Tiki: A Story for Bartenders -- how I'm working to educate the next generation of tiki bartenders - General Tiki

H Humuhumu Member San Francisco Joined: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 3691	H Humuhumu Posted posted on Thu, Jul 2, 2015 11:29 AM Thought you folks might be interested in hearing about something special I've been doing for the past couple of months. There has been a wonderful surge of interest in tiki and tropical drinks amongst the higher-end craft cocktail bartenders around the country, but they haven't seemed to have much understanding about the beautiful, rich history that gave birth to these drinks. Many of them have read Beachbum Berry's wonderful books -- but they haven't been inspired to learn more beyond the recipes and a little sliver of bartender-centric history. So, I created "Tiki: A Story for Bartenders," an hour-long talk to give them more context, to teach them a bit about the history of Hawaii, the South Seas, and its influence on American culture, and vice-versa. I tell them about the impact it had beyond the drink recipes -- the food, the design, the music, the architecture, the way that Polynesian Pop culture infused itself into many facets of society in ways we take for granted today. In short, I encourage them to think beyond going crazy with the garnish, and challenge them to create a more immersive experience for the customer. And, most importantly, I impress upon them right off the bat that this started, and remained for a long time, a high-end dining experience. I am so happy to report that the talk has been received enthusiastically, and is creating greater understanding of Polynesian Pop and Tiki. Each time, I've been able to get into great, meaty, thoughtful conversations with these newly inspired bartenders. I've given the talk about eight times so far, reaching more than 60 bartenders, and I have more scheduled. I've been giving the talk here at my home bar in San Francisco (where I can only fit about 6 people at a time), and I just returned from giving the talk to a large group of bartenders at Portland's Hale Pele -- many people in the audience drove all the way down from Seattle just to hear the talk! I'm working on bringing the talk on the road to reach more bartenders, and I'll keep giving the talk here at home until every bartender who wants to hear it does. Tiki: A Story for Bartenders seminar at Hale Pele in Portland, photo by Jason Alexander of Tacoma Cabana

Thought you folks might be interested in hearing about something special I've been doing for the past couple of months. There has been a wonderful surge of interest in tiki and tropical drinks amongst the higher-end craft cocktail bartenders around the country, but they haven't seemed to have much understanding about the beautiful, rich history that gave birth to these drinks. Many of them have read Beachbum Berry's wonderful books -- but they haven't been inspired to learn more beyond the recipes and a little sliver of bartender-centric history.

So, I created "Tiki: A Story for Bartenders," an hour-long talk to give them more context, to teach them a bit about the history of Hawaii, the South Seas, and its influence on American culture, and vice-versa. I tell them about the impact it had beyond the drink recipes -- the food, the design, the music, the architecture, the way that Polynesian Pop culture infused itself into many facets of society in ways we take for granted today. In short, I encourage them to think beyond going crazy with the garnish, and challenge them to create a more immersive experience for the customer. And, most importantly, I impress upon them right off the bat that this started, and remained for a long time, a high-end dining experience.

I am so happy to report that the talk has been received enthusiastically, and is creating greater understanding of Polynesian Pop and Tiki. Each time, I've been able to get into great, meaty, thoughtful conversations with these newly inspired bartenders. I've given the talk about eight times so far, reaching more than 60 bartenders, and I have more scheduled. I've been giving the talk here at my home bar in San Francisco (where I can only fit about 6 people at a time), and I just returned from giving the talk to a large group of bartenders at Portland's Hale Pele -- many people in the audience drove all the way down from Seattle just to hear the talk!

I'm working on bringing the talk on the road to reach more bartenders, and I'll keep giving the talk here at home until every bartender who wants to hear it does.

Tiki: A Story for Bartenders seminar at Hale Pele in Portland, photo by Jason Alexander of Tacoma Cabana

Post #746056 by Humuhumu on Thu, Jul 2, 2015 11:29 AM