As the bar operations manager for Cactus Club, Sam Zavari’s job is multi-faceted. A large portion of his time is spent as a trainer. He says, “whenever a new restaurant is launched, I help prepare the bar staff and ensure that standards are being met. I train all servers in dealing with the bar, especially when serving wine, and we discuss the history of the cocktails.”
Sam is enthusiastic about training servers. “The best trainers don’t just lecture, but also offer the how and the why. I always explain to those I’m training the reasons why I do something.” He emphasizes that he provides trainees with stories behind products in order to give them new meaning. He says, “I love to revisit restaurants after three or four months, and hear servers recounting stories to customers that I told them during training. It’s great to watch staff develop.”
Additionally, Sam reviews costs and trends within the bar industry, and is involved with seeking and developing new drinks and products.
Sam highlights that many within the hospitality industry do not initially anticipate generating a career from it: “So many people see working in a restaurant as just a job. But it can absolutely be a career. I stayed at Cactus Club because they invest in their employees and encourage them to move up in the company.”
When Sam first started in the hospitality industry himself, he never guessed it would lead to a career. He had always wanted to work behind the scenes in film, and had studied film in Toronto before moving to Vancouver in 2000.
That same year, he started working at Cactus Club as an expediter – a liaison between the kitchen and floor staff who checks the quality of prepared plates. After working for Cactus Club for two years, Sam came to a crossroad: “I knew I had to make a decision, either to pursue film or to stay at Cactus Club, and I had never really considered the restaurant industry before.”
However, he witnessed so many people advance within the company that he decided to stay.
That same year, Sam was made a bartender. And by 2005, he was promoted to his current position of bar operators manager.Along with staff development, Sam also enjoys observing the products that he has selected, as they grow. “Getting a product on the menu, seeing it at 70 per cent of the tables [in the restaurant], and then noticing customers enjoying it is so satisfying,” he says.
The most significant challenge that comes with a trainer or bar operations manager position is ensuring consistency within the company’s many restaurants. “There are 19 restaurants that I work with,” Sam says, “and of course, I’m only one person. In my job, I have to uphold the same standards in each of these.” In order to combat the fast pace and the fact that many restaurants demand his attention at the same time, Sam has become skilled in multitasking and prioritizing (two skills that he says are necessary for anyone in the hospitality industry). Despite these challenges, Sam notes that, “It’s easy to stay motivated when I’m meeting new people and learning every day.”
If you are interested in a career in hospitality, Sam recommends working your way up in the company, just as he did.
“Everything I learned about bartending came from hands-on experience I gained while on the job,” he explains. “I could never have learned that in a classroom. Bartending experience was essential for learning about drink production and customer service.” For those interested in becoming a trainer, he advises, “Remember to explain purposes and stories behind products to trainees. You want to arm your trainees with the tools to flourish.”
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