SNUG AS A BUG IN A PUB – Tug Van Den Bergh Interviewed

Updated: August 1, 2006

The FBA Director of Operations for Europe with quite a personality and a strong head on shoulders… Mr. Tug Van Den Bergh. He has competed and judged in many Flair bartending competitions throughout the world and organizes the Roadhouse World Flair competitions held every month and is one of the biggest Flair competitions in the UK. All of this and he still finds time for a brew at his local pub to cheer on his favorite football team in England Common Arsenal!!!…

Age? 28.

Where are you from? I was born in Pretoria, South Africa but have been living in London, UK for the past 8 years so I pretty much consider myself a Londoner.

How Long have you’ve been Bartending? I have been bartending for 11 year’s.

And Flair Bartending? 11 year’s.

Where do you work? I work for Maxwell’s Restaurant Group, which owns Roadhouse and a whole bunch of other clubs, bars, and restaurants in and around London. I am based in the Head Office and deal with all the sites but Roadhouse World Flair and the organization of the comp is my main business. I have been part of this company for almost 7 year’s on and off so I consider myself almost part of the furniture. Other than that I work at lots of different places and for lots of different people pretty much all the time. I love doing the occasional bar shift but lack of time doesn’t always allow me that pleasure!
What got you into Flair Bartending? My mom actually got me into bartending. She heard about this school that taught bartending and Flair through a friend of hers and offered to pay for the course so I could start traveling the world doing that. I did the course and was hooked straight away. Not long after that the first T.G.I Friday’s opened up in South Africa and I was lucky enough to get a job there. It wasn’t so much Flair that got me hooked but serving and interacting with people on the other side of the bar that made me really happy. A bartender is everybody’s best friend and I really liked the idea of that.

How did you start out learning to Flair? I started playing a bit whilst working at Friday’s but it was super basic stuff like hand stalls and over the shoulder stuff. It was not till I got to the UK that I started practicing. Back then it was a lot harder too as there was no video’s or DVD’s so you had to come up with your own stuff and not too mention taping all your bottles so glass wouldn’t go everywhere. All that was super fun for me though and a great learning curve. You couldn’t copy anybody cause there really wasn’t that many people to copy.

How did you get involved in judging Flair Bartending competitions? It kind of took me by surprise. After I left Roadhouse as a bartender, I got a job at our head office (where I’m working now) and they gave me the option to start organizing the competition. I was a bit hesitant at first cause they told me I could either carry on competing (at Roadhouse) or start organizing it but couldn’t both. That came as a bit of a blow but I felt I could do more for flair by organizing than competing and could still do other comps outside of Roadhouse. So I started organizing and networking as you do with bartenders and other organizers world wide and the next thing I knew I was (and still is) traveling like mad judging competitions all over! The coolest thing for me about it all though is seeing how much it’s been growing and still is. I don’t think any of us could have foreseen the tremendous growth of Flair around the globe. Hoorah for Flair!!!

What have you learned about competing now that you are on the other end and judging? That it’s an overall package. It’s not just about doing hard stuff, but also about entertaining, enjoying it and making a drink. Too many competitors forgot that at the end of their routine they have to make a drink. Flair bartending, whether you’re working or competing is all about making a drink and the show should be build around making x amount of drinks. A lot of guys get carried away and forgot the most basic bartending fundamentals. Another thing is not sticking with what their able to do. I personally score a guy higher doing a flawless bottle and tin routine than somebody repeatedly trying 2 bottles and 2 tins move. His difficulty wouldn’t be as high but from an all over point of view I think it comes across better. I know it’s about showing what you can do but if you can’t stick it you can’t really do it, now can you? Another that gets me is people forcing themselves to smile and have fun on stage!

Describe to us your style of Flair? Right now I would say rusty… but back in the day for me it was all about being smooth. Making it roll and as fluent as possible. I was lucky enough to work with Wayne Collins, which was one of the first Flair bartenders in the UK. He had the smoothest style and I kind of based my style on his. Keeping it smooth and being coordinated is what I learned from him. Thanks Wayne!

What made you stand out from other Flair Bartenders? I never took it too serious and never had a routine. For me it was too boring practicing a routine before hand. I personally felt it took the fun out of it so usually picked a song just before I went on and winged it. I have to say I loved every minute on stage regardless of the results. Sometimes as with everybody things went seriously wrong but that was fun too. If your on your on and if your not, you deal with it. I can honestly say I did it for myself and couldn’t care less if people didn’t like my music or my style! The 5 minutes on stage was my time and they had to listen to my music and watch me have a good time and I think that’s the most important thing. If you don’t enjoy what you do, why should the people watching enjoy it? That’s my explanation on Entertainment to competitors at Roadhouse when I brief them and I’ll stick with that for a long time to come.

