Ever wondered what it takes to open a bar, the training that’s involved and how to create a popular cocktail list? We asked Joe Sinagra, Bar Manager at KU DE TA – one of the biggest venue openings for Perth in 2017 and one of the original bars of Bali.

drinks bulletin: What has it been like in the lead up to the opening of KU DE TA?

Joe Sinagra: It’s been an exciting time to say the least. Over the last couple of months, we’ve been steadily moving towards getting the doors open. The KU DE TA family has expanded massively with our entire front of house staff now on board, having all gone through their intensive training. It’s a massive undertaking, but it’s great to be involved with owners who are committed to equipping the team as best they can to handle what we expect to be a very busy venue.

DB: You are training a big team to work the floor and bar. Tell us about the recruitment and training process? 

JS: Recruitment has been going on for a few months now and we’re really happy with the strong calibre of staff that we have.

The training program took several weeks to put together and has very much been a collaborative effort from the senior management team in Perth and Bali. The amount of experience between the senior managers is enormous and we’ve all worked very hard to ensure that the training we conduct is of the highest standard and brings to life KU DE TA’s ethos and service style.
Our front of house team went through an intensive two-week, full-time introductory training course before they even hit the floor for trial services. We will have on-going training to ensure that we are always pushing ourselves to raise the bar even higher. 

DB: How has it been dealing with so many suppliers and what have you learnt from this?

JS: I think now more than ever the value of building relationships with suppliers is evident. Over the last 16 years of working in the industry, I’ve developed some great relationships with suppliers and opening a venue of this scale can be quite time-consuming. To be able to call a supplier and have a short and direct conversation about what we need, how they can help and what we can offer them in return is a huge time saver. I don’t think I could be as frank and direct with many of the suppliers if I didn’t already have a great relationship with them. It takes time to get to that stage where you can both be honest and upfront and cut through a lot of the dancing around negotiations.

DB: For everyone looking to open a bar, what are three key things you can share with us?

JS: Firstly, have a very clear vision and find people who want to be part of that vision.

Secondly, get the right people involved early on. The right people can help set you up for success.

And finally, roll with the punches. Nothing will ever go to exact plan. Be flexible enough to deal with problems but committed to your original vision. It’ll be tough, but worth it!

DB: What is your golden rule for anyone working behind your bar? 

JS: Everything in its place. I drill the importance of maintaining the systems we develop for the bar’s layout into every team I work with. Keeping everything in its place allows the team to develop service patterns, stay neat and tidy and provide fast and efficient service. If you can free your mind from worrying about where to find something, you can better interact with guests.

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