If you call a Ghostbuster to get rid of ghosts, who do you call to help with your struggling bar or restaurant? Jon Taffer. Jon Taffer may be best known to many from the hit TV show Bar Rescue, but he has a 30-year career in bar and restaurant management and consulting, and that wealth of expertise is just what a bar owner needs. Taffer’s vast experience spans the entire spectrum of the food and beverage, hotel and hospitality arenas. He has created, developed and managed casual restaurants, entertainment venues, nightclubs, bars, stadium/arena food service, resort facilities and large theme restaurants. He’s also starred in two hit TV shows and is a best-selling author. Born in New York, Taffer’s entrepreneurial spirit started at a young age, when he hired a team of kids to support his service business at summer camp. However, his path to bar and restaurant management didn’t follow a straight line. He majored in political science in college, but it was a part-time bartending job where he really found his passion. He moved west for his first management job at the legendary Troubadour bar in Hollywood. He was surprised to discover that a famous, jam-packed bar could actually lose money — and his path was set. After managing another iconic bar, he started consulting on bar management and then opened his own bar. At one point, Taffer owned 17 different establishments. Since then, he’s consulted with over 1,000 bar and restaurant owners. In 2011, Taffer embarked on a new way to spread his expertise as the host and executive producer of Bar Rescue, now in its third season on Spike TV. In each episode, he spends a week at a bar helping the owners with every aspect of the business, including creating a profitable drink and food menu, managing crowds and dealing with disgruntled employees. While Taffer may seem imposing to owners and staff with his in-your-face style, his objective is to transform struggling bars into vibrant and profitable establishments and set the owners on the path to financial success. |
