“Be Chicago”

Someone once told me that the sheer quantity of knowledgeable bartenders that Chicago holds is on par with London, San Francisco and New York; Chicago just downplays it.

Is this why cities smaller than ours hold “Cocktail Week” and are being recognized for their innovative cocktails and bar culture?
Our humility is what sets us apart, but it is also our achilles heel.

I believe we can show the world what we have to offer without a boastful attitude or any off-putting pretention; we can show it by just being us.

As Bridget says, “Be you. Be Chicago.”

So who are we and what sets us apart?

We are Chicago: the only city in the world that offers an Advanced Academy class and as far as I can tell, one of the few city whose focus is not on itself or how good it looks in the spotlight but on how it can build and educate those around it.

We’ve spent so much time educating ourselves that sometimes I think we don’t know what to do with all of that knowledge. After all, we know full well that if a guest wants a beer then she wants a beer and it’s not our place to tell her that what she really needs is a digestif. Either way, that’s just not us and besides, we all know we love our beer.

Still, we face a dilemma: we want our patrons and our coworkers to know as much about spirits as we do but we haven’t figured out a way to strike a balance of informing (i’m talking large scale) without sounding pretentious.

Telling a coworker to squeeze fresh limes rather than use pre-made syrup is an offense to their ego. They know how to do their job; they’ve been doing it this way for the last ten years and their guests have been just fine.
And yet, we know deep down that it’s not about judging an individual bartender (after all, we were once them), it’s about standing firm in our beliefs of quality. We ALL know how much more enjoyable Mezcal is when you can see the entire process or how disturbingly unnatural pre-made sweeteners and syrups can be when you know how to make them fresh.

I believe we can transform Chicago bars from the inside out. Rather than begin by telling just our patrons about spirits, let’s start telling our fellow bartenders. Let’s let them in on our little secret to happiness behind the bar; caring about the bar.

The Chicago (unassuming) part of me was reluctant to share The Fresh Pledge with coworkers because it felt odd and random to share a pledge in the middle of bar-opening. I reminded myself that the bar was beyond myself and that if I really cared about opening up people’s eyes to a whole new way of appreciating their bar, then I would have to start looking at the big picture. I would have to stop telling them how to store certain items or serve others; it was futile if they couldn’t understand why it was important.

So here’s the Fresh Pledge because this is what it means to be Chicago. This is what we are working towards.

THE FRESH PLEDGE
By Natalia Cardenas

I pledge to have a fresh attitude:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou

The experience of the bar is not about me, it is about the guest. I pledge to challenge myself to re-direct the little voice in my head that urges me to
think more about myself than the people in front of me.
The busier the bar, the harder it gets…but I like challenges so
bring it!

I pledge to have fresh ingredients:
No one actually wants corn syrup, blue 1, sodium benzoate
or any other synthetic preservative in their drink; Fresh just tastes better!
I pledge to remember that every time I’m pressured
to take the easy route in bar set-up.

I pledge to have fresh skills:
I pledge to seek out and attend seminars, tastings and classes
whenever possible.
If friends are the spice of life and knowledge is power,
then I’ve got it all at my fingertips with Chicago!

I pledge to have fresh tools:
I pledge to speak up for the bar. To speak up for my fellow bartenders.
To never allow the bar to wane by playing second fiddle to
a busy kitchen.
We are a kitchen. I pledge to have clean, sharp tools
and to educate my peers on their importance.
No stitches mid-shift!

And finally,
I pledge to have a fresh memory:
I pledge to remember that most people don’t know what’s in their drink,
and that people still drink pre-made cocktails in plastic bottles. I pledge to remember that there are still bartenders that steal, overcharge and pour well spirits when asked for top shelf. That most people don’t know the difference between 51% Agave and 100%. And That most people don’t know how to taste spirits but that we can help change all that.
I pledge to remember that we, Chicago bartenders, are lucky to live
in such a great city and can make a difference in the bar world.

I pledge to always remember what I’ve learned in this course.

I believe in Chicago.
I believe Chicago can transform our industry with
a movement, a pledge

And that is why I am..

and pledge to always be

Chicago!