Do you need a license to bartend in Los Angeles?

There is no doubt that bartending can be a very fun and engaging profession. Some places in the world require that bartenders have a license to provide their services. With that said, the majority of the areas don’t have this requirement.

Although today is not a 100% necessary requirement in some states and countries. The bartending certificate is a necessity in some areas, but not widely implemented worldwide.

Bartenders do need a license in some states, but not in most. Many work providing Bartender services for events, others prefer to work as a permanent bartender in a bar, restaurant or lounge. However, all of them need to meet certain requirements that the job description has. Also with certain requirements and skills that they cannot do without.

No matter what type of bartender you want to be, if you want to dedicate yourself to working in a bar all the time.

 Or on the contrary if you want to be part of a team of Event bartenders in Los Angeles, you will always have to have all these requirements and characteristics to perform your job properly.

Characteristics of a bartender in terms of skills

The bartender must comply not only with certain requirements and even with a license to be able to carry out their work. Also, there is a clear description of their position and what in most cases they must have to become an excellent bartender.

Part of the descriptions that appear in the bartender position are: 

Have skills to prepare cocktails and drinks. 

Must be able to create new drinks and cocktails and know perfectly the recipes of the most popular backwards and forwards. 

Especially cocktail classics, but courtesy is always important, as well as having good communication with clients or guests. 

The latter is super important if you want to be part of the best bartending services in Los Angeles.

In addition, the bartender must be able to answer questions from customers. To know well what their preferences are. Especially if they are frequent customers of the bar. They must also recommend some drinks and cocktails from the menu, as well as food or snacks, and must serve all customers in an agile and efficient way.

Certain skills that are needed in bartending

It does not matter if you are going to work as a bartender for parties. Or if you are going to work in a restaurant or lounge. You must always be creative. Keep all the equipment and implements you work with. This is essential in order and without missing anything. In addition, he or she must be in charge of cleaning the bar. But also all the instruments they need to work.

Since we talking a little about the characteristics that you look for in a bartender. We can start talking about what you need to have and your requirements. That is if you want to be a bartender in the city of LA. Many companies provide services for Event bartenders in Los Angeles. Events where they hire a large number of bartenders to attend various events or parties in LA.

However, what requirements do you need to be a bartender in Los Angeles? Do you need a bartender license to work in Los Angeles? Well, we can start by saying that, in California, there are no state regulations. None that require that anyone who works as a bartender needs a license to bartender. Sometime someplace will require a bartending certificate.

Bartending in Los Angeles

If you are a bartender in Los Angeles, and you want to work providing bartender services for events. You can do it without a license, however, regardless of all these state regulations. Some of the people who hire bartenders to work with them, require that they complete a course. Also known as a bartender training program that may include these elements:

• An alcohol service program, which in many cases is strongly recommended.
• You must also take LEAD, which is the Licensee Education program on alcohol and drugs.

In the case of the program known as LED, it is a course that lasts and hours. It is available to be taken in person or, failing that, it can be taken online. On the other hand, if you want to be competitive. In addition, to be part of the best bartending services in Los Angeles, the other course is bartending. 

Although, as much as the other, this course is not mandatory. This course is an excellent option for learning all the basic elements that every bartender must know to perform their job well.

On the other hand, this course can also be taken online which is an advantage. The longest it will take to complete it is 4 hours. If you want to learn on your own initiative, or, on the other hand, you want to be more competitive. 

Then taking these courses is an excellent option. It should be noted that these courses apply to all types of bartenders. From those who work as bartenders for parties. With an event company or individually, everyone can take them and apply them in their work.

Some important details to know as a bartender in Los Angeles are the following:

• The minimum age that you must have to be able to serve any type of alcoholic beverage in the State of California is 18 years of age, this to be able to be a waiter in a Restaurant.
• You must be 21 to work in a bar, specifically.
• In addition, other requirements that are necessary to be able to exercise are: Have a current driver’s license, basic knowledge about the various drink recipes, the most common and those that are not, in addition their communication skills are appropriate, and, above all, have basic knowledge about customer service. 

