A couple of months ago, back in March, we had the pleasure of talking to Iain McPherson.
Iain is running three bars in Edinburgh: Panda & Sons, Nauticus, and Hoot the Redeemer. This April, he launched the Edinburgh Bar Show. Also, he is one of the most innovative people in the bar industry. With a background in ice-cream, he is focusing on freezing techniques and has invented techniques like Sous-pression and Switching just to name a few. Iain has just won the Altos Bartender´s Bartender of the Year award at 50 Best Bars where his bar Panda & Sons was positioned on number 30.
Iain is running three bars in Edinburgh: Panda & Sons, Nauticus, and Hoot the Redeemer. This April, he launched the Edinburgh Bar Show. Also, he is one of the most innovative people in the bar industry. With a background in ice-cream, he is focusing on freezing techniques and has invented techniques like Sous-pression and Switching just to name a few. Iain has just won the Altos Bartender´s Bartender of the Year award at 50 Best Bars where his bar Panda & Sons was positioned on number 30.
Besides that, Iain is traveling around one third of the year and represents his bars on many bar-shows around the globe.
We sat down with him and had a chat about his work, traveling and how to cope with the workload, (mental) stress and alcohol in the bar industry.
This is a transcription of our Interview.
This is a transcription of our Interview.
What I sometimes do is just order a cheeky soda and lime. We should probably be more open about it but sometimes you have to be a little sneaky.
Iain Mcpherson
Iain's Story
Last year I was on average working six days, this year it's basically 7. With that having said, I do generally love all the stuff I do.
But then this year I've taken on, on top of the things I already do, The Schweppes Advocacy, Head of Advocacy for Education, and Edinburgh Bar-Show. I work hard but I also try and work smart. I'm obsessed with how to be more efficient, quicker, faster, and make more use of my time. But I'm pretty much at maximum capacity now.
I do really try my best to keep on top of exercise. It sounds very cliche, but it's super important to try and hit the ball and go to the gym or running, this really helps me. I'm also trying to eat as healthy as I can.
I'm drinking this hot chocolate and mushroom blend which is super healthy. It has lots of cocoa, mushrooms, different roots, and all sorts of other stuff (laughs). It's a great blend and helps me focus, helps with my anxiety and no caffeine crash. Also, I'm always trying to get my 7 to 8 hours of sleep. And I'm trying to avoid drinking when I don't need to, so when I'm at home I really try not to drink.
Sometimes during these trips it’s really hard. Of course, at these events everybody’s drinking quite a lot of alcohol. Sometimes they start for lunch already and at the end of the night everybody’s doing shots. I'm slowly getting better at this and try to be consistent with not drinking any shots at all. That helps a lot. What I sometimes do is just order a cheeky soda and lime. We should probably be more open about it but sometimes you have to be a little sneaky. I always take my vitamins with me on these trips and take them before going to bed, which helps as well.
I'm drinking this hot chocolate and mushroom blend which is super healthy. It has lots of cocoa, mushrooms, different roots, and all sorts of other stuff (laughs). It's a great blend and helps me focus, helps with my anxiety and no caffeine crash. Also, I'm always trying to get my 7 to 8 hours of sleep. And I'm trying to avoid drinking when I don't need to, so when I'm at home I really try not to drink.
Sometimes during these trips it’s really hard. Of course, at these events everybody’s drinking quite a lot of alcohol. Sometimes they start for lunch already and at the end of the night everybody’s doing shots. I'm slowly getting better at this and try to be consistent with not drinking any shots at all. That helps a lot. What I sometimes do is just order a cheeky soda and lime. We should probably be more open about it but sometimes you have to be a little sneaky. I always take my vitamins with me on these trips and take them before going to bed, which helps as well.
I think bartenders, we don't value ourselves properly
iain mcpherson
When you're self-employed, you just do more, whenever there's an opportunity because you try to grow your brand. I have to say, I cannot do more than I do right now, because it’s too much. I just feel there's going to be this massive boiling point, where it's gonna all come crashing down.
Sometimes I feel like no matter how hard I worked I literally was sinking. I felt like “when is this mountain going to stop?” Every time I finished one task, two new tasks were added!
I think bartenders, we don't value ourselves properly. For a long time I'd do so much free stuff for brands and it felt awkward the first few times saying no. Sometimes brands still invite me to events to represent their brands but don’t pay me for that.
When I’m away from the bar, somebody else needs to cover me and that costs money. So, we’re being a bit more firm on not doing that much free work anymore, as it takes away from your free time as well.
When I’m away from the bar, somebody else needs to cover me and that costs money. So, we’re being a bit more firm on not doing that much free work anymore, as it takes away from your free time as well.
Don’t get me wrong, guest shifts are amazing, I’ve met so many great people doing trips. But I don’t want the 'Panda' brand just to be me.
Iain mcpherson
This year I was on the road for around 120 days. That’s a lot, in fact, that’s too much. Don’t get me wrong, guest shifts are amazing, I’ve met so many great people doing trips. But I don’t want the 'Panda' brand just to be me.
I want to give the opportunity to the team as well as they’re amazing and they are the ones actually working at the bar day in, day out. Sometimes it’s hard because brands specifically want me but these guys and girls know the bar better than me and they’re great. So, I'm starting to get their profiles out more.
I want to give the opportunity to the team as well as they’re amazing and they are the ones actually working at the bar day in, day out. Sometimes it’s hard because brands specifically want me but these guys and girls know the bar better than me and they’re great. So, I'm starting to get their profiles out more.
I love working on planes. It's the best way at the moment. So, you can feel focused and nobody’s asking for anything. This March, that was the first time this year that I was just on top of everything. For five months, I've just been nonstop battling to get on top of things.
You know, it's obviously stressful when people set deadlines for you. And then there's always five different guest shifts at the same time and everyone asks for the recipes for these events, the brands, the logistics…
You know, it's obviously stressful when people set deadlines for you. And then there's always five different guest shifts at the same time and everyone asks for the recipes for these events, the brands, the logistics…
I'm a bit of a workaholic but for our team we have a four day week and try to cap the weekly hours to 45. Also, we really try to give them the three days off together, or if not, definitely two of the days. This works really well for the team. We also make this cocoa blend that I was talking about, available for the team, and vitamins and we always make sure they eat well.
So, we're always trying to help as much as we can. I'm trying to lead by example, show them how to exercise, but yeah, it's hard.
I realise now that I'm proud of what I've done but I can't keep that up. So, I need to work out a way of making it better for myself moving forward. I can do all the exercise, eat a great diet, but if you’re always working seven days a week…It's not a life for anyone!