Bird at the Bar
Photography: Al Brady
Introducing Rebecca Bird, the visionary founder of Bird at the Bar, who is revolutionising the bartending scene with her exquisite cocktails crafted from foraged, zero waste and alcohol-free ingredients. Discover Rebecca's inspiring story, remarkable achievements and unwavering commitment to sustainability and empowerment in the bartending industry.
Hi Rebecca! Can you give us an introduction to Bird at the Bar?
Of course! I’m a freelance bartender and consultant based in Westbourne. I run pop ups and masterclasses over the South and London. The masterclasses can be in foraged, zero waste or alcohol free cocktails, an area I specialise in. I’m also brand ambassador for Sprigster, an alcohol free botanical drink created by the owner and chefs of the Pythouse Kitchen Garden. It’s such a beautiful venue, I love being in the kitchen garden talking to James, the head gardener and choosing produce to use in my drinks.
What is your background that brought you to this point in your bartending journey?
I trained in precision engineering and worked for my family business for 25 years but outside of work I always created drinks and hosted events.
When my Dad retired and sold the business I decided I no longer wanted to sit at a desk all day and wanted to do something different. My friends and family had been telling me for years that I should be in hospitality. July 2021 I turned 49 and I had decided to make the leap when I saw a bartender position advertised at The Pig on the Beach. At home my drinks were made using foraged, home grown and local ingredients, The Pig was the obvious choice for the launch of my new career.
Now I have 2 years of professional bartending experience and I’m so proud of my achievements during this time. I won the Everleaf UK Bartenders competition in June 2022. We had to create a spritz with one of their expressions and for the drink to transport you there, my prize was an all-inclusive trip to Iceland. Last year I was awarded a place on the Double Dutch Female Bartenders Scholarship – a valuable experience, which has given me lots of confidence to go further in my career. Just recently I entered The Essence of Nature competition run by Arbikie Distillery and London Essence, where we had to create two zero waste cocktails. After winning the South Coast heat, I travelled to Scotland to compete in the final and was placed in the final 3 in the UK. Just before that I was in the final 4 for Emerging Bartender of the Year at the Class Bar Awards held in London. I was so honoured at the age of 50 to be in this category.
Since leaving The Pig on the Beach to go freelance I’ve loved the projects I’ve worked on, such as creating foraged cocktails for events by Fore Adventure and Volf Wild Foods. Hosting masterclasses in Dorset and London and working with small brands to create cocktails for them.
What would you recommend off the drinks menu this autumn?
Your bartender should be able to guide you to the right cocktail for your tastes and what you’re feeling like at that moment. If you’re new to cocktails, start getting to know the classics then you’ll start to recognise variations of them on menus. To start my evening out I like a martini and if I’m not drinking, my alcohol free chilli margarita gives a really good kick!
I’m also a big lover and supporter of English wines. I turned 50 last year and in the year leading up I set myself the challenge of trying ‘50 English wines before I’m 50!’ It was such a fun experience. I got so into English wine I even helped with the grape harvest at Langham last year! We’re very lucky that we have several beautiful wineries here in Dorset. English wines have vastly improved over the last 20 years and I thoroughly recommend booking a tour and tasting at a local vineyard or two if you haven’t done so before.
We're curious to know what exciting plans and ambitions you have in store. What is the future of The Bird at the Bar?
To continue building on what I’ve been doing. I’ve got more pop ups being planned and booked and masterclasses to host. I’m so passionate about bartending, about being sustainable, foraging and especially no and low alcoholic drinks. I want to show that you can change careers at any point in life and I want to be a role model for other women who may not think there’s a place for them in this industry.
Instagram → @birdatthebar
