My Journey Through and Beyond

Introduction to Hospitality
When I first arrived in America, my family would take me to quaint food service places. Places where charismatic Americans would come over to serve us at the table. No matter what tier of food service, if we ate out at all, it was a rarity, but if we were served at the table, for us, this was fine dining.

Early Impressions of Dining
Perhaps it is because I was a pre-teen just arriving in this fancy brightly lit New York City from a farm town in the West Indies, but the servers who would come to our table seemed to me like movie stars wielding their fancy American accents and bustling around with such precision. Interestingly enough, being a server in the ’80s, it was assumed that the life’s ambition was in the arts. This was because schedules at that time accommodated auditions and outside passions.

A Career in Hospitality Begins
My fascination and feeling of home in a restaurant’s dining room must have formed subconsciously around this time because subsequently, even as a student at a highly acclaimed engineering school, namely Brooklyn Technical High School, when asked by advisors about a career, I boldly stated that I wanted to become a waitress and that I wanted to travel mostly. And so, I pursued a career in hospitality.

Learning from Industry Leaders
My first big opportunity came when I worked as a daytime host at Vong for Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten. My station was unknowingly close to the kitchen, and I had the honor of seeing him almost daily. Next, I was given the opportunity to work for Amy Sacco, from whom I learned that a sole proprietor can exist in hospitality. Amy had a remarkable style of leadership that encouraged her front-of-house team to be self-possessed, transforming the vibration of the room. The ambiance she curated in her hospitality venues could only be attained by someone who had once ruled the dining room as a front-of-house player at Jean Georges’ restaurant, Vong.

The Path to Bartending
In my career progression, I held the title of manager before earning the title of bartender. The challenge was to learn the products. In true “fake it before you make it” form, I applied for a cocktail server position at a popular bar named Belmont Lounge, where the hiring manager asked if I could bartend. Drawing from the handful of times I had made easy cocktails as a manager helping staff “in the weeds,” I answered yes. The rest was history as I learned on the job and hid my unknowns.

Continuing the Journey in Hospitality
I became a DJ lastly after bartending and was a resident at places like the W Hotel and other noted venues in NYC. Now, I teach it. I love this work, and those who are drawn to it will mostly never leave. Even as a programmer, I have not turned away from hospitality. My first project was Barprentice, built as a self-hosted, private social network designed to host Barprentice series members, front-of-house experts, and guests. This is the product they will have the opportunity to purchase only if and after they purchase the three books. The work of hospitality is always required at any time in life.

Embracing the Bartending Profession
Ultimately, I found that I preferred the energy that rears from the bar space and would bartend for hospitality groups such as Ian Schrager, Standard, and sophisticated boutique spaces in Manhattan and Miami Beach. I loved this work, and it stands to reason that I absorbed every aspect of procedure, cause and effect, operations, culture, and news that arose from being present in such a vibrant space and pursuing a career in sales unlike any other.

The Value of Human Care in Service
Guaranteed sales and the opportunity to earn an endless amount of money for your services. And the best part was that it was all based in human care. The food was served to the guest with care and an intonation one must innately possess. And our pay was left to their discretion as a way to show their gratitude.

Dispelling Myths in the Hospitality Industry
Even when guests were dishonorable in their payment for service, it did not interrupt the flow of revenue and energy, which is unmatched in any other professional space. This secret has been unknown to many who have poorly reputed the worker named waiter as choiceless underachievers who serve food for a living. It is only recently that the secret is out, and many are aware that this line of work is energetically unmatched.

Supporting the Next Generation of Hospitality Professionals
And we take it seriously, which is why chefs around the world now have auxiliaries to support them on stage. Front of House (dining room) and Back of House (kitchen) are media darlings for today’s platforms, and competition is steep.

The Impact of the Barprentice Series
That is why I know that the Barprentice series will propel any ingratiated hospitality server to the best and most coveted teams in the United States. My name is Allison Coutain, and I am one of the people who will be answering your questions, crafting your resume, and guiding you to get your foot in the door of hospitality where you may advance a career beyond your wildest dreams. There are many success stories of restaurant partners, owners, managers who started as bussers, food runners, and yes, servers.

Educational Resources for Aspiring Hospitality Professionals
The Barprentice series is a collection of three books curated to present the essential hospitality products, services, and culture as is classic in the field of hotel restaurants, namely cosmopolitan venues that serve international guests. The series includes a textbook, a workbook, and a journal, each designed to immerse and engage the learner from a solid base of information. Together, they provide a comprehensive education in hospitality culture, ensuring that those who utilize these books will surpass most, if not all, of their contemporaries and will be recognized and guided through the ranks as they so choose. To Note: We decidedly created these books in print to keep in line with the live presence constantly required in the dining room. Hospitality is not online, it is pen and paper, tactile, and forever.