Lens, I'm sure many of your customers would like to know more about the man behind the face. Give us the real story of how you ended up here in Indonesia in 1997.
Well, I decided to take my CELTA (Certificate of English teaching) TBI in Jakarta. The initial idea was to teach and travel my way around Southeast Asia for some years. When I passed over, however, TBI offered me a job and so I stayed and never left. Jakarta can easily suck you like that.
How did you teach English to managing a very successful pub in 2006?
When a small Dutch bar called BuGils Taman Ria Senayan opened in, I finally found my local "and I soon became me a (very) customer there. In fact, I became so regular that I started asking me to look after the place where their manager was on vacation. In consideration of this, I get free beer, which was great because I love beer and my teaching salary was barely enough to pay my bills BuGils bar. After years of sitting at their bar, the director asked me if was interested in joining him to take Eastern Promise (EP) in Kemang. At first I combined teaching and the establishment of PE, but after an exhausting year I said goodbye to the old and I looked back.
You have one of the most social jobs, it is. What is the hardest part of being a bar and a restaurant manager? Would you recommend your work to our readers?
work many evenings (including weekends) begins to take its toll a little as I get older. Most nights in EP are lively and many customers are also my friends, so it's hard not to have a drink. Yes, that is certainly the most difficult! But I love my job and maybe I made for her. From the beginning much freedom was given to implement my own ideas and execute EP 'my way'. I never had any proper training for this kind of work, but it is not rocket science and I learned by doing. I'm still learning. In addition to being sociable I think it's important to be flexible and a little creativity. Stay on top and in front of things and love your customers! I would recommend this job? Of course!
Eastern Promise was established in 1989 by Carl Gilchrist. Carl was a pioneer who opened the first steps to the West in the early 70s with names like the king's head, George & Dragon and The Eye of the Wind (in Ratu Plaza). In 2006, the Group acquired PE BuGils management after Carl had fallen ill and was forced to return to the UK. However, his legacy continues. EP famous British curries come from revenue Carl. The original leader, Pak Heri, still works here and most of our curry guys have also been here over 15 years. Our delicious chicken and mushroom pie is named after Carl. Another thing we are doing quite well is to sell beer, including Guinness and Kilkenny project. On Friday and Saturday nights, our beer garden is packed for live music and bar separate sports is very popular for watching live EPL, AFL, rugby, Dutch football, cricket, etc. We do our best to offer something for everyone. We also have Darts, two pool tables and a games room, even a child. For many people their EP is local, how BuGils used to be mine. I'm very proud of that and I want to thank all the wonderful, loyal staff and many regulars over the years to keep us ticking and for creating such a fine buzz.
Tell us the funniest story you can remember from one of the nights at Eastern Promise.
Many of our nights end with people dancing on the bar. Things can get pretty wild at times and a lot of funny, crazy stuff happens. You know, we had our (un) fair share of flooding in PE and it is certainly fun to see how some of our regulars keep coming to the pub despite the "high tide", even if it means must take their shoes and pants, use gerobak , and climb the nearby walls.
Your pub offers time pressure "renowned, so that customers can enjoy free beer traffic for an hour on Friday night, as nobody leaves the room or visits to the toilet (and your regulars are pretty serious about it). How did you get such an idea?
The idea came from one of our regulars and especially in the early years, he helped put us on the map Jakarta pub scene. Often newcomers to Jakarta had heard about "the crazy promo beer 'before they knew EP. We have now made more than seven years of time pressure and not one is the same. We even had customers use FBI crime scene tape to close the toilet and left the bar to prevent people from "break the pressure!
You're quite the organizer of the creative event. Your birthday party was a huge celebration of 25 days long. Tell us a bit about that and what you have in store for your 26 e birthday?
Well, our 24 e birthday last year was a 24-hour event, so it seemed logical to celebrate the 25 days long this year. We gave 25 barrels of Bintang, we had beach parties in our parking area and special ladies and quiz nights, among others. Also, like last year, we had patrons to join a challenge to come here for 25 consecutive days and drink (at least) a Bintang at each visit. All participants received a personal brand card. We had 10 winners (survivors) who received a credit of 25 million bar to share, as well as a visit to the Multi Bintang Brewery. Next year? 26 weeks?
You are the assistant coach Bugils Football Club. Tell us more about it.
We play in the JIFL and compete with 11 other teams expatriates almost every Saturday. BuGils players are usually recruited in the pub, but interested readers can also email me. We sponsor two teams in the league. The other team, the Lions, still need players. Neither team really form, but some of the guys playing futsal on Tuesday.
What would you say is the best thing about living in Jakarta?
He never ceases to surprise me.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you bring with you?
A beer, a deck chair and a hat?
Thank goal! To contact, please email: lensterwee@gmail.com