Training Options

Our confidential consulting service will assist you in maintaining a fully operational business with the intent on making your daily operations easier for not only you, but your entire front of the house and back of the house employees as well. We offer a large range of restaurant/bar services where we come to you, train on site, bring all the necessary training equipment and present an overall pleasurable learning/training experience that will greatly improve employee morale, production and guest service. Our professionals each have over 20 years in the guest service industry and have been part of leading training organizations all over the east coast.

The front of the house is the most requested area of training, so that is typically where we concentrate our services. I’ve worked as an Owner, GM, AM, FOH manager and BOH Manager. I know it’s impossible to be in every position, train everyone and make sure things are running perfect all the time. Lets’ face it, the hours worked in the upper level positions are exhausting and close to perfection is expected whether you’re the owner, manager or bartender. Between new bar trainees, server trainees, training on P.O.S., on top of all the other responsibilities, there isn’t enough time in a week. Many owners & managers have been asking for other services Topshelf Bartenders offers. Not only do we offer overall “Front Of The House” consulting for start-up and existing businesses, but we also offer specialized training/consulting in the areas listed below. . They are broad topics and can certainly be narrowed and more directed to your particular business and/or areas of concern. Our services are by no means limited to the areas listed below. This is a general categorization of specialized services. If there is an area you would like more information on that is not listed below, please do not hesitate to ask.

• Front of the house organization & set-up
• Back of the house organization & set-up
• Guest Service/exceeding guest expectations
• Appearance/Cleanliness/Presentation
• Working with servers
• Working with barbacks
• Bar set-up & tear-down
• Cost analysis
• Competitive pricing analysis
• Product knowledge
• Theft prevention
• Spotting
• Alcohol inventory, ordering & control
• Beer (history/ingredients/terms/styles/taste)
• Wine (history/grapes/sparkling/taste/barrels/legs)
• Pouring (technique/proper pour)
• Pouring cost control/over pouring/proper pours
• Cocktail preparation
• Liquor (history/definitions/assortment/taste)
• Psychological & physiological effects of alcohol
• Stages of intoxication/BAC levels
• Problem drinkers
• Proper cut off techniques
• Dram shop/liquor law/legalities
• False identification prevention
• P.O.S. training

With the constant advances in social media and the guests using social media as a call for action regarding restaurant/bar service, every single restaurant and bar has to be at the top of their game. Offering a drink and a bite to eat isn’t enough. Exceeding the guests’ expectations every single time the door opens should be the standard for every establishment. Unfortunately that’s not the case. Websites like Yelp, Open Table and Facebook are the instrument for which guests use to be heard. Like any guest in this industry, they expect exceptional service, whether it’s a local hang out or 4 star dining. These websites can be detrimental to the continuing operation of an establishment when a bad guest experience is posted. Do yourself a favor and make sure your staff is trained professionally so this doesn’t happen. A good friend of mine, whom is a long time successful business owner, told me these very important words, “Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance”. In the guest service industry those words should be taken literally.

Typically when the word consulting is used, big money will follow it, so we like to call it “specialized training”. We are not in business to charge an outrageous amount of money to have us come in and train. We are in business to offer specialized services to improve your business and witness your financial success. We want every single place we're a part of to have financial success. We realize that many establishments that use our services are a start-up business and there is not a lot of expendable income. We take that into consideration when pricing. I firmly believe you will not find this kind of hands-on training anywhere on the east coast that can compare to our pricing. We can structure a training regimen around your budget. Like I said, we want to be a part of your success!