What do you hope to get out of Flair? Flair to me has been a roller coaster of absolute fun, adventure and good times. I have been to countless competitions all over the planet and have met so many great friends through Flair that I can honestly say I don’t care what happens tomorrow. It’s been nothing short of spectacular and I am extremely grateful and thankful for everything I have had the pleasure of experiencing. I am currently working on a couple of projects, which hopefully everybody in Flair will benefit from one day in, one way or another. I am constantly working for other people and trying to raise the profile of Flair bartending not just in the UK but where ever I go. It’s all about giving something back and sharing the love without trying to sound too much of a cliché. I have said to a few people that if I die tomorrow, I die a happy camper! Not that I want to die but I have been so fortunate in doing what I’m doing and have experienced more than most people will ever do in their entire lives and I have Flair bartending and the people in this great industry to thank for that so whatever I get out of it from now on in is an added bonus.

What is your favorite Flair Bartending competition and why? Most of the competitions I go too I enjoy for many different reasons and I go to a lot of them. Each one has something different too offer and is unique and special in its own way mainly because of what country it’s in, people organizing it and then obviously the people entering in it. Whether it’s a small comp somewhere in the UK with hardly any prize money or a comp like Legends or Roadhouse, it’s always the people your surrounded by that makes it worth while. A few that’s been high on my agenda to return to has been Legends purely for the dedication and hard work that goes into competing in this competition, MBA in Romania for the chicks (if I have to be honest) and recently I’ve had the privilege to judge the Paris Flair Open in France and I can’t wait to go back next year. Organizing any comp is not an easy thing and let’s face it these guys organizing it don’t make a lot of money doing it. I know because I have been doing it for many years. It’s about the love for Flair that drives organizers to get sponsors, hosting a competition and getting a bunch of people together to have a good time. If any of you organizers out there are reading this please let me know if I’m wrong but in my case it’s definitely not all about money. I salute every organizer, members of staff at competitions and every single competitor I have had the privilege to meet, work with or judge. Keep up the good work!

Who do you look up to in this Sport? There’s a hell of a lot people I genuinely respect and love for different reason without never even have seen them Flair or work. So many people I have met traveling through Flair that your kind of on the same page regardless of what they have done in the past. If I was to name all the people I respect and look up too I will need at least another 3 pages if not more. A couple does spring to mind and that is people like Leigh Miller who kind of kick started the whole new school fluent bottle tin era. Nic St. Jean for being a genuine artist and Christian Delpech for commitment and dedication and taking Flair, as we know it global. To bad he’s a spoonbender. Then there’s people like the Wizards (Neil Garner and Neil Lowrey), which are truly great ambassadors for our sport not just here in the UK but pretty much all over the World who is truly taking Flair main stream in they’re own way! I love what Tom Dyer’s done over the past couple of years and it gives me goose bumps every time I see him pull off the impossible. But like I said these are but to name a few. In the words of Chuck Mac “We are ambassadors of good times” and Flair just so happens to be our ticket to good times. I look up to and back on all the good times I had with good people over the years and look forward to having some more!

What are your thoughts on the Flair scene in the UK and how does it compare to the rest of the world? I can’t really speak for the rest of the World but every country I’ve been too so far had a pretty good scene in terms of there was enough of a scene to organize a comp and get International competitors and judges over. That to me justifies a scene! I reckon we have a pretty rocking scene here in the UK and in Europe and have had it for quite a while purely cause it’s a lot smaller and concentrated compared to the US, Canada or Asia. It’s a tight knit group and everybody pretty much knows everybody, which makes is awesome! I also think Roadhouse played a big part in the development of this purely cause this is where people started to hang out and got to know each other. Now we have a load of comps on a regular basis pretty much all over. I find it hard to keep up with just the local comps in the UK never mind the smaller comps in the rest of Europe, which is just as accessible as the ones in the UK. South Korea and Japan is growing at a phenomenal rate and I think anybody that was at Legends this year would agree that the Team Japan kicked ass! And then there’s South America. I really don’t know that many Flair bartenders from there but I am pretty sure it will happen for them one day. I almost don’t see it as different scenes anymore but rather as one big scene, which everybody’s part off.

What are your plans now? To try and finish the rest of these questions and go to the pub for a pint o’ Guinness! You killing me Rob!!! I have got 3 qualifiers left at Roadhouse and then the final in November, which promises to be absolutely fantastic. In between getting all of that sorted I have got a couple of trips coming up judging comps here and there and then the football season’s about to kick off here in England which I can’t wait for! Common Arsenal!!! My schedule’s pretty full over the next 6 months but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Happy days indeed!

What are some common myths about the profession of Flair Bartending? I really don’t know any myths surrounding Flair bartending. Maybe it’s something like Tom Cruise was the first ever Flair bartender and he passed all his skills on to John Bandy which Ken Hall just so happen to see whilst passing by and in order to beef it up told the rest of the to-be Flair world that Jerry “The Professor” Thomas came to him (Ken Hall) in a dream and showed him the art of the multiplex. Beats me.
How often do you practice? I don’t practice anymore. I like to chuck a bottle or two around every now and then but I sure as hell don’t consider it practice. I also enjoy juggling.

What is your advice to some of the new people wanting to start competing, as a FBA certified judge… any helpful hints? Be original and enjoy it! Showing your personality is just as important as your skills. Try and compose yourself even when things go terribly wrong. You are and should also be in control of what your doing.

