Seasoned bartender on raising the 'bar'

MANILA, Philippines - Here is a guy who is raising the bar, literally and figuratively.

In 2000, Benjie Lavarias suddenly found himself at a crossroad. He knew he wanted to be somebody but was not sure which direction to take next.

He started working in a bar along Tomas Morato, the place to party in Quezon City. To make ends meet, he worked as a helper and eventually trained to be a bartender for the company. “Most of my bartending knowledge I acquired when I worked in that bar,” relates Benjie, an Architecture graduate. He traded his sketchpads and markers to cocktail shakers and wine openers — and he never looked back since. He knew then he found a different calling.

But Benjie, already an experienced bartender that time, had bigger dreams for himself and his family. He decided to seek greener pastures and had to work in Qatar for a while. When he got back to Manila, Benjie, together with his bartender friends, decided to put up a business based on the mobile bar concept in the United Kingdom. “It was an exciting concept because here is a mobile beverage service that caters to every guest’s preference,” he explains. A lot of people would agree that one of the keys to a great party is to quench the thirst of the party guests. And why not do it in a unique and stylish way? “Through the years, the mobile bar concept has significantly become popular. I personally believe that there are a few key ingredients that create the perfect gathering — good people, good food, good music and great drinks!” quips Benjie.

Soon enough, more and more events are requiring the services of a mobile bar. Benjie, who’s already found his passion in the bar scene, once again found himself at a crossroad. A tempting offer to work abroad was too hard to resist. But he decided to stay — and it proved to be a good decision.

Last year, he made the big move to put up his own business and named it “Bartenders at Work.” It specializes in supplying mobile bars, professional bartenders, flair bartenders and bar attendants for any event. Benjie says they can accommodate intimate cocktail parties of 10 guests to a corporate gathering of 1,500 guests. “Bartenders at Work Mobile Bar is based on the belief that our customers’ needs are of utmost importance. It is our goal to take the chore out of throwing a party and allow you to truly enjoy yourself. The last thing you want to be doing is opening wine, filling glasses and making drinks for your guests,” he explains. “That’s where our expertise comes in. We will assist you in creating a drink menu, mixing up the drinks and serving them to your guests. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs.” Benjie proudly informs that a high percentage of the business is from repeat customers and referrals from previous clients. In fact, Benjie and his team have already provided mobile bar services to big corporate events and highly publicized celebrity weddings in the recent months. (In fact, he is a favorite supplier of one the country’s most popular wedding coordinators.)

Benjie furthers that Bartenders at Work offers packages that suit any event — whether it be weddings, birthdays or debuts, and corporate. As owner and operations manager of the business, Benjie acknowledges the three key ingredients to his success as an entrepreneur: perseverance, hard work and the power of the Internet. “Perseverance and hard work are given in any endeavor. When I was starting out, I used the power of the Internet in disseminating information. It proved to be an effective marketing strategy as most people book my mobile bar services after they saw my business profile online.”

Bartenders at work

Not someone to rest on his laurels, Benjie continues to improve on his chosen field. In fact, when you see the 32-year-old entrepreneur dropping by at clubs and bars in the metropolis, he is not there to party. Rather, he is there to observe the drinking behaviors of partygoers. He even notes that a moderate Filipino drinker can only consume up to six shots of drinks. “Beyond that, I believe he or she is already a heavy drinker,” he informs.

Having his own business has greatly helped Benjie in providing for the needs of his wife and two kids. More importantly, he did not need to leave them again to work abroad. With only over a year of operation, he claims that he is already setting his eye on his first million very soon.

“When you’re someone who rose from the ranks, you are more likely to appreciate the value of hard work,” Benjie concludes. “This is a business I am really proud of. Bartenders at Work is focused in providing high quality professional bartending service and outstanding customer satisfaction. We will do everything we can not only to meet your high expectation but even exceed them!”

(For more information, contact 0923-8368947 or e-mail [email protected])