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Thoughts

Thoughts

Iain McPherson: Why we should all think globally
Iain McPherson presses home the importance of growing a bartending community and explains how to build your network.
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25 October, 2024
Back door

Thoughts

Europe's back door - how to recruit from the EU
Although neither speedy nor cheap, there are still ways to recruit talented staff from the EU. Edmund Weil offers some pointers and outlines the positives of doing so.
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22 October, 2024

Thoughts

Monica Berg: Re-thinking our relationship with ingredients
A recent study shows an alarming number of plants have become extinct – and humans have had a big hand in this. Monica Berg says we need to have better connections with our precious ingredients.
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21 October, 2024

Thoughts

The endangered species: Why batching cocktails is de-skilling our workforce

We are unintentionally de-skilling our industry and if we don’t stop, the fundamentals of bartending will die out, says Satan’s Whiskers’ Kevin Armstrong, who returns with the second of his two-parter on batched cocktails.
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15 October, 2024

Thoughts

The big brand dilemma

Shouldn't the best bars use the best spirits, asks Hamish smith.
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11 October, 2024

Thoughts

World Mental Health Day: Learning from a tragedy
When mental health issues threaten to overwhelm, there are people and places who can help - and the death of Craig Scott has highlighted that the community needs to work together to support each other.  Blythe Robertson reports ahead of World Mental Heath Day on Thursday 10th October. 
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08 October, 2024

Thoughts

World Mental Health Day: How bartenders can manage stress
Not all stress is bad for us, but when it is negative, there are ways to combat its effects, says Merly Kammerling, writing ahead of World Mental Heath Day on Thursday 10th October. 
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08 October, 2024
Tipping, bartenders

Thoughts

Kate Nicholls: How tipping legislation is changing
UK Hospitality chief Kate Nicholls updates us with news on tipping legislation and work undertaken on international recruitment.
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10 October, 2024

Thoughts

Giulia Cuccurullo: how to make drinks that tell stories
Giulia Cuccurullo, head bartender at Artesian, says making memorable drinks is about telling stories.
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30 September, 2024

Thoughts

Monica Berg: the power of admiration
Admiring the achievements of others can help you to learn and grow. Monica Berg certainly subscribes to that theory.
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30 September, 2024

Thoughts

Page turners - Jake O'Brien Murphy's must-read drinks books
Of the plethora of drinks related books available, Jake O'Brien Murphy finds a handful indispensable.
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24 September, 2024

Thoughts

Innovation nation: Iain McPherson on the creative imperative
It’s time for the UK bar scene to up its game and get back into the creative groove it has always been known for, says Iain McPherson.
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12 August, 2024

Thoughts

Why your bar should adapt to a changing locale

Edmund Weil has seen Shoreditch morph in front of his eyes. What should an operator do when their bar’s surroundings change he asks?
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31 July, 2024

Thoughts

Why we need to de-industrialise the guest shift
Hamish Smith can’t seem to escape guest shifts. We must de-escalate this trend, he says.
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31 July, 2024

Thoughts

The Kate Nicholls column: Building the next generation of bartenders
If anyone knows what’s coming down the road for hospitality, it’s Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality. In a new column for CLASS, she enlightens us about the spots on the horizon that could soon become the bigger picture
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22 July, 2024

Thoughts

Pre-batching? Wait a (la) minute, says Kevin Armstrong
Batched cocktails are here to stay, but what’s good for the bar is not necessarily good for the guest, writes Satan’s Whiskers’ Kevin Armstrong.
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19 July, 2024

Thoughts

BBAs: Which product reigned supreme?
We finish our review of the BBAs 2024 where the competition ends. Once all the scores had been tallied these were the best-performing products. So which brand was best of the best? 
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06 June, 2024

Thoughts

Are your products being nerfed?
Brands exist as a signifier of quality. But what happens when products are quietly diluted or diminished? Beware the intervention that is nerfing, says Satan’s Whiskers’ Kevin Armstrong
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02 April, 2024

Thoughts

How to use data to run your bar better
Edmund Weil outlines some of the many ways in which data can provide invaluable insights into guest trends without being intrusive to their experience
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28 March, 2024

Thoughts

Are you a generalist or specialist? Jake O'Brien Murphy on drinks knowledge

Jake O'Brien Murphy worries that he doesn't know enough stuff about enough stuff – but he’s met plenty of those who do and generously share their expertise.
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26 April, 2024

Thoughts

How to do brand trips better
Anna Sebastian says brand trips are about creating lasting memories and, whether you work for a brand or a bar, make sure they’re the right ones.
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08 April, 2024

Thoughts

The hospitable takeover - how to do guest shifts better
There are guest shifts and good guest shifts. Pajtim Tani Hasa from Lab 22 is our guide to takeovers done well.
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09 January, 2024
Matt Arnold

Thoughts

Matt Arnold on cocktail comps: It's the taking part that counts (no, really)
After his World Class GB win and narrowly missing out on the global crown in São Paulo, Passing Fancies’ Matt Arnold explains why comps are about more than glory.
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02 January, 2024

Thoughts

Jake O'Brien Murphy reviews online bar reviews
A surprisingly high majority of online product reviews are positive. Jake O'Brien Murphy carries out his own study to see if the same is true of hospitality scrutiny.
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02 January, 2024
Citrus, Monica Berg

Thoughts

Monica Berg's bar diary: 'Citrus is for flavour, not just acidity'
Winter means citrus, but don’t think of these fruits as just providers of acidity – use them for their flavour, says Monica Berg
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19 December, 2023

Thoughts

Ways to win in 2024

Even in what may seem the darkest hours, there are ways to boost trade and income. Edmund Weil offers some welcome advice.
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15 December, 2023

Thoughts

Edmund Weil on how to insure a bar - properly

Making an insurance claim is never a fun thing to have to do. Edmund Weil has first-hand knowledge of how best to deal with insurers.
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08 November, 2023

Thoughts

Jake O'Brien Murphy on making the bar industry great again
Jake O’Brien Murphy sets out his three-pronged manifesto for change.
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31 October, 2023

Thoughts

Monica Berg's bar diary: Autumn infusions
This autumn, Monica Berg’s thoughts have turned to infusions – using seasonal raspberries to illustrate.
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16 October, 2023

Thoughts

Why good hospitality is the subtle art of knowing when to break the rules
New CLASS columnist Kevin Armstrong unpicks what his bar Satan’s Whiskers excels at: flexible, nuanced service.
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12 October, 2023