Bartender Appreciation Day holds the purpose of enticing customers to recognise and appreciate the fantastic service their favourite bartenders provide. From popping bottles of champagne and mixing cocktails to listening, joking and being a person to confide in, we think our bar staff at The View from The Shard deserve recognition every day. Bartender Appreciation Day originated in America with the aim of spreading recognition for bartenders worldwide. Over the years, the role of a bartender has evolved to so much more than just mixing drinks. They offer a kind of quiet support to troubled, frustrated customers and making them feel like someone really does care about their struggles.
For this day, we interviewed our Food and Beverage Manager, Isart Zamora who has worked at The View from The Shard for over 4 years. He delved into tales of his time working behinds bars and the challenges bartenders and the hospitality industry as a whole faced during 2020.
Isart’s main goal whilst working is ensuring his team are supported and have fun. He expresses his love for his fellow colleagues, claiming at The View from The Shard it is like one big family so it is easy to go into work with a positive mindset. Interacting and engaging with the customers is a massive plus within Isart’s working day, he enjoys showcasing the best views in London and sharing interesting facts about each historical monument. The most important thing to The View from The Shard is the positive cheery attitude of our colleagues. Our staff can always be taught work skills, but their attitude is key to being successful in the hospitality industry. Isart believes smiles, positivity and teamwork are the most important values for being a successful bartender. Within The View from The Shard, our bar staff are not simply people who prepare drinks, they are our brand ambassadors and have a responsibility to ensure our customers have the most beautiful experience at the highest viewing gallery in western Europe. They need to be proud of being a part of such an iconic and unique venue.
The cocktail menu at The View from The Shard is extremely diverse and filled with tasty options, so asking Isart to chose his favourite one was impossible – instead we asked him which was his favourite to make. To which he responded ‘Above The Clouds’ due to its uniqueness and how it reflects the venue, the highest bar in the UK. Sometimes, we are above the clouds and it feels as though we are in heaven. Isart’s favourite seasonal drink is the ‘Belvedere Hazelnut Martini’. This is one of our signature seasonal cocktails with the flavour bringing up nostalgic feelings of winter. Finally, in true 2020 fashion Isart recommended an easy cocktail recipe that everyone can recreate in the comforts of their own home. This is called “The Shard Negroni”:
1. Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass: 25ml Strawberry Infused Campari, 25ml St Germain and 25ml Pink Gin.
2. Stir and shake it!
3. Strain into a rock glass with ice.
4. Garnish with strawberry and lemon peel and enjoy! Tag us in your creations @shardview with the #ShardAtHome
2020 has been a challenging year for everyone but it has particularly hit the hospitality industry. It was very shocking to see our beloved venue close for 4 months. Isart reflects on this time discussing the sadness he experienced with missing the incredible view and his team. However, the fun did not stop for the team and they had online zoom calls to catch up as well as online pub quizzes and virtual card games. He reminisces on his favourite day this year being when he received a call from his manager that they were reopening the attraction on the 1st August. There were many challenges overcome in 2020, Isart claims the team at The View from The Shard overcame this by remaining optimistic and ensuring we could continue to safely serve our customers and continue to deliver a luxury experience. The View from The Shard have introduced various COVID-19 safety measures to ensure this, including additional sitting areas, our new app to ensure contactless ordering and payment of drinks and food, and of course all staff wearing masks and following the government guidelines at all time. Isart reflects saying it has been challenging with the constant changes but it is so important to everyone at The View from The Shard that everyone remains safe and receives the best experience possible.
Looking ahead at the future and 2021, Isart remains optimistic and hopeful. He hopes we will be able to entertain with our champagne parties again and provide the best views in London. He truly believes next year will be the year of growth where we can expand our offerings and deliver the best experience ever.
We’d like to thank Isart for his time and thank our lovely bar team for all the work they do every day. The View from The Shard would not be the same without each and every one of you. Happy #BartenderAppreciationDay, show some love to your bar staff today (from a social distance of course!) 😊
In Memory of Vadim Sirghii, who sadly passed away in June 2020. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and everyone who worked with him at The View from The Shard.