Thomas Svensson on being an old soul spinning new drinks

My name is Tom Svensson (they/them), but I also go by "theytender". I'm a queer bartender who works in Queensland, Australia and I've been in the drinks industry for two years.

Growing up, I was always super creative. I fell in love with bartending just after I graduated university with a drama degree.

There were years where I would watch drag queens perform in clubs, and wish I could embody that. I would go home and experiment with makeup and wear dresses and perform in my room. I needed somewhere to anchor all of this energy. Especially when it came to gender expression and the uncontrollable need to express myself. This is how I started. Working as a bartender somehow solved all these problems. I was able to blend the colourfulness and fluidity of queerness into this craft.

I found bartending to be such a beautiful gateway to escape ordinary life and figure out who you are. The bar was a place where I could be everything I always was.

It was this feeling of unapologetic freedom and self-love in these spaces which guided me to be where I am today.

I currently work at Boston Shaker Bar in Mooloolaba, Queensland. We are a small speakeasy venue, inspired by New York and the Prohibition era. It's refreshing to recreate classic cocktails which hold so much history and storytelling, and I feel that people still yearn for warm hospitality.

Our community on the Sunshine Coast can range from younger to older, a lot of travellers on holiday, so we always keep the same mindset which is to be adaptable to everyone’s needs. Some nights we are a quiet lounge bar where you can relax. Other nights we are disco with glitter everywhere, bright lights and live music. This helps us stay alive throughout the tough seasons, and it gives us the opportunity to be open to all possibilities.

Come as you are, be who you are, you will always have a home at Boston.

In Winter, night caps are delicious. I've been making blazed cocktails inspired by my favourite childhood desserts like banana bread and sticky date pudding. My sticky date pudding cocktail is served hot with a cold vanilla cream on the top. I've loved experimenting with the idea of hot and cold drinks, where you can experience both temperatures in one drink.

The world can be dull at times so we need vibrancy. I honestly love creating lighter serves as well. There needs to be a place for everyone to enjoy a drink, and that's where the future is heading.

Amaros are definitely underrated. There are so many different ways to experience amari.

I feel like I'm an old soul. I adore spirits like cognac and love fortified wines. I feel like they are not highlighted as much as other spirits. When creating cocktails, I try to use them as modifiers. It always surprises guests, but even adding a touch of amaro or a dash of fino sherry into a drink can dramatically improve any cocktail.

There are so many dreams for all of us. I've thought about this question a lot, and a part of me knows that every time any one of us finally gets the chance to articulate what we need and how we should be celebrated in our industry, it always feels bittersweet.

My story is only one out of the infinite amount of queer people who aren't in hospitality anymore because it's too harsh on our bodies and identities. In our industry, we need to create safer work environments and nightlife experiences for our community. We need safer bathroom access for trans, non binary and gender non conforming people.

By empowering our voices in the workplace, and including us in more bar programs, education, career opportunities, our industry flourishes. When we are included in these spaces, it gives us permission to exist and express our queer joy. Bars are the places to create change and where we carved out our stories throughout history.

Brands have the power, bar owners and operators can support who we are regardless of the way we express ourselves. If we normalise our existence in the craft cocktail and bartending scene, it gives us hope, and we can dismantle the expectations that have been instilled in us.

When queer bartenders are safe and feel validated in our venues, the spaces they work in are safe too. We are not free until every single one of us are protected after last call. This is ultimately what we desperately need right now: more compassion and empathy for queer people.

We deserve to be loved, embraced and feel a sense of belonging wherever we are.

After years of feeling like there was not enough representation for queer bartenders, I created 'theytender' this year. It was a combination of everything I had been working towards in my industry for years.

My posts started to document my transition into blending my gender expression with bartending. It was daunting posting and publicly coming out online but it was the only way to find my community. I knew that by sharing my story others wouldn't feel alone anymore. Especially when it came to our presence in these spaces. Most of us are online trying to reconnect with our younger selves who desperately wanted to be seen.

The more we engage with social media which has become such a vital tool in bartending competitions and brand work, we start to normalise our happiness, and live proudly through our work. I want anyone to be able to be a theytender if they'd like, the world has always been ours too!

I'd love to! This is a version of my drink which I submitted for The Perfect Blend this year, and was proud to win as the 'Apprentice' regional winner of Queensland.

I'd like to imagine more gender non-conforming, trans and non binary people enjoying picnics in public so these are the ingredients I would take. I'd bring along fruits like peaches and apricots along with a raspberry and coconut jam which reminds me of Monte Carlo biscuits, and champagne. The name, "Fluid Et Beau" (meaning fluid and beautiful) is a testament to the way we celebrate our existence and reclaim our own stories. We are all fluid and beautiful in our own way.