A FILM about a flamboyant barman inspired a teenager to take up the trade and rise through the ranks from clearing tables to eventually running his own watering hole.
Tom Cruise’s fancy tricks while mixing drinks in the movie Cocktail made such an impression on Karl that he became a glass collector, or busboy, at the age of 17.
Now 33, he said: “I started at Club Boulevard in Ealing and worked there from 1994 to 1997.
“I was inspired by the film Cocktail,the flaring (doing tricks) with the bqtties looked really cool and I like the club and bar environment, I thought ‘yeah, I want to do that’.”
Despite a break in his career, doing a range of other jobs, Karl has a total of 12 years of experience in the industry and is an expert in mixing drinks.
When his cousin asked him to run The Avenue cocktail bar, on The Avenue, West Ealing, he jumped at the chance.
He has now been the manager for three months and loves the job.
He added: “We’ve got a good atmosphere here. In a lot of bars you get a lot of youngsters who cause trouble but we don’t let anyone in under 21.
“I love the area because I know a lot of people who come to see me when they know I’m working here, and it helps that it’s only five minutes from my home.
“I love meeting people and mixing drinks. For example sometimes people come in and say ‘surprise me with a cocktail’ and something will just come into my head and I’ll make something different. It’s all about making people feel good.
> The Bar
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