Celebrating the Barmanka of Slovakia

International Women’s Day has been celebrated in a big way in Slovakia (or what is now Slovakia) for over a century.

While certainly not the first women’s day recorded on a large scale globally, Lenin was the one that set March 8. On that day in 1917, women textile workers began a demonstration that eventually engulfed the whole city, demanding "Bread and Peace"—an end to World War I, to food shortages, and to the Tsar. It was the rolling snowball that started the avalanche of the Russian Revolution, and thus was celebrated in the countries under the influence of the USSR. 

However, despite a focus on women, it didn’t always work out ideally. Now an elderly woman, a “vyčapnička” during socialism scoffs at the day. “The men got together to drink, but as a woman I had to cook more and serve them so they could celebrate.” A celebration of women in word more than action.

In the Slovak language, čapovať is the verb to pour draft/draught beer, and vyčapnik (male) and vyčapnička (female) are “drafters” or “draft beer pourers”. 

Speaking of Slovak, the word for a woman bartender is rather ironic. The British term ‘barman’ is borrowed, referring to a male bartender; for a woman, instead of changing ‘man’ to ‘maid’ as in English, the feminine ending -ka is added on: barmanka. 

An undated linen napkin for International Women’s Day (Medzinárodný deň žien).

Making a differentiation between the gender behind the bar doesn’t sit right with Marika Debnárová, the first woman to win the World Class competition in Slovakia. “I do not believe in women or men bartenders, I believe in hard work, courage, attitude and education. I do not see the difference between being a woman or man behind the bar. Only one thing is important and that is your dedication to your passion!”

Each bartender is unique, and each brings something of themselves to the bar.

As Natália Straková succinctly put it, “I bring uniqueness and diversity to the bar.”

Hospitality is a central theme for many bartenders, like Kristína Kurovská. “I bring my personal approach to customers and my ability to create a friendly atmosphere. I want guests to feel comfortable and welcome. Like at home. So that they leave us with the feeling that we have created an experience they will never forget. I pride myself on precision and detail in the preparation of my drinks, so that each order is not only delicious, but also aesthetically pleasing. It’s all about the details.” 

Evica Domonji also focuses on hospitality, and prides herself on her skill to whip up personal drinks. “⁠I like put a strong touch on hospitality, taking care of the guest sitting at the bar. My strong side is also creating a unique cocktail at the moment personalised for that specific guest based on what I've found out about them. 99% this works out amazing and they keep coming back for that drink. Overall when all of this is put together, I love creating unique and personalised experiences for guests.”

Zuzana Červeň Kromková wanted to focus on the experience for guests not actually sitting at the bar, and has striven to improve the perception of floor service. “Throughout my career in luxury cocktail bars like the Connaught Bar in London or Manhattan Bar in Singapore, I found my place and joy on “the other side of the bar” – on the floor. While bartenders were often seen as the ultimate stars of the guest experience, I focused on making sure that every guest, not just those sitting at the bar, could experience the same magic of hospitality and cocktails.

When I moved abroad 13 years ago, breaking this barrier in luxury cocktail bars was one of my main goals and also my ultimate passion. Until then, the floor was often seen as just a service space, but I wanted to prove that hospitality and storytelling could be just as important as mixology. Guests who couldn’t sit at the bar still deserved to experience every detail of their drink—from the bespoke recommendation, through to the story behind it to the way it was served. I truly enjoyed the feeling of confidently answering guests' questions, even the most technical ones, knowing that my dedication to the craft and extensive studies about spirits and ingredients had prepared me for it.”

The floor is somewhere Sára Peštová also enjoys. “I worked as (and still am) a waiter for many years. It's something I love and it's part of my DNA. Taking care of people, improving their mood, learning something from them and having fun at work is the best combination. Also, I enjoy the creativity of competitions. Everything I decide to do has different rules, different possibilities and it's as if you tell yourself every time that you are going to discover something about yourself that you didn't know that you knew or could do. It's easy to read about but there is a lot of hard work and a lot of self-denial and, above all, time behind it! Personal progress is always worth it, regardless of the result. I'm also really particular about cleanliness.”

Katerína Čecho’s talent shines on the floor, which is physically demanding. “I work in a very unique place in the centre of Bratislava, that (in my opinion) connects punk and class. The place is unique for its past, because it is underground and used to be a public toilet. My special feature is to be physically fit and strong and yet to be nice and helpful to customers at the same time. My unique skill is to be able to carry 7 glasses of beer in each hand and deliver it correctly to customers, which can be tricky, because we have 11 craft beers on tap.”

On the other hand, Katerína Nékiová is drawn to the technical side of bartending, making use of her attention to detail to prep the whole bar. “I enjoy carbonation, both to drink and the whole technology of it. When creating drinks for competitions, I like to make sparkling ones.”

For Romana Vodná, another quality is vital: authenticity. “What do I bring to bartending that is uniquely me? Being myself no matter what. I don’t think bartending is about being an ‘actor’ as many think.”

When it comes to women in hospitality, how does Slovakia compare to other countries?

Again, each woman has her own take, experience, and view. 

