Running a brewpub isn’t easy- it’s a lot of work, a lot of sweat and the occasional tears.

There are a lot of good, earnest people working behind the scenes, who put in a great deal of effort, round-the-clock, to ensure that everything you love about Toit stays that way.

And these people are none other than our never-tiring, ever-inspiring staff.

Our very own Toit Army- a battalion dedicated to the cause of good beer!

Say hello to the man who mixes a mean cocktail and pours the perfect beer—our Bar Supervisor, Deepak.

When did you join Toit?

I joined in November, 2012.

What were you doing before you joined Toit?

I was working at another pub, as a bartender. I worked there for five years. I joined that place in 2007, also in November.

Have you always been a part of the hospitality industry?

Yes! Almost fifteen years now.

You’re from Bangalore?

I am. Born and brought up here.

How did you end up joining Toit?

After working for five years in that pub, I wanted to start my own business. Something to do with hospitality only. But I couldn’t do that.

So I attended an interview over here and I got offered a job and I joined immediately.

And you joined as a bartender? 

Yes.

Now you’re a Bar Supervisor, can you describe a typical work day?

I usually wake up at 7:30 am to drop my son to his school van. Then I come back, have breakfast, and go to sleep again. *laughs*

Then I wake up, get ready, have my lunch and come here. As soon as I come here, I check if I have ice cubes first. If there is a shortage, I need to order them. I also make sure my ice cube machine is working. That is the most important thing for me.

After that, I check my staffing—whether anyone is on leave or not, and also if anyone has bunked. Then I need to allocate duties for everyone as well.

You also do a check of all the ingredients, right?

I do that the previous night. I check before I leave and then inform my store keeper and he will order the things I need. 

By the time everything is done, I leave at about 11: 30 pm. But that is if I do the break shift. Sometimes I do the straight shift, which is 1 pm to closing time, that’s around midnight.

Is it very hectic? Since the bar is always busy at Toit.

I won’t say it’s hectic. Because we really enjoy the job. But some customers can sometimes make it hectic by being rude. A lot of people who come here are highly educated but some of them don’t have social skills. 

How do you handle a rude customer?

First, we try to make them understand why there is a delay and then try to serve them as soon as possible.

If there is some issue with the food or some drink, we go and talk to them about why they didn’t like it and take their feedback.

When we make good cocktails, people appreciate us. And that motivates us to do better. 

As a former bartender, and now Supervisor, what is your favourite thing about being behind the bar?

Serving people, and making cocktails! My passion is mixology. 

And what is your favourite cocktail to make?

Cosmopolitan. It is a light and simple cocktail, one of the easiest to make. But also one of the easiest to get wrong. It should be just the right amount of ingredients, the right amount of lime, the right amount of cranberry juice, to get the right mix.

When is your off day? And what do you do on your off day?

My off is normally on Tuesday. I drop my son, have breakfast, sleep, and then go to the gym.

In the evening, I go out with my family, have dinner somewhere and ice cream and all that and come back.

Any hobbies you like to pursue in your free time?

I used to like playing cricket but I stopped doing that once I started working. Once in a while, I play carrom or badminton with my son. But that’s all.

Is your wife a homemaker?

She is now. She used to work for Northern Trust before this, in Manyata Tech Park.

It’s been about six years now. How has the experience been?

It’s been good. And it’s always busy, we don’t realise how time goes by here. I enjoy serving people and interacting with them, because by serving them we also learn a lot. So it’s not just about doing your work, but also about gaining knowledge. 

What are you looking forward to in the coming years?

I want to set up my business some day. And also want to build my house. I’m handling loans for my house right now, so I need to settle that also. And want to work hard and get promoted here at Toit.