The Canadian Mike McLean is Director of the FBA and as a Certified Master Judge jury member at many flair competitions. He is furthermore Director of Marketing and Sales of Flairco.
Why are you coming to
the Bar Convent Berlin
and what do you expect from it?
I am coming to the Bar Covent Berlin as a representative for the Flair Bartenders’ Association (FBA). I will be involved with the Flair Camp area of the show, interacting with flair bartenders and other show attendees to talk flair. I will also act as a judge for the Mixology Flair Team Award.
How do you like your job as Director of the FBA and what are your main tasks there?
I truly enjoy my position with the FBA as it allows me to interact with bartenders all over the world. I am heavily involved in the competition aspect of flair bartending as an FBA Certified Master Judge and organizer of many smaller competitions specifically designed for up and coming competitive flair bartender.
One of my priorities with the FBA is the spread of information about flair bartending and bartenders, both within the hospitality industry and to the general public or media.
Can you quickly explain us where the FBA is heading and what we can expect from the association in the future?
The FBA recently introduced two different levels of memberships, a free basic membership and a premium membership. We have added in many new Ambassadors and Representatives to try and help spread the word about flair bartending and the FBA.
Our goal is to reinforce the FBA’s reputation as the best source for information on flair bartending, no matter the nationality, dreams or challenges of an interested bartender. We also plan to build on our role as the governing body for the sport of flair bartending with an expansion of the FBA Pro Tour.
Which flairbartender has impressed you the most lately?
After having seen as much flair as I have, there are different things that impress me than you might think. Foremost, I’m impressed when a bartender steps on a competition stage for the first time and presents a routine that they have likely been practicing for months. The courage and determination that it takes to step on stage that first time is always impressive, no matter the skill level.
Naturally, I’m also impressed with the top names in the sport, like Rodrigo Delpech for his incredible difficulty and mindset, Danilo Oribe for his showmanship and technical execution, Dario Doimo for his unique style and personality and of course, Tomek Malek, winner of the 2008 Nations Flair Challenge in Las Vegas.
In which bars can we find the best flairbartending in Europe?
Unfortunately, my time spent actually in bars watching flair bartenders in Europe has been quite limited. I normally only see the bartenders on a competition stage, not working at the bar. However, I would enjoy the opportunity to watch Mike “Sushi” Dotzer work at his bar in Munich.
Mike, thanks a lot for answering our questions!
BCB speakers portraits:
Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown
Jonathan Ulrich
Jonathan Ulrich beschäftigt sich seit Langem mit Wirtschaftsthemen, die in der Bar in die Praxis umgesetzt werden können. Nach einer längeren Tätigkeit für Maker’s Mark, hat er mit seinem Partner Stefan Hinz 2011 eine Beratungsagentur für die Spirituosenindustrie gegründet.
