BEER PROGRAM CONSULTATION
Because “Helles, Dunkles, und Pils” is not a menu.
Distinguish your restaurant or bar by offering a well-curated, dynamic, and seasonal beer program appropriate to your establishment. Craft beer has changed everything. There has never been a better or more exciting time in the world for beer and beer culture. People know this, and menus need to reflect it. Both casual and serious beer drinkers as well as discerning diners expect a modern, diverse, and well-chosen beer list.
I will utilize my more than twenty years of beer, restaurant, and bar experience in designing a program that fits your locale’s personality, clientele, and budget. I know breweries, beers, and gastronomy, and keep up on food and beer trends. I will work with you in creating menus you can be proud of and that people will notice, appreciate, and talk about.
STAFF TRAINING
Because a successful beer program demands quality service and knowledgeable staff.
Simply put, craft beer has raised the bar. People now demand more from their beer and expect more out of restaurant and bar service. A successful beer program is only as good as its representatives. Staff need to understand beer the same way they understand wine. They need to be able to discuss it, make pairing suggestions and serve it properly. You wouldn’t employ someone who knows nothing about food to sell your food. Beer shouldn’t be any different.
I will train your staff on all facets of proper beer service, and can educate at all levels, from beginner to advanced. From understanding what beer is and how it’s made to international beer styles to how to think about beer as part of gastronomy, your employees will learn about beer, beer culture, and its culinary roles. They will know more about it, know how to talk about it, and most importantly-know how to sell it.
SPIRITS / COCKTAILS / BEVERAGE PROGRAM CONSULTATION
Because every bar in Germany doesn’t have to be the same.
Like craft beer, craft spirits are better, more exciting, and more important than ever before. American cocktail culture has conquered the world, and patrons are increasingly informed, sophisticated and passionate, demanding better selection, better service, and creative and well-made drinks.
Unfortunately, most bars and restaurants in Germany stock the same liquors, liqueurs, vermouths, and amari. Cocktails, if they exist, are often simple, mediocre, and forgettable. The drinking experience is hardly ever elevated, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
I am a certified spirits professional with a craft cocktail background and over ten years of industry experience. I will work with you in designing a dynamic beverage program that matches your locale, clientele, and vision, setting you apart from the competition. I will teach your floor staff about spirits, cocktails, and cocktail culture. Bartenders will learn classic recipes, techniques, and the basics of recipe writing. Everyone will improve their game, be better in their job, and be able to sell more product.
BEER WORKSHOPS & TASTINGS
Because they’re fun.
And more and more corporations, event agencies, bars and restaurants, and breweries are getting in on them. Craft beer, and beer culture, if you haven’t heard, is big, and only getting bigger, making better drinkers out of all of us.
A workshop is a great way to begin or fast track an education, combining tasting, education, and exploration in fun and novel ways. Want to learn about beer from start to finish? Explore Germany’s varied beer regions? Discover beers from Belgium, the UK or the rest of the world? Understand classic beer styles or learn how to pair beer with food? Of course you do. A beer workshop is a great reward for a day or two of seminars, something everyone can look forward to.
I will bring twenty-plus years of experience in craft beer in designing an interesting, educational, and fun event for your company or agency. From entry-level to advanced, simple to sophisticated, we will design and plan a truly enjoyable experience that people will remember.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COPYWRITING & EDITING
Because for good or for ill, English is the global language.
As the world grows increasingly smaller and interdependent, English is more important than ever. More and more people are visiting Germany, and not many of them speak German. You need English-language versions of your menus and your website, plain and simple. But they need to be as good as the originals, and Google Translate can’t do it all.
For proper English you need a native English speaker and language professional with a culinary background, and that’s me. I was born in the US, and have also lived in the UK and Ireland. I’ve taught English as a Foreign Language in Asia and Europe, written freelance around the world, and have conceptualized, written, and edited dozens of menus and websites.
It is rare that I view an English language version of a German bar or restaurant website that is not fraught with errors. This is insulting to the customer, not to mention downright shameful in 2018. Unfortunately menus are always worse. Careless, error-filled translations are the rule, rather than exception. Don’t embarrass yourself or cheapen your brand-consult an expert.