There are other important aspects that must be taken into account. This is important to practice the profession of bartending. Whether being part of event bartenders in Los Angeles or working in a private way. Being a bartender is a profession, and it requires many skills. Also, precisely because bartending has been perfected, it is necessary that they also know the responsibilities that every bartender has.

Some of the responsibilities that every bartender who wants to be part of the best bartending services in Los Angeles must have are the following:

1. Plan menus not only for drinks, but also for food, but also, you must keep customers informed if there are new drinks or promotions that they can enjoy.
2. Maintain a clear inventory of all the beverages and spirits you have. Order more supplies to ensure they are well stocked. 
3. It must comply with all safety and food quality regulations. Any bartender who lives in Los Angeles, and who works as a bartender in companies that provide bartender services for events or any other position they perform, must know these quality standards.
4. Welcome customers in a courteous manner, serve them with a smile. Pay attention to their needs in order to know their preferences. Provide them with the drinks or drinks of their choice; on the other hand, if the customer does not know what he wants, the bartender should give them recommendations from the menu so that they can try other drinks. Many companies that have bartender services for events train their bartenders to know all these skills and put them into practice.
5. Make a selection of ingredients, as well as mix them. Also, to serve the drinks and if necessary have skills to decorate the glasses if the drink or cocktail requires it.
6. Always ask for the identification of each customer who approaches the bar. In order to be 100% sure that they are old enough to drink. This is a requirement that applies both when working in a bar, as well as if you work as a bartender for a party.
7. Keep the entire work area neat and clean, eliminating garbage, any residual water. Same goes for any other liquid that may have fallen on the floor. Anything that may generate some type of accident. In addition, you must clean the tables, equipment, utensils or glasses and goblets.
8. Have proper handling of the transactions carried out during their shift, whether by credit card, due or in cash. Thus ensuring that the charges made to customers are appropriate and if the payment was in cash. Handle exact changes well, thus balancing the cash register and the money it contains.

Some other common requirements

Other requirements that on many occasions must be met in order to be a bartender. Depending on which city you work in and if you want to be part of the best bartending services in Los Angeles are the following:

• In most cases, a high school diploma is required.
• Your personality should be positive, but also your personal appearance should be impeccable.
• Must be available all the time, to work strenuous working hours, during the day sometimes (at events), nights and mainly on weekends.
• It may also require a certain degree of education, but also additional experiences, certificates, training and qualifications.
• You must meet the state minimum age to be able to serve alcohol.
• If you work for companies that provide event bartenders in Los Angeles or you work individually. You have to have strong task management and time management skills.
• Must have basic knowledge not only of mathematics, but also of computer science.
• Must have an optimal physical condition, since bartending work is very dynamic because during the course of his shift, the bartender must walk a lot, stand for hours, bend over, and lift heavy things, among others.
• In addition to the license and other requirements, the bartender has other skills and abilities that are necessary. Not only if they work as a bartender in a bar every night or if he is a bartender for a party. Or works in private events, all the above requirements and these skills are very important:

• The main functions are: Prepare drinks and cocktails and serve them to customers, as well as serve food. Also mix and garnish alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails, and sometimes create new recipes for cocktails.
• They must be in charge of basic tasks even sometimes, some tasks a little more complex. In addition, they must have strong interpersonal skills and must also be detailed, observers, among other things. 

If you want to work as a bartender in any bar, restaurant, lounge or in an event or private party. It is important that you know all requirements that are necessary in the state of California. Therefore in the city of Los Angeles. It is extremely important to meet these requirements. To possess the skills and abilities necessary to be a successful bartender in a city as competitive as LA. 

Questions and answers

Conclusion

The bartending certificate is very useful for many reasons in some areas, but it is not required in many others. With that said, it is always a good idea to find out if you need it in any particular location.