What is your advice to some of the new people wanting start competing, any helpful hints? The more you compete, the more comfortable you feel on stage in front of a crowd. So if you want to get into it, go out there and “Pop That Cherry!!”

Tell us about your first Flair Competition and your experiences there, What were you feeling, Did everything go as planned? It was a disaster. It was the first ever comp at Roadhouse. There was a table on stage with a container full of ice, a couple of glasses and some bottles. I was on 2nd and up until then I had never seen a video or competition so didn’t really know what to it was all about apart from that I had to Flair for 5 minutes. The first guy went on, did his stuff and walked off. Excitement mixed with nerves kicked in and as he walked off I walked on not hearing the organizer screaming, not to go on yet. I simply walked on stage; picked up the tins and bottles the previous guy had dropped, turned around to the DJ and said play whatever and kicked off! I think he played Bob Marley or something cause of the Rasta beanie I was wearing. Probably the worst song in the world to Flair too but I did it. I have no idea why I did what I did but that is how it happened. I can’t remember anything of the routine, as I didn’t have a routine planned and never would in the year’s to come. All I remember is that I came third (out of four) and won £50.00 for chucking a bottle around for 5 minutes. I thought that was great!!!!

Describe to us what your ultimate Flair competition would consist of?

If budget was no option this is how it would go:

Inviting the best of the best from all over the World for a true gathering of greats.

Location: I would like fly all of them to a nice location. Obviously a beach is great but you get much better atmosphere in a club or so I think. For the venue I would say Roadhouse purely cause of its location and its history and I know what a buzz you get from a final with 700 people screaming they’re lungs out. I would like to invite everybody that’s been involved with Flair over the years as spectator’s cause they are the ones who appreciate it most and would give the competing bartenders the best support. Then there’s production and all the good stuff that goes along with that but I think once you have all of the above you got a pretty good recipe for a good comp!!!

What are your thoughts on Quest this year and any predictions? No real thoughts as I have no idea who’s competing. Just looking forward to seeing some of the boys and watching some good Flair!!!

Tell us about the Roadhouse competition you help organize and how it came about? It started 7 year’s ago as a joke between Roadhouse bartenders and something to do on Sunday’s. Brett Seychell, who was a manager at Roadhouse during this time, saw the concept had potential and ran with it. Prize money was bumped up after a couple of months and before we knew it we had ourselves a monthly competition attracting people from all over the World. It had a couple of organizers throughout the year’s which all did a great job in building it up to where it is now. Big shout to Troy, Lee Curtis and Heddi Cundle for their dedication and hard work! I took over about 4 ½ years ago alongside Troy Boof and after he left it was Andy Collinson and myself doing it. This is when things really started happening and I really enjoyed my time with Big Andy as it was somebody to bounce idea’s off and with his great personality he really gave Roadhouse World Flair a kick in the right direction. I think you can ask anybody that’s ever been there that Andy’s energy at the comps was great. After he left I pretty much took over everything with the help of Aaron Lumb who is the current General Manager of Roadhouse. I heavily rely on my judges, every month too, which are sometimes really hard to find, but one of the most important things at any comp. I have been very lucky to have the help of some great people over the years and I would like to thank to all who’s been there to help make this competition what it is today! You know who you are!!!

What obstacles do you see our sport of Flair Bartending encountering in the near future and in your opinion, how can we over come them? Legal drinking age in the UK is 18 and in the states its 21which means dudes don’t start flipping bottles till late on in life. This is not something we can change. It’s just how it is. I personally think and sorry to say this but Flair bartending will never have the mass appeal the x-games have. And why should it? We’ve got a good thing going and by going mainstream you loose some of the appeal I think. It’s incredible and great to see friends of mine making a living of competing and doing shows but if everybody starts doing it looses it’s value. It’s a very niche market and Flair in its current state, whether it’s doing shows, working bars or competing is a still relatively unknown believe it or not. So far so good and it’s great to see so many people doing really well of it. I don’t think we have to push anything or overcome any obstacles. It will just gradually happen pretty much as it’s been happening over the past couple of years.

If you had the opportunity to convince a skeptical Bar manager to hire a Flair Bartender, How would you go about it? This obviously depends on the individual being hired. There is a time and a place to Flair and a lot of bartenders forget that. If a bartender knows his own ability behind the bar and have mastered all the necessary skills to make a nice drink accordingly, I would recommend him to a bar manager. Give him a trial shift and if he does well he’s got the job.

What are the hot trends in Bartending in the UK right now? There are so many people doing so many interesting things with drinks its really hard to keep up. Mixology and Flair coming together is something I have noticed lately and it makes me really happy. It used to be Flair bartenders versus mixologists but end of the day we all make drinks one way or another.

What is the craziest thing you have done behind the bar? Turning the whole back bar blue on a cover shift. I put Blue Curacao in all the bottles and let me tell you it was a pretty big selection of booze. Needless to say the bar manager wasn’t to happy with me but I argued the case and got away with it.

What is your favorite drink? Single Jack and Coke in a 12oz Collins over ice. No straw.

Happy Days!!!!