Interview With the Bartender: Jason Andrew

Bartending is the lowest rung of celebrity. It doesn't matter which bar you work at, be it a night club or a restaurant lounge, there's a bunch of people who want other people to know that you know them, and everyone, on some level, wishes that they had your job. It has a weird rock star sheen to it, maybe because we're the last legal pushers. As such, and because of the "good help is hard to find" maxim, it seems anyone with a minor celebrity jones and a little personality can get a job behind a bar in Vancouver, as long as they know about seven cocktail recipes and someone who already works there.

It used to be considered a career at one point in our urban evolution, not just an efficient way to get laid, one that you studied and apprenticed for. But the art of the publican is now pretty much dead, save for a few true believers that still understand that there's more to the job than just flipping bottles. Men and women that actually know how to make a proper old fashioned and don't callously over-shake their martinis, and who are always fun to talk to. So I thought I would, when I run into a good one, and interview people that have chosen to invest in bartending as a career. People like Jason Andrew, who has been holding court at the bar at Quattro on Fourth for 13 years.

1.) What does ordering the following drinks say about me?

a. A mojito: That I've swallowed too much toothpaste over the years and have acquired a serious taste for it.

b. A glass of pinot noir: I am a well rounded person, complex in character but subtle in nature.

c. A cosmopolitan: That I'm really asking...no, begging the bartender to recommend something else, like the Quattrini perhaps! No, I can't tell you what's in that, ma'am.

d. A Hendrick's martini with a twist, burnt with Jack Daniel's: It's probably best if I lie to my doctor about my alcohol consumption. (Interviewer's note: uh-oh.)

2.) When you sit down at a bar, how can you tell that you're dealing with a bartender who knows their shit?

Aside from the knowledge and skill-set, it's important for a bartender to immediately engage their customer. Comfortability with a professional energy is key! And let's try not to be overbearing.

3.) How has Vancouver changed its drinking habits in the last 5 years?

I think the art of drinking has changed, it's become a brand that the general public who regularly go out are willing to pay for, and at a premium price. But hey, it keeps us in business.

4.) Any words of wisdom for the kids just getting into the game?

Bartending will ultimately become your lifestyle.The nights will get longer and longer, the days shorter and shorter until you find yourself with a few comatose hours in the day wondering where your week went. So have a plan before it's too late.

5.) Fill in the blanks: Your responsibility to your guest starts with _____ and ends _____.

My responsibility to my guests starts with a good laugh and ends with an even better tip!

6.) What's the one item on your bar that you can't live without?

The one item on my bar I cant live without would be clamato juice, because when the show's over and I go back to my dressing room, daddy needs his caesar!

Quattro on Fourth
2611 W.4th Ave.
604.734.4444