EPISODE · Jan 27, 2026 · 1H 2M
#64 Chris Tunstall: From Cleaning Restaurants To A Bar Above
from Serves You Right · host Andrew Roy
Most bartenders are prioritize a few things: speed, charm, and hustle. Almost none learn systems, margins, or leverage. That is why so many talented people burn out, stall, or leave the industry broken. This episode dismantles the idea that bartending is a dead end. Chris Tunstall breaks down how structure beats talent, why most bar programs leak profit through invisible gaps (and visible jiggers), and how the same methods used to build great cocktails can build great careers. If your current approach feels reactive, exhausting, or capped, this conversation contains the corrective insight you did not know you needed.And if you’re an budding mixologist or avid amateur drink builder, check out A Bar Aboves equipment and courses. You will not be sorry.Expect to learnWhy most bartenders underestimate how much their tools distort drink quality and profitHow to think about cocktail ingredients in a more in depth wayHow cocktail structure mirrors decision making under pressureThe hidden leverage inside distributor portfolios and vendor relationshipsWhy non-alcoholic cocktails are becoming a serious profit centerHow to transition from bartender thinking to operator thinking without burning outLinks:A Bar Above courses and barware Instagram @abaraboveService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
What this episode covers
Most bartenders are prioritize a few things: speed, charm, and hustle. Almost none learn systems, margins, or leverage. That is why so many talented people burn out, stall, or leave the industry broken. This episode dismantles the idea that bartending is a dead end. Chris Tunstall breaks down how structure beats talent, why most bar programs leak profit through invisible gaps (and visible jiggers), and how the same methods used to build great cocktails can build great careers. If your current approach feels reactive, exhausting, or capped, this conversation contains the corrective insight you did not know you needed.And if you’re an budding mixologist or avid amateur drink builder, check out A Bar Aboves equipment and courses. You will not be sorry.Expect to learnWhy most bartenders underestimate how much their tools distort drink quality and profitHow to think about cocktail ingredients in a more in depth wayHow cocktail structure mirrors decision making under pressureThe hidden leverage inside distributor portfolios and vendor relationshipsWhy non-alcoholic cocktails are becoming a serious profit centerHow to transition from bartender thinking to operator thinking without burning outLinks:A Bar Above courses and barware Instagram @abaraboveService starts now.Follow the show: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTubeI talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. Check out the Podcast Website Here and get in touch with me!Classic Episodes You May Like:#22:Doug Frost MW MS#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler#31:ET: Entrepreneur (and creator of Surfer on Acid)#38:Aaron Goldfarb Hunting for Ancient Booze#39:Edward Slingerland's Masterful work on Intoxication#46:Andrew Hurley of Vegas.WineAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#64 Chris Tunstall: From Cleaning Restaurants To A Bar Above
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