Dundee’s AJ McMenemy wins Bartender of the Month
DUNDEE’S Andrew McMenemy has won the SLTA’s first Bartender of the Month. Andrew – known as AJ – now goes on to compete for the Bartender of the Year title at the 2017 Scottish Bartenders Network awards to be held in October.
AJ, who is bar manager at the Jam Jar cocktail bar in Whitehall Crescent near Dundee’s waterfront, described being named Bartender of the Month as “a great surprise” and “completely unexpected”. The 34-year-old, who experienced his first taste of the hospitality industry working in an ice-cream restaurant in Largs when he was still at school, said the award would give staff and customers a boost as well as being a feather in his own cap.
“We’re a boutique cocktail with a really loyal following so something like this means a lot,” said AJ, a maths and physics graduate from Aberdeen University. “Everyone works hard and where we are near the waterfront is a really cool area now with Dundee itself becoming higher profile through all the regeneration that’s been going on and also with the V&A which will open in 2018.
AJ cut his licensed trade teeth working in bars in Aberdeen before settling in Dundee after being meeting Jam Jar owner Phil Donaldson. “Aberdeen has a great cocktail bar scene and it’s be good to be part of building Dundee’s reputation,” he said. “The Jam Jar is known for being quirky and a bit different from everywhere else. We’re quite a small bar and it’s all table service so people come for the friendly experience as well as the drinks – we’re always creating new cocktails so customers don’t get bored.”
The Jam Jar has a big following on Facebook which it uses to promote events and share its news with thousands of people – the page has over 10,500 “likes”. AJ himself is a fan of social media. Indeed, that is how he heard about the Bartender of the Month competition. “I actually nominated someone else after reading about it online.” He’s also keeps up to date with licensed trade news via the Dundee and Aberdeen Bartenders Clubs.
Like many bartenders AJ has aspirations to buy his own bar one day. “People used to say to me ‘when are you going to get a real job’ but it’s a great career with a lot of prospects if you’re prepared to work hard,” he points out. “It’s one of those trades where you’re always learning – it’s certainly never boring.”
The Bartender of the Month award – run in conjunction with the Scottish Bartenders Network which amalgamated with the SLTA in 2015, was launched to recognise the skills and professionalism of the many talented individuals who make the bar industry in Scotland a great place to work.
Nominations are invited from peers, colleagues, friends and customers with the winner invited to be interviewed to share their views on the industry and hopes for their future as well as receiving a bottle courtesy of our monthly sponsor to create a unique serve.