Maksim Vishnivetskiy is an international bartender and holds great skills in mixology and flaring. He is the head bartender at 12 Monkey, a famous cocktail bar in Ukraine. Apart from being a bartender, he also runs his own Youtube and TikTok channel where he educates people about bartending, provides training sessions and posts videos of his exciting journeys.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you begin your career and how did you progress into this role?

I have been working at the bar for 5 years. I started with nightclubs and now I work in mixology bars, do Flairing and perform at International Bar competitions.

What questions would you ask the bar owner before you plan your sales growth strategy?

Are you ready to invest and develop your project?

How can suppliers work with you to drive sales?

By introducing new cocktails with the supplier's product and increasing the sales of the supplier's products.

Give us an example of a profitable bar menu program with examples of names and why you have them.

Premium alcohol cocktails, Quality and of course Taste. If the bartender is a professional he will sell anything and in any quantity.

What are the four main things you focus on daily in your role?

1. Development

2. Honesty

3. Creativity

3. Upsell

4 ways to upsell drinks at the bar.

1. Suggest replacing ingredients with more premium ones.

2. Recommend something to eat with the drink

3. Tell a story about drinks so that the guest is willing to try something new

4. Recommend a signature cocktail from the menu

Tips on training new bartenders.

Be interested in the process at the bar, don’t be afraid to try new things, listen to senior bartenders, attend master classes, read lethargy and be restrained at the bar along with being tolerant.

What are the cocktails trending in your country? 

Whiskey Sour, Boulevarde, Negroni and Margarita.

Define a good bartender.

Someone who knows how to sell, is not boring, is honest, works beautifully and efficiently, is punctual and creative.

Maksim Vishnivetskiy, Source: Facebook

How do you manage non-performing brands?

We arrange an advertisement or a promotion and we try to find out more about the product in order to sell it.

How can you increase your beverage sales with the selection you already have?

By coming up with new and delicious cocktails and learning the history of each brand.

What else do you look for in a brand before saying yes apart from quality, value, and package?

Will it be popular in my country?  Will it be in demand?  Will bartenders be able to upsell this product?

Give us an example of a common problem in the bar business and how you handle it.

If you do not continue to grow and learn, then you stand still.  If you do not advertise yourself or your brand, then you stand still.  If you do not invest and do not work on yourself or your project, then you stand still.

Your favorite places to enjoy drinks

The Fitz Bar.

Interview By Prithvi Nagpal, Editor & Sommelier, Beverage Trade Network