Liquid – Atlas

Becoming a bartender wasn’t just a job—it was a dream I had since childhood. I used to craft mocktails at a young age, and it wasn’t long before I had my first real taste of alcohol. I remember vividly one of the first times I got drunk, thanks to a green screwdriver. I was so proud, laughing with my best friend about how I threw up green liquid.

My journey began in a nightclub, where I occasionally helped out at events. It was during one of these events that I met the owner of three bars and a restaurant in town. He asked me why I hadn’t considered working for him. That sparked something in me. I’d always dreamt of crafting cocktails and experimenting with different spirits. A few days later, I nervously walked into the restaurant, just 18 years old, to talk about the job. I had my first shift soon after.

That’s the thing with bartending—you don’t need to know everything upfront. Sometimes, all it takes is the confidence to walk into a bar or restaurant and ask for a chance. If you’re eager to learn and willing to work, most places will welcome you with open arms.

Working both part-time at the nightclub and the bar, I met so many people. Eventually, I landed a gig bartending for Red Bull at festivals. Travelling across Germany with a group of 10 people in a tour bus was surreal. We set up bars, sold vodka Red Bulls, and enjoyed some of the best festivals the country had to offer. The pay was great, the team was amazing, and during our time off, we’d get to enjoy bands and DJs, with after-parties almost every night.

• Parookaville Red Bull Festival Tour

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The Freedom of Bartending

The freedom that bartending offers is unmatched. You can take a season off whenever you want, and as long as you’ve done a good job, bars are always happy to have you back. I once took five months off to travel around Southeast Asia, where I became a dive instructor in the Philippines. And when I needed money, I just went back to bartending, making great tips on top of my wage.

Yes, it can be tough sometimes. You work weekends, so you miss out on a lot of social time with friends who work the traditional 9-to-5. But I eventually came to appreciate the freedom of weekdays off. You can enjoy places without the crowds—like taking a ski trip on empty slopes on a Monday.

I’ve taken bartending jobs in some of the most incredible places. I worked at a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, snowboarding after shifts with a free ski pass in my pocket. I bartended in New Zealand, mixing drinks on a volcano in Ohakune, and road-tripped across the South Island, discovering hidden gems like Methven and the adventurous town of Queenstown.

In Queenstown, I worked at Skyline, where I had a view like no other, making cocktails while overlooking a stunning mountain range and Lake Whakatipu. I spent my free time hiking the Great Walks, exploring glowworm caves, chasing waterfalls, and camping by the lake. And yes, I got stuck in the mud more than once.

There’s no limit to where bartending can take you. After New Zealand, I did a winter season in the Australian mountains, bartending at a Japanese-inspired bar and snowboarding with jaw-dropping sunsets in the background. And when that season ended, I moved to Queensland, working near the Great Barrier Reef, enjoying the warm weather and stunning beaches.