Doamnelor si domnilor, stimati colegi, dragi prieteni, vi-l prezint pe......

Gary Regan

Salutare !

M-am gandit sa mai schimb putin dinamica postarilor cu care v-am obisnuit, asa ca din cand in cand voi mai adauga cate un interviu luat diferitelor persoane din industria noastra. De data aceasta s-a nimerit a fi Gary Regan. Apropo, stie cineva cine este Gary Regan? Daca nu, va invit sa il cunoasteti in randurile urmatoare...

Nascut pe 18 Septembrie 1951 la Lancashire, Anglia, Gary Regan a intrat de mic in industria barului. De la varsta de 14 ani cand a inceput sa lucreze pentru prima oara turnand beri pentru clientii fideli ai localului tatalui sau, "Horse and Jockey" si pana in ziua de azi, si-a format imaginea unui  personaj neobosit si omniprezent in ceea ce inseamna bartending-ul modern.

Retras de ceva vreme din spatele barului, grija sa principala a fost sa transmita un mesaj corect tinerilor barmani care vin cu pasi repezi in urma sa. Asadar, incepand din 1991 pana acum a publicat nu mai mult de 12 carti, toate abordand lumea barului. De la "The Bartender's Bible" (prima sa carte) si "The Joy of Mixology" pana la "Annual Manual for Bartenders" si "The Negroni - A Gaz Regan Notion" (ultima aparuta) cartile sale sunt pline de intelepciune, umor si multa energie pozitiva.

Pe langa cartile sale, Gary "gaz" Regan publica si un newsletter on-line care ajunge la aproximativ 10 000 de barmani si consumatori. Deasemenea sustine si " Worldwide Bartender Database ", o comunitate online formata din aproximativ 3000 de membri, 80% din ei fiind din Statele Unite, unde Gary Regan posteaza anunturi despre job-uri, concursuri, festivaluri si seminarii.

Colaboreaza cu publicatii ca "The Malt Advocate", "Nation's Restaurant News", "Cheers Magazine", "The Wine Enthusiast" si "The San Francisco Chronicle" unde are o rubrica intitulata "The Cocktailian" unde abordeaza diferite aspecte ale bartending-ului.
Lucrarile sale au aparut in reviste si ziare in aproape toata lumea, in tari ca Mozambique, Namibia, Africa de Sud, China, Mauritius etc... (te cam pune pe ganduri, avand in vedere ca in "presa" scrisa din Romania nu a aparut nimic de genul acesta).

Este fondatorul "The Institute for Mindful Bartending" impreuna cu Dushan Zaric si Aisha Sharpe, un proiect ce vizeaza partea spirituala a acestui job. A condus numeroase prezentari si workshop-uri pe subiectul acesta in Paris, Dubai, Beirut, Moscova si Statele Unite. Acest subiect, deosebit de important pentru el, este abordat si pe blogul sau ori in cartile sale "The Annual Manual for Bartenders", motto-ul sau fiind: "Bartenders can change the world" (Barmanii pot schimba lumea) . Interesant, nu ? :)

In timpul sau "liber" colaboreaza regulat cu cele mai mari companii din lume de bauturi spirtoase cum ar fi: Diageo, Pernod-Ricard, Heaven Hill, etc. dar si cu alti producatori si promotori din toata lumea. In cadrul acestor colaborari, tine seminarii, workshop-uri si jurizeaza competitii internationale de barmani, printre care si "World Class Reserve" (poate una dintre ele mai mari competitii pentru barmani).

A fost cooptat in pozitia de conducere in 2011 si 2012 in ceea ce inseamna "Bar Smarts Graduates Program",  un program amblu in ceea ce priveste dezvoltarea bartending-ului pe toate segmentele. Este considerat a fi cel mai complex ghid pentru barmani din lume deoarece implica seminarii, training-uri, workshop-uri etc. a celor mai titrati oameni din domeniu. Nume ca Dale Degroff, Robert Hess, Kathy Casey se numara printre cei care le conduc alaturi de Gary Regan.

Desi este mereu super ocupat si traieste pe alt fus orar, totusi am reusit sa dau de el si a fost de acord sa imi acorde un mic interviu. Pentru a-i pastra integritatea, nu il voi traduce. Cine nu intelege, folositi google translate. :) 

1. We all know Gary Regan from various books, video clips, websites, trainings etc. but we know very little about Gaz Regan, the man. Can you tell us something about yourself that is not bar related? 

When I’m not leading my bar life I like to read spiritual books, I studied with a shaman for 20 months and use shamanic rituals in my spiritual practices.  Oh, and I LOVE women! J

2. How did you start in the bar industry and what is keeping you here ?

I was brought up in the pub business in the UK and I’ve never wanted to work in any other industry.  We serve others, and have a damned good time doing it.  What could be better?

3. What makes you so passionate about this trade ? 

I love to communicate, to start a conversation, and to hear what others have to say.

4.  We know that you are one busy man writing books, judging competitions, doing seminars etc...From all of this bartending interaction what do you treasure the most ?

When I work behind the bar at the Dead Rabbit, NYC (6 shifts per year!)

5. When are you doing seminars, what do you focus on? What is the first thing that a bartender must know ? What is the most important aspect of this trade ?

 
Service, service, service.  The job is all about being of service and communication.  Learn how to talk to people, AND how to listen to people.

6. We've all heard a lot of things (mainly rubbish) about bar trends. What will be next, what will be after etc etc.. I will not ask you about this but instead I want to ask your what do you think about bartending worldwide? Where is it heading to ? 

I’m overjoyed about where 21st-century bartenders have taken our craft, and I see it getting better and better all the time. There will be mistakes, but that doesn’t matter.  What matters is to keep trying to further our craft.

7. If tomorow you will run out of ink, what would you do for the rest of your life? 

Read, watch movies, meditate.

8.  We are almost at the finnish line. We know you wrote at least a dozen of papers  & books about the Martini but there is not too much written about your  personal preference. Can can you tell us how do you drink your Martini ? What is your favourite way of sipping this marvelous drink ? Who knows, maybe you would pop up in our bar one day.
 

Ice cold.  Straight up.  One olive.  Not too dry. A dash of orange bitters

9. In the end, is there something that you would like to share with the bartenders from Romania ? When we will see you here mixing some finger-stirred Negronis ?

I’d love to get there soon, but in the meantime I’d like to tell Romanian bartenders that their job is a very important job.  By making people happy, bartenders can change the world.



Ce ziceti de ultima lui propozitie ?  Interesant, nu ?



Cam atat pentru moment, va mai astept si cu alta ocazie ! :))

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