Jon Taffer is a dissentious figure in the spirit diligence . The 61 - yr - older boniface of Spike TV’sBar Rescuemakes his animation helping ginmill owners bring through their failing businesses on TV and his popularity hinges on his ( expletive - rich ) personality and his stage business know - how ( which also tends to be expletive - rich ) . But while the show has been pop with viewers since its 2011 debut ( Season Five debuted on August 7 ) , the host has systematically come under flack from the bar community over what they view as blasphemous scene of barroom mores or , on occasion , straight-out incompetence .
In March , Taffer conducted an interview withThe Huffington Postin which he dilate on his belief that bartenders should never salute behind the bar and said thatmezcalwas made from the hallucinogenic drug mescaline ( it ’s not ) . In April , he appeared onThe Meredith Viera Show , where heincorrectlyshowed viewer how to make “ the perfect Manhattan , ” usingmuddled fruitand novermouth . ( Here ’s how it’sactually done . )
But much as it mightchafe his disparager , Taffer ’s reign as the on - gentle wind face of the bartending industry depict no sign of weakening . Indeed , Spike late ordered a pilot of a late - night talk show star him which will vent in October . We recently got the chance to visit with the man about the controversy and what comes next .
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This interview has been thinly edit for clarity .
Supercall : What was the industriousness blowback like afterThe Huffington Postinterview?Jon Taffer : I thought it was sort of queer to tell you the true statement . I was referring to an urban fable that tequila is hallucinogenic . And the question I was asked was , “ What alcoholic beverage do customers believe will make them the drunk ? ” So I was speaking to urban legend . Things do n’t always communicate exactly as they should .
scandium : Is it upsetting when bartender call you out in public?I love barman . I initiate in this business as a barkeep and they ’re the backbone of my residential area . But I ’m not a bartender anymore . I reckon at things as an owner . As an owner , I do not want people drinking while they work for me . If there are certain bartender that do n’t check , it ’s perfectly okay . God bless ‘ em ! But they ’re not going to work for me .
[ OnBar Rescue ] I demand that owners treat their bartenders and waitress with esteem and dignity . I ’ve worked really hard to gain the esteem of my industry and I think the bartending community of interests really really likes and respects me . I call back the rest of it is trivial B.S. to be honest with you . There ’s about 20 or 30 snobby barman in America , and it does n’t really devil me if they felt otherwise .
Palmetto State : What do you think you ’ve accomplished withBar Rescueafter 125 rescues?JT : When we started the show , its whole intention was to have an intelligent view of an manufacture that was n’t as respected as it should be . Every sequence ofBar Rescuehas takeaways that over multiple episodes teach the general populace that this is not such an comfortable business enterprise and that mixologists and bartenders should be respected . They ’re like chefs . I ’d also wish to think that after 125 episodes that maybe barroom operators are a little more clean and a little more aware and that consumers will call for more . IfBar Rescueaccomplished either of those things then it ’s been worthwhile .
SC : Why do you opine some of the saloon from the show have closed?JT : debar Rescuetracks at about a 75 percent success cistron . When you turn over that these owner have told you they ’re out of money , they ’re going to close in workweek , they ’re half a million in debt , they ’re living in their parents ’ basement — I’m starting in a deep jam . To achieve a 75 percent winner factor with operations that are raise failures , I am very lofty of that . So I have no issue recognize the 20 percentage or so that bomb .
Security Council : You ’re often compare to Kitchen Nightmares boniface Gordon Ramsay . What do you reckon of that comparison?JT : Gordon Ramsay ’s a chef . I ’m a businessman . His orientation course is the kitchen and food . My orientation is the business . I bring in a chef to work in the kitchen under my direction , I take in a mixologist to mold in the bar under my direction . I focus on the conception , on the front of the family , on the revenues , on the merchandising and emplacement . I search at it as a arrant business organization . If closing the kitchen is what makes sense for that business and place the chef home , I ’ll do it .
SC : How is your approaching late - nighttime talk - show with Spike TV going?JT : I ’m a pretty well - bleeped person , so the premise is that in a late - night show I can be a little more edgy . We ’re working to come up with a talk show that is n’t me sit at a desk with a electric chair — a different attack to have a piddling recent - dark edge , like a smashing bar . There ’s a good possible action that it will air afterBar Rescue , which will be great .
