Pre-Event Preparation and Setup
Conduct a Pre-Event Bar Walkthrough
Pre-event preparation and setup involve conducting a walkthrough. A walkthrough is a viewing or physical tour of a given site or facility. A service professional team conducts a walkthrough prior to an event. The bar captain performs a bar walkthrough to determine and/or assess built-in and temporary bars locations.
Best Practices for Conducting a Bar Walkthrough
1.Before the Walkthrough
Bring all necessary documentation (e.g., BEOs, floor plans, Beverage Inventory Sheet).
2.During the Walkthrough
Walk through the relevant area, visualizing the event flow (through different service types, service areas, and the transitions between them). In this, identify:
The location of the BOH and FOH facilities and equipment
The location of BOH and FOH entry points and exit points
Potential location(s) for temporary bars (if applicable)
Location and storage of beverages, spirits, wine and walk-in refrigeration.
In finalizing the location of the temporary bars (if applicable), ensure
All safety regulations and protocols are in place (revisit CAPT 1000 if necessary)
There is clear access to pathways, walkways, and stairways
There are clear paths between the BOH, FOH, and other areas
There is clear access to BOH and FOH facilities and equipment for the culinary team and the service professional team
The bar is accessible to guests (if applicable)
The bar setup has designated areas for inventory, equipment, and sanitation
If necessary, communicate with stakeholders. The bar captain should become familiar with communicating with stakeholders to gain proper knowledge of the beverage offerings. Common stakeholders include:
Clients and/or event coordinators: Clients and/or event coordinators occasionally hand-select beverage offerings for a particular purpose and expect these to be offered at specific times during the event
Sommeliers: Sommeliers select and serve wines, often providing expertise on pairings and tastings. Given this, the bar captain should:
Understand the wine list (include names, vintages, and varietals)
Be prepared to answer general questions about the wine offerings
Ensure the wine is properly stocked at the bar(s)
Brand Ambassadors: Brand ambassadors represent particular alcohol brands and beverage offerings. Given this, the bar captain should:
Understand the beverage list, recepies and ingredients. messaging, and promotional goals
Ensure proper presentation of featured products
Support promotional activities or special cocktail offerings
During the walkthrough, the bar captain should ensure they have a clear sense of the expectations of stakeholders in terms of knowledge of beverage offerings and inventory, messaging and promotional goals, design and display expectations, and/or special activities and cocktail offerings.
3.After the Walkthrough
After completing the walkthrough, update any necessary documentation (if applicable) and use the rental list and a beverage inventory sheet to begin to review, verify, and organize equipment and inventory.