Meet Nour Duru, Bartender at Clarion Hotel®. He loves to experiment with different drinks at the bar and often tries to lighten the mood amongst guests with his laughter. In his spare time, he likes to go boxing and has a dream of pitching a manuscript for Netflix series!
What’s your role and how did you end up at Strawberry?
I’m a bartender at one of the Clarion Hotel®. I’ve been there for about six months now, but I’ve never actually worked in a bar or a hotel before. I have experience of working in schools and restaurants, but I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to try something creative!
I think the main reason I got the job is because I’m very sociable and outgoing. I’m not afraid of making mistakes and I dare to speak up! I’ve been learning on the job and it’s gone pretty quickly even though I don’t have any formal training as a bartender. I’m also a bit of an amateur psychologist as I talk to the guests a lot and they tell me all sorts of things!
What does a typical job shift look like?
When I arrive, I generally open up the bar and make sure to refill all the bottles, prep the syrup and garnishes, and so on. Then I tend to go and chat to the kitchen staff and see if they need any help. Guests come at very different times depending on whether it’s a weekday or weekend. During rush hour, we double up and I get help from a colleague. Then I’ll take some orders and make sure the guests are alright. Sometimes I go to the reception for a chat. It’s fun to socialise! My shift ends when the bar closes.
Some days are pretty quiet, while others are full on!
“It’s important to feel comfortable enough to make mistakes. It’s a bit like you own the bar yourself!”
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to become a bartender?
Be brave and put yourself out there - be creative, taste the drinks and experiment! It’s important to ask the guests whether they have any preferences - otherwise just go ahead and try something. It’s important to feel comfortable enough to make mistakes. It’s a bit like you own the bar yourself! My other piece of advice is to dare to make situations fun. If you spill a drink or something, try to lighten the mood. The guests will generally react however you react. If you laugh, they will laugh with you!
What is the best thing about working at Strawberry?
You always have loads of colleagues at different parts of the hotel. It’s like a nice big family with different characters and cultures. I love to joke and tease around with the chef, it feels like he’s my uncle. I really thrive in environments like that, I love it!
I think it’s really obvious that everyone is service-minded and people can always help out, even if it’s not their department. It’s nice that we share the same responsibility - we focus on the guests! And we’re there for each other! You also get some great benefits and discounts when you’re employed at Strawberry.
Can you describe a typical Strawberry person?
Someone very flexible, warm and genuine. There’s no expectation to put up a facade - you can be yourself. You are just a genuinely service-minded person!
What do you like to do outside of work?
During my spare time I like to go boxing, I read a lot and I’m interested in science and research. I really see a connection between bartending and science - it’s wonderful! I also dream of writing books and manuscripts in the future. It would be incredible to pitch a script for a series to Netflix!
