Tony Conigliaro in conversation with long serving bartender, and general all-round, good guy, Adam Ennis

Tony: Somebody asked me the other day who I thought was a bartender's bartender or, as this person put it, a 'true bartender'. What they meant by this was a person who still works the bar most nights, makes great drinks, is a host from behind the bar, knows his product and, most importantly, is happy as hell to do so. Although a few names came to mind, one person, in my opinion, stood out. Over the past 15 years, Adam Ennis has more than put the hours in, and still does. He has always been well respected in the industry, although prefers anonymity. theme managed to track Ennis down, however, to spill the beans on his career to date.

Tony: Adam, what is the thing which has kept you in love with this industry for so long? What pushes you on every day and week?

Adam: To be perfectly honest with you, I really enjoy tending bar. With the emergence of so many new establishments, it is a real challenge to keep yourself in the higher echelons of the industry. My family and own personal goals are what keep me going day in and day out, and since becoming a father I definitely crave some stability in my working life. I, like a lot of bartenders before me, led quite a nomadic bar life, but that was before the arrival of my daughter Scarlett. I always took my job seriously, and still do, but I was able to work in a lot of amazing places by taking a few risks. I need that security now, and this instills some maturity in my decisions.

I do feel that the basic fundamentals of bartending are sadly lacking within our industry today. By this I don't mean we need more bar schools and academies, but we need people who want to be bartenders and not just mixologists! Now don't get me wrong, nothing gives me more pleasure than mixing a mean Manhattan, but I really enjoy the whole package that comes with bartending. In this day and age, the basic bartending qualities and skills should be the least we expect from our bartenders.

I didn't move into the "style bar" arena because it was fashionable or flavour of the month, but to improve my knowledge and understanding of drink, and thus broaden my horizons. I am not a big drinker, so I really did go back to school as such to learn about each spirit and what it brought to the table. The one thing I had on my side however was maturity. Not just old age, but the understanding that this was a job and not a pastime that I took up because I enjoyed drinking.

Tony: A lot of good people leave the bar to become consultants, many because they get mortgages or start families. You, on the other hand, seem to have been able to consolidate being a father, husband and bartender. How have you been able to do this?

Adam: I completely understand the whole move into consultancy and brand repping roles, it seems to be the next logical step for a lot of people in the industry. I think a definite attraction, aside from the hours, is a professional pay structure and all the benefits that normally come with a 'proper' job. Besides that, I think some of us can only survive on a few hours sleep for so long. I've had the opportunity to work with a lot of people who have moved into these fields and as much as it is a shame that they are no longer on the bar circuit, it works for them. It does get you thinking though. What if every bartender becomes a consultant? Who is going to tend bar? I do work extremely long hours; compared to some of the bars in the past, however, I do get to see my wife and daughter more than you would think. Obviously, no time is ever going to be enough. When I get in at six in the morning my baby is usually getting up. I spend some time with them before I go back to work and Sunday is definitely a family day. Don't get me wrong, it is very hard and sometimes I do crave some normality. I am lucky in that I have a very understanding wife who can usually be won over, now and then, with a shopping trip to the West End and a couple of Martinis! I owe her a trip soon, so if you fancy babysitting, it's £2.50 an hour...

Tony: A lot of bartenders talk about hitting a ceiling as regards to, say, pay or working hours. This seems like a waste of years of experience and knowledge, after all working in a bar is very different from just training or consulting. What do you think of that?

Adam: Pay-wise, you reach a plateau and then do bits on the side to raise your profile, which, in turn, gives you the opportunity to earn more money or to move into other areas of an establishment to up your income. Don't get me wrong, considering there are absolutely no qualifications needed and any five minute wonder can be found managing some very high profile bars, the salaries can be very generous indeed. It's just, where do you go from there. When you are a young man or woman (god, do I sound old) coming into this game, there really is nothing like it. But we all grow up and most will have a family, or will want to start one, and all of a sudden working six nights a week doesn't seem so attractive. So, yes, in that respect, it definitely is a young person's game. The flip side is that you need us old dogs with the experience to on-job train and lead the way. Now the good news is that I, for one, am not an old dog that can't learn new tricks. I am always open to new methods, recipes and procedures if they work. Too many times I see old school and new school clashing over different cultures. Drink and spirits in general have evolved and they always will. Let's follow its lead with open minds.

There is a big difference between working the bar and training or consulting, but we do need the key people who fulfil these roles. I just think you have to be very bloody good at it. When people like Dave Broom, Wayne Collins, David Paskins, and yourself, along with other luminaries, talk spirit and cocktails we all listen because there is a wealth of experience and passion. So no, I don't see it as a waste to lose some of these people.

Tony: What else would keep great bartenders tending bar? Is opening and owning their own bar a solution?

Adam: That's a tricky one. I think every bartender wants his/her own bar. I just don't think there are enough high streets. There aren't many bars with great heritage and most that we do have are either very stuffy or well past their sell by date. It's a sad fact that the shelf life is very short. Also if every new bar is a clone of what is two doors away, then what is the attraction in that? We all work the bar circuit and experience the same things in the same venues so walk away with similar experiences and ideas. We have to be careful as we work in a very exciting industry that is fast becoming saturated with mediocrity. Now for some reason, we all feel we can do a better job than the people we work for. Granted, most of us can probably mix a better drink than them, but we have to remember that these are the people who got off their asses, funded and took the risks to make it all happen.

A prime example is Oliver Peyton who really opened the box of tricks with the Atlantic and helped make the industry that we all work in what it is today. I, like most, hope to be that man one day. Until then, proper benefits, financial rewards and yearly trips to Kentucky would be a great start!