THE HIGHBALL LIFE
BARTENDER KEEPS HIS FEET MOVING, AND HIS EYES AND EARS OPEN
By C. J. SULLIVAN
February 5, 2007 -- CHRIS Santangelo got his first bartending job at the tender age of 17, at a bar at the South Street Seaport. Twenty years later, he's still at it.
At the time, he was a business major at Fordham, looking for extra money. After graduation, he took a sales job with American Airlines, but continued doing a few shifts behind the bar for extra cash. Then he met a few actors through his day job, and decided that would be his calling. He ditched the airline, had some headshots done, and started going out on auditions while working the bar at Donovan's, an Irish pub in Woodside, Queens, the neighborhood where he grew up.
He's landed some roles in off-Broadway plays, and on an episode of "The Sopranos" (where he was credited as "the Mullet Man"), but has continued serving drinks. After 12 years at Donovan's, Santangelo, who's newly married, decided last month he needed a change, and took a job at Macelleria, an Italian steakhouse in the Meatpacking District. Before a recent shift, he sat down with The Post to talk about his job.
I come in here at 4 p.m., and I put on my white apron, because Macelleria is Italian for butcher shop. I do my inventory, cut my fruit, stock the ice, beer and wine, and prepare for the night ahead. You always prepare for a busy night, because there's nothing worse than being busy and not being prepared.
At about 5 p.m., we have a family meal. All the busboys, waiters, bar staff and cooks sit down, and they serve us pasta, or something like chicken and rice. It's nice to sit down, eat and talk about sports or movies or work. There's something old-fashioned and old-country about it.
What I like about bartending is the diversity of the people you meet. Every night is different. I get to talk with some interesting people and learn about careers and lives I would never know. It's great to see someone really enjoy their night and thank you for it.
What I don't like is having to work nights. I don't get to spend as much time with my wife as I'd like. It's tough being on different schedules.
Like every bartender in New York, I dream of doing other things. I want to be a working actor. I don't need to be famous. I just want to work and be that guy. You know, that guy you see in a lot of different things but don't know his name. That's want I want just to be: that guy.
At Macelleria, there's a clientele of artists and actors, which is good for networking. The second day I worked here I met a casting director. I hope it might open some doors.
People don't realize that bartenders are constantly moving. It can be hard on the knees, and you're tired at the end of a night. Then there's the mental aspect of the job. You're keeping an eye on a full bar. You have to make sure everyone is happy. You have to be like a shortstop in baseball - five steps ahead of what's happening around you. Who needs wine? Is the food coming out to the bar fast enough? Did I give that couple their check? It's a real juggling act.
I read behavior very well. By the time someone walks from the door to the bar I have a take on them. I read people by how they take out their money. If it's all crumbled up I know they might be trouble. If I see someone stumble, I know what I'm up against. Every bartender is a bit of a voyeur, because even when the place is busy, you're watching everyone.
There's only a 3-foot piece of wood separating me and the customers. I hear everything. The art of the bartender is knowing when to acknowledge what was said, whether it's with a smile or a wink, and when to pretend you didn't hear anything.
I'm always trying to find what my customer's interests are - sports, art, their job, where they're from. The most important thing I've learned is how to find that one thing that will link you to this person for the time they're there. You're creating a mini-relationship, a three-hour friendship.Words to live by....
nuff said
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