interaction with people from all walks of life.

The Baxter Inn
Website: www.thebaxterinn.com
Email: [email protected]
Address: Basement 152-156, Clarence Street, Sydney