Angus Winchester is back on UK soil with a new role at Wild West Group

There are plans for two or three new concepts, more Dark Horses and a dive bar, which is more adult and mature. I'm also developing the staff, bartenders and future managers. You have to create that pipeline. It's been 15 years since I've worked full-time in the UK and a generation of bartenders is three years, so it's been five generations.

How has it been to get back to the UK and has it changed since you were last here?

I think creativity has increased exponentially. I also think some of the bartenders of today would have been chefs in previous generations because they are obsessed with flavours, but for me, bartending is about serving people. You may make an incredible drink but are you making the guests feel looked after? There's a saying: a bartender who knows more mash bills than jokes is not a good bartender. We need to focus it back on the guest experience and ask how we can get the drink to the table quicker and spend more time talking to the guests.

What do you think are the building blocks when it comes to training bar staff?

Bartending is a physical activity, so you have to get your hands wet, but there's also an awful lot of knowledge needed and drinks brands have always funded training – very few bars spend money on training themselves. With resources like the Blend, Diageo Bar Academy and Freepour, there is so much more digital information out there.

But it's also about collaboration and doing role play and making sure the basics have been covered – we seem to have got away from some of that. I use a blend of digital platforms like Small Batch Learning – I like those guys, you can adapt and add your own materials. I also want bartenders to share their experience, such as great lines to greet guests, how to make recommendations and knowing when to approach guests about the next drink.

How is recruitment looking?

I love recruiting, but it is a big problem. I'm recruiting at the moment and half the people who applied didn't respond after that and one didn't even turn up for a trial shift. There are 950,000 people in Bath and I'm looking to hire just six of them. It's all about understanding what we called the size of the prize. You look at how much it costs the business to replace an experienced staff member, and then you look at how much you can invest in the process. Referrals are great as the staff know what kind of people are needed and we pay a £300 referral fee if we hire someone they know.

How are you adapting to your new life in Bath?

It's a change of pace for sure, I last lived in Singapore, Hong Kong and New York. I've thrown myself into work and haven't spent time in bars here. I feel like I've done a huge amount in my life, so I want to focus a little bit more – you can do more in a smaller market; you move the needle more.

This is a human business and when I'm recruiting people I tell them about the life skills we teach them. We talk about suggested selling: a sale is a transfer of enthusiasm, but also the ability to influence someone to change their behaviour, and we will give you 50 chances a night to practice that.

Seasonal food and drink pairing Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2018 and scallops

A mix of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, this popular English sparkling wine from Kent is robust with notes of red fruits on the nose and more zippy citrus on the palate. It pairs well with scallops, perhaps topped with breadcrumbs to bring out the pastry notes in the wine.