Zuzana Červeň Kromková has travelled and worked around the world. “I personally feel that, compared to London or Singapore, bartending in Slovakia is still perceived as a more male-dominated profession, most likely because it stems from a mix of cultural, historical, and practical factors like family expectations or perception of the job. In the world’s top bars, women are increasingly stepping into the spotlight—not only as bartenders but also as managers, brand ambassadors, and key figures in the drinks industry. When I started, it was important for me to show that waitresses or floor managers could be just as crucial as the bartenders behind the bar.”

Romana Vodná agrees. “At first, when I started this journey as a bartender, it was kinda hard because many guests thought I made drinks worse than guy colleagues. I don't know if I can properly compare countries, but I see that the ´woman community ´ in the bar industry is rising so fast and we are respected and treated the same. There are many bars in the world with women as leaders.”

It’s not so much about place or gender, opines Katerína Nékiová, but about how much an individual makes of opportunities. “A barmanka may have fewer opportunities than other women in the world, or maybe it is harder to “become visible”, but in the end it is all about how you seize your opportunity and what you want to do for yourself. And you can do that in Slovakia and in the world, it’s up to what you want.”

Sára Peštová agrees. “When I look at it from my perspective, the same rules apply to me as to my colleagues. It's about you as an individual, how you approach this job, regardless of gender. In my opinion, more attention is paid to this difference in the world than to us, but the job is the same.”

One way to seize the opportunity is through education, and Natália Straková appreciates how much the bar community in Slovakia is striving to improve. “As a small country our community is smaller but we are slowly expanding and growing day by day. For the last 2 years our hospitality industry has started offering new opportunities for us to educate ourselves, searching for and offering masterclasses and books from foreign countries and different perspectives.”

Kristína Kurovská is also upbeat about bartending in Slovakia. “Of course, there are fewer women behind the bar than men, but it’s becoming more and more natural to have a woman mixing your drink. It’s very attractive to people especially when she shows that not only can she smile nicely but she is knowledgeable and knows what she’s doing. In Bratislava and bigger cities we have the opportunity to see more women in the bartending profession and it’s very positive.”

Evica Domonji sees Slovakia as being on par with the rest of the world. “⁠I don't think there is some difference between a woman behind the bar in Slovakia and in the other parts of the world. In the past few years Slovakia has come along pretty well in this respect and I'm always happy to see young and creative super girls behind the bar.”

Would these women recommend bartending to a young woman considering it?

These ladies were unanimous in saying go for it, though expect to be challenged, and shared their words of wisdom.

“Find your passion—whether it’s behind the bar or on the floor—and turn it into your strength. When I started, I soon realized that I didn’t need to be behind the bar to be part of something extraordinary, because I was lucky to have extraordinary people around me and that was the most important. If you feel drawn to this world, find your place in it and give it your all ♡.

Your talent can take you to the world’s top bars and allow you to work with the best in the industry. Don’t be afraid of challenges, never stop learning, and remember that true hospitality is about the entire team that creates a perfect experience.” Zuzana Červeň Kromková

“If they are considering it, they should definitely try it. It is a beautiful but also a difficult profession because you work a lot and especially at night. But you probably won’t have a better opportunity to meet such wonderful people and especially travel so much compared to any other profession.” Katerína Nékiová

“Be brave and stand your ground. Anybody can humiliate you or tell you that you are less. Women are absolutely unique in every way and can make unbelievable performances, even in moments that are very hard. We are cold professionals and warm stars at the same time and I love that.” Katerína Čecho

“If you like hospitality, people and sometimes strong cocktails, bartending is the perfect choice for you! Even though it’s often difficult with people. Let’s not kid ourselves. Prepare for challenges (which may surprise you) and hard work, but never be discouraged by stereotypes or negative opinions. There is no need to take everything too seriously, because again, we are not saving lives. It’s important to have a healthy self-confidence and to constantly educate yourself, whether it’s about new trends, communicating with guests or professional development. With hard work and a positive attitude, you can develop not only your skills but also your personality. It’s a beautiful comprehensive package of multiple aspects involving skills, knowledge, communication, speaking, performing, new contacts, travel and much more.” Kristína Kurovská

“Don’t be afraid of pushing yourself through your comfort zone.” Natália Straková

“Go for it! It is an endless road (in a good way) due to tons of information and you will never know everything, that is what inspires me the most. But the most important thing: take care of yourself and enjoy your free days because it can get overwhelming. Trust me, burnouts are the worst.” Romana Vodná

“If you're considering it, go for it!!! With this job, you'll learn to communicate, handle stress, test your limits and find out how far your abilities extend. It will open the door to your own projects, you'll meet a lot of new people and make contacts that you might never have had. You have to enjoy this job, you won't progress without that. Yes, it's a tough job but if you set your mind right, you can do it all. Women are needed behind the bar because they have a different perspective on things and that is your biggest advantage. Being authentic is appreciated here. If after a while you decide that it's not for you and you want a different job, I guarantee you that you will benefit from the experience behind the bar for a very long time. You simply have nothing to lose.” Sára Peštová

“⁠Go for it! Be kind to your guests, but push yourself and your team forward, always strike for more! I love a quote from Dan Navsky: "You have 2 eyes, 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Use them in that proportion." Be like a sponge, absorb from the people that inspire you and give the biggest smile to every one of your guests, they'll keep coming back for more!” Evica Domonji

With such a warm community, no wonder it is growing. There were more women than could be included in this small tribute to the barmanka of Slovakia.