Giorgio Negri, founder and director of RG Commerciale, has decades of experience in the field of bar and restaurant equipment. His professionalism prevents him from entering a venue without paying attention to details and details. Together with Giorgio Negri, owner of RG Commerciale, we try to understand how a bar owner should best manage his or her establishment. What details should we pay attention to? "First, the way in which the customer is greeted once he or she walks through the entrance turns out to be important. A nod of greeting and a smile are essential. Then the service offered is assessed: which glass was used for the aperitif, whether the 11:30 'crodino' was accompanied by a basket of appetizers, whether napkins are on hand next to the brioche. The list of details to observe is very long!" So what is the rule to follow? "The rule is that paradoxically there are no rules. One relies totally on the creativity and imagination of the bartender, but these alone are not enough. Professionalism and common sense play a main role in running a bar." What does professionalism mean? "It is what is difficult to find today. The professional is the one who is able to put you at ease, to make you feel at home. He is the one who knows what a cappuccino is and does not confuse it with a latte. He is the one who cares about his work and does the best he can to enhance it. The professional is the one who offers what people need, which is quality." Are we capable today of recognizing and appreciating quality? "Let's say that people today do not have a sense of measure of what they spend. For example, having lunch in a trattoria, where there are glasses labeled by an advertisement and plates all different, although it costs less than a restaurant dinner, where you find cloth napkins, glasses and plates all the same, it also has poorer service." What should a careful bartender do? "Be copncentrated on what he is doing as if he were to receive a Michelin star every day. Change the 'face' of the bar at least three times a day: breakfast, aperitif and evening. Comply with hygiene and cleanliness standards. Build a customer-friendly establishment: comfortable and welcoming. Wear a mask when necessary. The bartender and the newsagent are the first people we meet in the morning and they have the difficult "mission" of getting our work day off to the best possible start."
Giorgio Negri, founder and director of RG Commerciale, has decades of experience in the field of bar and restaurant equipment. His professionalism prevents him from entering a venue without paying attention to details and details. Together with Giorgio Negri, owner of RG Commerciale, we try to understand how a bar owner should best manage his or her establishment. What details should we pay attention to? "First, the way in which the customer is greeted once he or she walks through the entrance turns out to be important. A nod of greeting and a smile are essential. Then the service offered is assessed: which glass was used for the aperitif, whether the 11:30 'crodino' was accompanied by a basket of appetizers, whether napkins are on hand next to the brioche. The list of details to observe is very long!" So what is the rule to follow? "The rule is that paradoxically there are no rules. One relies totally on the creativity and imagination of the bartender, but these alone are not enough. Professionalism and common sense play a main role in running a bar." What does professionalism mean? "It is what is difficult to find today. The professional is the one who is able to put you at ease, to make you feel at home. He is the one who knows what a cappuccino is and does not confuse it with a latte. He is the one who cares about his work and does the best he can to enhance it. The professional is the one who offers what people need, which is quality." Are we capable today of recognizing and appreciating quality? "Let's say that people today do not have a sense of measure of what they spend. For example, having lunch in a trattoria, where there are glasses labeled by an advertisement and plates all different, although it costs less than a restaurant dinner, where you find cloth napkins, glasses and plates all the same, it also has poorer service." What should a careful bartender do? "Be copncentrated on what he is doing as if he were to receive a Michelin star every day. Change the 'face' of the bar at least three times a day: breakfast, aperitif and evening. Comply with hygiene and cleanliness standards. Build a customer-friendly establishment: comfortable and welcoming. Wear a mask when necessary. The bartender and the newsagent are the first people we meet in the morning and they have the difficult "mission" of getting our work day off to the best possible start."