



Melbourne bartender James Lea was excited when he scored a job offer at high-end cocktail establishment Bar Americano in the city's CBD.

The 24-year-old had worked two unpaid trial shifts in November 2017 and was then offered a bartending position by the bar's owner Matthew Bax. Bax was once described by Broadsheet as the "most innovative bar owner the country has ever seen".



"I was really excited to get a fairly prestigious position and the opportunities that would open in the Melbourne hospitality scene," Lea told BuzzFeed News. "Matthew [Bax] has a reputation of being a very prolific creator and he has this real aloof-artist enigma surrounding him."

The laneway bar fits 10 patrons – all of whom must stand – and only serves cocktails, for which it has won multiple awards including Time Out's Best Cocktail Bar in 2015. It doesn't accept cash, take bookings or permit photos.



In an email chain provided to BuzzFeed News, Bax said he would check Lea's references and asked about his availability.