Luxebook December 2021

What is the one thing you would like to change/bring back into the industry? I would like to see bartenders smile more, while also paying better attention to guests. Bringing back the little tricks we played at the bar to engage the guests and to bring a smile to their face, beyond just making them a drink. How important is equipment in cocktail making? Very, it makes us look professional like any other skill or art form. They’re tools of the trade. They allow us to create great drinks using fine technique along with a little bit of flair. Some bartenders today are seriously invested in the most scientifically advanced equipment to take their game up many notches, like setting up a micro distillery within the bar. What’s your opinion on sustainable cocktails? I think sustainability is not about just great cocktails as it is a concerted attempt to reduce wastage and learn from it. How you use it to enhance a drink is what matters. Dehydrating fruits, peel, herbs, pulp all still continue to offer great flavour, colour and aroma. Think of a sprinkling of beetroot or curry leaf dust on a delicious cocktail. Adds both colour and flavour. An orange peel sugar dusting to the rim of a deeply citrus cocktail. Or turning peels into powerfully aromatic syrups or preserves. The opportunities are amazing. What are some of your all-time favourite cocktail pairings? I love doing fun pairings of cocktails and tapas/small bites. They offer you an infinite variety of spirits and flavours to work with a wide range of cuisines. That is the challenge. Finding the right balance that will either complement or contrast the palate while being true to the chosen cuisine! What according to you are some of the most absurd/ quirky pairings? The ones that are done without real thought. Or, in my case, those that challenge you to another level leading to a blast of flavour. My most quirky experience was a pairing of Cashew Feni & Feni cocktails with a Portuguese-Goan dinner. It turned out great in the end, but it could have gone a different way! That was a big learning step. Do you remember the first cocktail you made? I do, and it terrified me. It was the Martini, classic, dry. Theoretically, I knew everything but the bar didn’t have any dry vermouth so I had to improvise. It worked and that was the beginning of the best journey of my life. 6| L U X E B O O K | D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 1 D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 1 | L U X E B O O K | 7