Different categories of staff work in any bar operation service. Each of these staff members has specific functions. Such staff include the bar person, still room staff, and buffet or counter staff.
The overall duty of all these staff members is to achieve a high level of profitability, please customers, and ensure proper adherence to the rules and regulations that govern a standard bar business operation.
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Categories and Functions of Bar Operation Staff
The categories of staff working in a bar include the bar person, still room staff, and buffet or counter staff. Their functions are outlined as follows:
Bar Person Responsibilities in Beverage Service
A bar person is tasked with the following functions:
- Wipe down all working surfaces.
- Ensure that all equipment is washed, dried, and stored in its correct place for future use.
- Wash, rinse, dry, and store all glassware correctly.
- Empty the bottle trolley and waste bin. Replace the bin liner in the waste bin.
- Place surplus orange/lemon slices on plates, cover with cling film, and store in the chilling unit or fridge.
- Sweep and mop the floor.
- Return the liqueur trolley to the bar.
- Drain the glass-washing machine.
- Turn off the chiller lights.
- Complete the control system.
- Replenish bar stock.
- Secure the bar.
- Check the area of responsibility with the head waiter/supervisor.
Still Room Staff Duties in Food and Beverage Preparation
It is the duty of the still room staff to:
- Ensure the correct storage of food items such as bread, butter, milk, teabags, and ground coffee.
- Wipe down all working surfaces.
- Clean and tidy the still room fridge and check its working temperature.
- Ensure that all equipment is left clean and stored in its correct place.
- Place leftover foods into clean containers and store correctly.
- Store all surplus accompaniments correctly in proprietary jars and wipe down their lids.
- Switch off applicable electrical appliances.
- Wipe down and stack all carrying trays correctly.
- Store all surplus teapots, coffee pots, etc., in the appropriate storage area.
- Check the area of responsibility with the head waiter/supervisor or the person taking over the area before leaving.
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Buffet or Counter Staff Responsibilities in Food Service
In a bar operation, buffet or counter staff must:
- Turn off the electricity supply to the hot-food and cold-food counters.
- Clear the hot-food and cold-food counters and return all leftover food to the kitchen.
- Turn off the power supply to the oven at the wall.
- Clear the oven of any remaining food.
- Write down on the daily sheet the number of portions of each type of regenerated food left over as waste. This exercise is essential for portion control monitoring and indicates the popularity or otherwise of any particular dish. Hand in the daily sheet to the supervisor, who will prepare a consumption sheet to show what was taken out and what is now left. This will be entered into the sales analysis book.
- Clean all service utensils, such as serving spoons, ladles, fish slices, knives, and trays used during the day in hot food preparation and service, and wipe them dry.
- Return all cleaned and dried service utensils to the appropriate storage place for the next day’s use.
- Check the stock of plates needed for the next day’s food service.
Overall Goals of Bar Operation Staff
The overall target of a bar person, still room staff, and buffet or counter staff in a bar operation is to achieve a high degree of profitability, ensure good patronage, and contribute to the success of the bar operation.
The bar person lists the bar and cocktail offerings, ranging from a basic standard list featuring common fruits such as cherries, vermouths, bitters, a solution of spirits with mixers, beers, and soft drinks, together with a limited range of cocktails, to a very comprehensive list offering a good choice in all areas.
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