Who is Steve the Barman?!
- Steve the Barman
- Apr 8, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 27, 2023
YouTuber
Rum Cocktail Expert
1200+ Hen Party Cocktail Masterclasses and counting.
Proud Cornishman residing in South Cambridgeshire on the Essex Border. My Accent "Cornish Chav!"
How Can I help you?!
After spending 28 years Bartending, I absolutely love inspiring, sharing and passing on my knowledge to anyone who'll listen! These days you can call me an Edutainer!
I have 2 main outlets...
Firstly YouTube.
I am pretty much a full-time creator. I have 4 Channels of my own, 3 Rum focused and one highly secretive! Plus I produce regular Cocktail content for a few other channels too.
Secondly, my in person Cocktail Masterclasses.
I'm very well known for my Hen Parties, especially in East Anglia. With well over 1200 now under my belt. But you can also add in plenty of Birthdays, Corporate Events and Celebrities too.
I'll be honest, I was quite shy in my formative years. I would never get up to speak in front of a group of people. But it's fair to say I've well and truly found my Niche. I come to life in front a Video Camera, or in front of groups from 2-3 people, with my largest to date, 350+ people. So no matter the size of your group, no matter the occasion, I absolutely guarantee you a memorable Event!
Both YouTube and In Person Cocktail Masterclasses follow the same theme...
After spending a bit of time with me, I simply want you to come away with the ability to make Cocktails as good as any High Street Bartender and also have the knowledge and inspiration to turn a plain Mojito, into any flavour you desire! But most importantly...have a laugh while doing it!
How I got to where I am today
1995 - My First Ever Bar Shift at 18yo and 1 day!
1996 - Became a Manager for Greene King
1996 - Realised I REALLY didn't like Beer & Wine. Ooooooh, RUM!!!
1999 - Learned Cocktail and "Bartender Skills" in London on my Days off from my main Job
1999 - Got Christened as Steve the Barman (StB!)
It was even my Facebook name until they totally kicked me off in 2014 because "The" contravened their Rules.
2001 - Did my first ever "Event"
...wow, Yeah Event Bartending is very different to High Street Bartending.
2012 - Thirst First Ltd was Launched in October.
After 16 years of Running Pubs & Bars in Cambridge, Essex, Herts and London (Including a good Stint in Cambridge University), I quit the comfort of a Monthly Pay Cheque and Launched my own Business.
Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! I'll always be thankful to Mummy Barman, Dad (RIP) and the Ex-Wifey, Claire for the support, help and belief they showed in me.
2015 - January - Totally Niched in Smaller Events
I spent 2012 to January 2015 taking Weddings and Birthdays for anything up to 250 People. Even took a Corporate Gig for 600 people once. After 3.5 Years, realised I hated it.
I much preferred the Smaller, more intimate Events where I got a chance to Chat to Guests. Give me x25-30 over x150 EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!
2016 - Easter - Finally Found my "Why!"
Why am I doing what I'm doing?! During 2015 & 2016 I had done a hell of a lot of Cocktail Making Presentations at Business Networking Events...even up on stage at a Business Show at London ExCel "What the Billion Dollar Gin Industry can teach you about you and your business!". (by Hell of a lot, I lost count at 150ish in 2 years! - sometimes as many as 5 times a week!)
I always thought my "Why" was to simply help other people have fun.
Nope, my Business Coach spent 3 sessions Dragging it out of me!
Turns out my "Why" is Teaching and Educating. I love to help people Learn!
2015 - October - Started putting all my emphasis on Cocktail Making Classes & Teaching.
It was squeaky bum time, but all enquiries that were over 35 people were automatically declined and passed off to other companies. But it turns out, for me at least, there's actually waaaaay more profit in a Smaller Event as opposed to a Bigger Event!
2017 - March - Started taking my YouTube and Videos a bit more seriously
Regular Content being released! It's been a Stop-Start Video Journey, but in 2018 I'm rolling videos twice a week!
2018 - I'm now averaging 13 Hen Party Cocktail Masterclasses a Month
* Edit - July 2018, I've just completed 19 Hen Parties this month! NUTs. Have even got one booked for the Tuesday after Bank Holiday August. TUESDAY!!!! *
(And if you're doing the maths...yeah some Summer weekends were 2 a day, Friday, Saturday & Sunday!)
2020 - January
Well 2019 was a flippin busy Year. The Year of so many Repeat Clients rebooking me for Parties. My 1000th Hen Party. And the year I fully monetized my YouTube Channel! YouTube was now PAYING ME for Uploading Content!
2022
Well, after many, many...MANY...Online Zoom Cocktail Masterclasses over the past 2 years...we're talking 3 a day, 6 days a week at the busiest points...and MANY more YouTube Videos uploaded, life has settled into a new normal which I love. I don't think there'll be too many more Online Masterclasses in the future, but many Rum Brands are now reaching out to work with me for Content, So the Rum future is bright. Watch this space...
After "Retiring" from In person Events, I decided to go back to them in Autumn 2022. Not for the Money, but I REALLY missed the interaction! I love the banter and bouncing off an audience. However, I am a bit older. So 12 Events a Month is deffo not on the agenda these days! The most I'll take is 8 a month but looking to average 6 to at least give me a solid week off every month!
Of course, Every Blog post needs a Call to Action...
Watch me!
For my other Content, you'll have to really stalk...or have a VERY SPECIFIC "Problem" ;-)
Hire me!
If you're planning a Party...
Somewhere within a 60 min drive of Junction 10 of the M11 (South Cambridge)
Have between 5-25 people ready to Learn, Make and Drink some Cocktails
Then Slide into my DMs! After all, I am the UK's No1 Hen Party Cocktail Masterclass Expert*
Who I've worked with...
There are way too many people to mention here. I'm up to well over 1000 Clients now from the past 10 years. But the 2 Pictures below are a montage of some of my Private Clients and some of my Corporate Clients.
My Overall Event Stats...
(as of 31/12/2019 - Honestly, there's no point updating this anymore!)
1427 Events catered for since Launch in 2012.
Including MANY Zoom Masterclasses - Sometimes 3 a day! Who thought they'd be a thing in 2019?!
150,000+ Cocktails served, including 45,000+ Porn Star Martini’s. That’s 10,000+ Passion Fruits and over 3000 bottles of Vanilla Vodka... and the same in Passoa!
200kg of Mint and 5000+ Bottles of Havana 3yo Rum used for Mojitos.
Well over 60,000kg of Ice used to shake and serve Cocktails! That's 60+ Tonnes!
Cocktail Shakers dropped…4
Full Bottles Broken...3. I genuinely can't remember any more than that! Mind you one of those was Grenadine. Tip for Life....NEVER EVER drop a Bottle of Grenadine!
Weirdest Event Location…right next to a Gorilla in the Natural History Museum!
Largest Event...640 guests
Smallest Event...6 guests
Celebrities served...39. (I think) Rachel Riley, Thandie Newton, Amy Dowden, HRVY, Chelcee Grimes, Lewis Capaldi, Lorde, and Emma Spencer are by far my favvies. Lovely humans!
Royalty served...2...as in PROPER Royalty!
Late Night McDonald's, Burger Kings or KFCs…too many! What else is open at 1am! I am pleased to say that since 1st April 2018, i have been Fast Food Free!!!!
Friends made...LOADS.
(* Self Proclaimed... but I defy you to find better banter!)
