Perspectives

Season 1

Why do we go to bars?

Cover for Chapter One - Why do we go to bars?
Chapter 1 - Why do we go to bars?
The value of bars Through a cultural lens – we start by briefly exploring why we gather together to drink – from a socio-anthropological perspective – and the value this adds to our lives, in all sorts of ways.
Cover for Chapter Two - Ensuring Inclusivity
Chapter 2 - Ensuring inclusivity
The different reasons why people go to bars and why bars add cultural value to our lives. How do you get inside customers’ heads – creating empathy, connection, and representation?
Cover for Chapter Three - Culture, Your Bar
Chapter 3 - Your culture, your bar
How do you create empathy and perspective, as a bartender? We learn about the importance of ‘understanding your audience’.

Rather than asking “why do we need bars?” The question really is, “why do we drink?” The answer seems simple, right? Not quite so simple once we look at the reasons people go to bars. Speaking to leading global bartenders and industry experts, who are ripping up the ‘rulebook’ and doing things differently, this theme explores the origins of bar culture, the ways it has evolved (depending on your outlook) and the role of bartenders: how it can be done differently, by broadening your perspective to create memorable experiences for your customers.

Contributors

Further Reading

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Article

9 things we learned at Tales of the Cocktail 2023 

As another year of TOTC flies by, we look back at some of the front-seat experiences we had at the week’s seminars. Here are 9 of the best things we learned along the way

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How Aki Wang is leading Taiwan's bartending community

One of the Asia’s bartending greats, Aki Wang, founder of Indulge Life Hospitality Group, is consistently advocating for Taiwan’s bar industry to push its limits. He shares his insight and experience on what local culture could provide to the international bartending arena In 2007, Aki Wang had just won one of the biggest cocktail competitions […]

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David Wondrich reviews his own books

The award-winning author and drinks historian, David Wondrich, takes a look back at his renowned writing back-catalogue. From 'Killer Cocktails' to 'The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails', he gives us the inside track on how they came to be

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Article

Drink like a local: Bangkok with Supawit 'Palm' Muttarattana

Vibrant and stimulating yet also peaceful and calm – Bangkok is full of contrasts. We went exploring the Thai capital with renowned bar veteran Supawit ‘Palm’ Muttarattana, now group bar director for Watermelon Group

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Article

Drink like a local: Singapore with Jess ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson

Vibrant, eclectic and full of contrasts: Singapore is unique blend of high-end cocktail bars and high-energy dive bars. Our guide Jess Hutchinson shows us both

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Article

Drink like a local: Taipei with Angus Zou

Hiking, surfing, street food and tea: Taipei has it all. We walked around town with bar entrepreneur Angus Zou, to discover the secrets of Taiwan’s capital city

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