Welcome to our series Bar Mavericks where we get up close and personal with some of the industry’s shining stars responsible for the ongoing transformation of the bar scene across Asia.
Join Chris Marshall as he goes in for a no-holds-barred discussion with Rusty Cerven, Beverage Manager at the Fairmont Singapore & Swissôtel The Stamford​​​​​​​
Rusty, in an earlier career you had a desk job. What inspired you to join the hospitality industry?
As a student, my field of study was Marketing Communications. Straight after my diploma I started to work in the same field. However, sitting in an office behind a computer all days long, I started to realize something was missing, some purpose.
A friend who was working as a bartender in a small cocktail bar in Slovakia was always sharing stories of his work with me, how he enjoyed his time serving customers and mixing drinks. So, I thought, I’d jump in and give it a go. That was probably the best decision I’ve ever made.
I quickly realized it wasn’t only about mixing drinks for customers. I felt a huge sense of achievement making people happy, celebrating with them on special occasions, cheering them up when they were down and most importantly, creating a connection, a unique bond with regular guests, who became friends and followed you from bar to bar throughout your career
Working in hospitality constantly pushes you out of your comfort zone. The industry is endlessly changing and there is always something new to learn. You need to know your product, every single item of food and beverage. You become skilled in social interaction and in mastering etiquette and manners, to become a better person.
It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. The F&B community is one of the most inter-connected communities on the planet. People working globally in bars and restaurants know each other, either in person or by reputation. It brings me great joy and happiness to see the F&B culture developing far and wide across Asia. The F&B community share their experiences, their achievements, and their challenges.
What are the essential qualities to be successful in F&B, in your opinion?
No matter what role you play in hospitality, guest satisfaction is the most important aspect of working in F&B. Guests don’t come into our venues just for food or to drink. Guests look for an experience, to unwind and to socialize. It’s in our DNA to gather.
Experience depends on a combination of elements. Mind-blowing design, friendliness of staff, excellent service, high quality products, entertaining music, to enhance the theme and atmosphere. All these elements must work together like clockwork.
To be at the top of your game, you must be honest with your offer and be prepared to exceed the guest’s expectation on every visit, no matter how many times he or she returns.
What are your most noteworthy achievements to date?
When I started to work in the hospitality industry, I was lucky enough to work with like-minded people and thanks to my first mentor, I hungered for success through personal achievement and service excellence.
I have always challenged myself. As soon as I reach a certain goal, it is time to set up a new one. I moved out of my comfort zone when I moved from Slovakia to London to work at The Connaught Bar. In my time there we received several awards including winning an international cocktail competition, which was a great team achievement, but I was already setting my next goal.
To be part of opening The Gibson Bar in London must be noted as a career highlight. Within seven months of opening we were awarded sixth position in World’s 50 Best Bars. My career has led me from Europe, to the UK, USA, Mexico and now Asia. Nowadays, my most noteworthy achievement is the ability to share my knowledge and develop beverage programs for various hotels in the Accor Group, either here in Singapore or in other parts of Asia.
​​​​​​​Chris Marshall is a well-known cocktail aficionado on the Singapore and Southeast Asia bar scene, and partner at Distilled LLP, an independent, Singapore-based brand development agency representing spirit brands both locally and regionally.
