Alexandra Zinghini sits down with the 2025 Australian Bar Awards Host of the Year, Dylan Howarth, as we gear up for the 25th Annual Bar Awards.
For nearly two decades, Fortunate Son’s Dylan Howarth has been quietly championing something that doesn’t always get top billing in hospitality: the guest experience. So, when he was named Host of the Year at the 2025 Australian Bar Awards, the recognition landed – even if the moment itself moved fast.
“I was really excited,” he says. “I was thrilled to be nominated and to win was amazing. I was also relieved that I wrote down the people to thank, just in case.”
It’s a typically grounded response from someone who has spent years focusing less on accolades and more on what happens in the room. For Howarth, hosting isn’t a side role or a stepping stone – it’s the engine. “I have spent close to 20 years training bartenders about the importance of a positive guest experience,” he says. “This element is my passion and to be acknowledged by my peers with this award is very cool.”
That philosophy was sharpened during one of the industry’s toughest resets. Coming out of lockdowns, Howarth saw a clear gap – not just in trade, but in connection. “We needed to rebuild a sense of community and belonging,” he explains. “Our guests are the lifeblood of our venues. Our bars don’t work without people.” His response was deliberate: raise the bar on hospitality itself. “I knew I wanted to bring an unexpectedly high level of hospitality to the people who choose to spend time in our venues.”
It’s a role he didn’t always set out to own. Like many, he started behind the bar – and still holds a soft spot for it. But over time, and through the realities of running venues, the shift happened. “As a small business owner, you wear many if not all the hats and hosting became my role more often than not,” he says. “Once I committed to hosting, I realised just how much influence a host has on the experience of everyone in the room and I love that opportunity.”
That influence is something he takes seriously. Hosting, in his view, sits somewhere between instinct and craft. “Strong communication skills and personability are essential non-negotiables,” he says. “I think I may have had a little of that, but I certainly honed those skills behind the bar.” The comparison he lands on is simple: “Great hosting is very much like great bartending – you just don’t need to know the origins of the semi dry triple shake when you are on the floor.”
His entry into hospitality, though, was far less philosophical. “I needed to pay my rent 25 years ago,” he says. “Bartending is way cooler than labouring.” What’s kept him in it is something else entirely. “The people.” “The space doesn’t change too much but the people change every day and the adventures and memories you share with the team and the guests within the venue over time are life changing.”
Front-of-house can demand patience, resilience, and a thick skin. “Sometimes people just don’t want to be hosted. You need to know it’s not personal.” His approach is measured: stay calm, stay professional, and focus on what you can control. “Play the long game… never get caught in the moment or go to battle with tricky guests.”
“Bring your focus back to all the amazing guests in venue who value you in the role,” said Howarth.