Seeing as how this is a cocktail blog, I would be remiss if I didn’t take up some internet real estate to feature some of the bartenders around town who I feel are noteworthy. The first one I would like to turn to is Anna Pereda. Unfortunately we’ve lost her (hopefully temporarily) to Pappa’s Brothers Steakhouse in Dallas, but when I first met her she was diligently honing her craft under the guidance of John Cocke at 13 Pies. For the record, even though she endures the long commute to Dallas four times a week she insists on remaining a Fort Worth resident.
Her initial bartending experience came as a “trial by fire” while working at Bob’s Steak and Chop House. It was a TCU parents’ weekend and the head bartender was going to be out of town. She was able to receive some training in the weeks before, but I’m not sure that anything can prepare you for taking your first steps behind a bar in that situation. On a number of occasions I’ve heard bartenders recount such scenarios when speaking about their “first time,” and I’ve come to think that it really speaks to the character of a good bartender. It takes a certain amount of backbone and insanity to step into a high-pressure situation, quickly figure out that you’re in over your head, and forge through it. It’s even more staggering that so many of them experience this and come back asking for more.
One aspect that I appreciate most about Anna’s work behind the bar is that, while being able to make excellent drink, she values the service that she provides above all. Her idea of a victory behind the bar is a small converstation that let’s her guests know that she remembers them and is more than willing to go out of her way to make their experience great. Her regulars seem to appreciate their interaction with her as much as they do the product she provides.
As much sunshine as I’ve been blowing up Anna’s ass for the last three paragraphs, it’s always fun to point out that every bartender had a colossal fail at some point in the learning process. For her it came on a Friday night early into her tenure at 13 Pies. Anna was busy tending to her guests and the service well on a busy weekend when a ticket came in for a simple glass of wine. In a rush, she pulled a wine glass from the rack and went to set it on the back bar to fill it when the glass shattered sending crystalline shards sailing into the salad station that was situated just behind her. As a result, the already behind kitchen staff was forced to throw away all of the food in that station, thoroughly clean the station, re-prep all salad items, and restock the station. Because of that incident she was forced to spend the rest of the night serving increasingly impatient guests while her co-workers gave her a very special type of hard time that only can be dished out by an entire staff of stressed out restaurant employees. Those are the moments that we can all laugh about now, but I assure you that when they happen make you want to stick your head in the sand and never pull it out.
Anna Pereda has a great career ahead of her in this service industry. She is currently studying for her Level 1 Sommelier exam and considering the possibility of going into restaurant management at some point. Wherever she ends up (hopefully back in Fort Worth) I wish her the best and encourage everyone to enjoy her company from the other side of the bar at least once. You’ll thank me (and her). Anna gives a shout out to her Mom and Dad. “What’s up, Mom and Dad?”
