Bartenders

Anthony Pender

Type

Bartenders

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

It all started behind the bar in Maidstone at the ripe old age of 18, a dab of education, stint with a brewer and the rest is poetry…

WHERE DO YOU/HAVE YOU WORKED?

The best bunch of venues that go by the name of Yummy Pubs, and yes they are all Yummy. Cosy Kettle, in Somers Town Coffee House, Euston tops them all on cocktails.

FAVORITE BARS?

Aside from my own, I’m guilty of being a bar whore and trying to get round as many as possible to see new things, but it’s always great to have that little local pub that’s a second home.

FAVOURITE DRINK?

It’s got to be Cosy Kettle’s signature cocktail ‘The Battenberg’ (cake included) 2 treats in one!

Bad ass barman/rock n roll moment?

Once upon a time we couldn’t afford staff so I did an epic 8hr stint behind the bar with 300 punters! Busy day but great banter, I had guests serving themselves and other people, it was all part of the character of the place and we’ve kept an element of that to this day in our venues.

Ever done it on a bar?

No our bars are of the ‘rustic’ nature and you could get far too many splinters.

What's next for you?

Bringing more young people into this great industry through our Pub & Bar Careers initiative www.pubandbarcareers.com. You can start behind the bar and end up managing or running your own business at a young age, just like I have. It’s hard work but great fun and sets you up for everything life can throw at you.

Tell us a secret or something we don't know?

We are on the look out for young people to join the Pub & Bar Careers programme to kick start some more careers, we’ve even got a new venue in Yummy opening soon that is going to need some special ‘someone’s’ to make it our kind of venue.

If you were to make a barchick cocktail, what would you put in it?

Bring back the Coke Float with homemade Whisky infused ice cream and we might be onto something!

How do you like your Martini?

With friends in a big glass.

What did you want to be as a kid?

Superman but - directing pubs, eating cocktail flavoured popcorn and sipping a good Pinot Noir is better.