Crave
Sara Samad

Beirut Bartender Series: Walid at Bedivere


The Bar: Bedivere, Jean D’Arc Street, Hamra
The Bartender: Walid, 30

Beirut.com: What is your favorite part about being a bartender?

Walid: It progresses fast. There are always new things to try; different ingredients you can mix to come up with a new drink, new bottles and different types of alcohol. Also, most of the time, you get to see the positive side of people. They come to you on their time off to have a good time. They’re in a good mood, looking to have fun, and maintaining that good mood on your part is very easy.

Beirut.com: What is your least favorite part of the job?

Walid: The timing. It’s like you’re walking on your hands. You work when everyone has time off and when you have free time, everyone else is working. The only way you see your friends most of the time is if they come to you, especially on holidays, which, for us, are the busiest. In addition, family life definitely suffers and maintaining a relationship is pretty difficult.

Beirut.com: What is the most annoying thing a customer does?

Walid: The touching and screaming they do to get your attention. There’s a certain type of customer who cannot be avoided no matter what bar you’re at. They not only invade your privacy, but the privacy of everyone else around them, whether it be staff members or customers. They are detrimental to everyone around them.

Beirut.com: What is the best thing a customer does?

Walid: Loyalty. There are some customers with whom you form and maintain a relationship with, and who end up following you around from bar to bar, depending on where you’re working at the time. It is the sincerest form of flattery.

Beirut.com: What is the funniest thing that has happened to you while bartending at Bedivere?

Walid: This one time, I was able to convince a customer that my colleague working the bar with me that night was mentally challenged, and that we were working with a charity to reintroduce him to social interaction. It was hilarious. She spent the entire night replying to everything he said with a huge smile and phrases like “WOW! That’s amazing!” “Great job! You’re doing great!” while he spent the entire night in confused oblivion.

Beirut.com: What is your signature drink?

Walid: I don’t have a signature drink. They’re all like my babies, and I don’t play favorites. However, this week, it’s the Colonel Martin.

Colonel Martin
2cl lemon juice
6cl homemade pepper infused vodka
½ piece fresh guava
5 basil springs
½ piece fresh mandarin
Garnish with a lemon peel and mint leaves