What makes a drink worth remembering? It’s the taste that lingers on the senses, in a pleasant yet intense manner without you having to go through a bad hangover the next morning. It becomes the innate responsibility of the bartender to make that one drink leave a lasting impression on your senses, only to have you come back for it every single time!
Many bartenders think their services are confined to serving a drink that they asked for. Yet, a bartender’s ultimate skill is meeting your cocktail or mocktail requirements, which makes you smile with the first sip. Today, in this read, we will share three amazing personalities who gave a new meaning to this profession just by following their path of passion.
Who Is A Bartender?
Simply put, a bartender is a skilled individual who understands your beverage needs, serves you both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and even helps you pick your drink for the day if you’re a first-timer in a bar. Also known as a mixologist, he/she ensures your needs are met to the best of his/her ability with perfect assessments and recommendations. From adding the right herbs to mixing new flavors, their job is to experiment and bring the best for their customers and patrons at the bar.
3 Mixologists You Need To Know About!
a. Shatbi Basu: The first female bartender in India, Shatbi Basu found her passion in bartending at the age of 21. Her love for wine and whiskey blended well with her chemistry knowledge and her hotel management degree. While she dreamed of becoming a veterinarian doctor, her allergies came in the way, and she landed a job as a restaurant supervisor at Chopsticks, a Chinese restaurant on Linking Road, Mumbai. Even though she was asked to handle the bar for a day as the dilemma of having fewer male bartenders existed in the pre-liberalization era; there was no looking back. After several years of precision, she opened the first bartending academy in 1997. You can follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/shatbhi/?hl=en
b. Debjani Rudra: A traveler is a vagabond seeking solace in uncertainty. Debjani Rudra is a mix of a creator, an artist, and an innovator in one. She hails from the city of joy and pursued her degree in hotel management from IHM Gangtok. With a desire to explore her interests in bartending, she did a vocational training in a bar at Vivanta by Taj, Surajkund. Battling her family’s constant opposition, she completed her training and joined a bar at Novotel’s QUOIN as an associate bartender. Today, she comes with more than seven years of serving mind blowing cocktails, drinks, and bar moves to ensure her clients receive the best. You can follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/the_minderaser__
c. Arati Maestry: A woman with courage, strength, and fortitude, Arati Maestry stands as one of the best bartenders in India. As someone from a conservative family background, she has been breaking stereotypes and runs one of the country's most successful and lit bars. From waiting tables at Pizza Hut to getting a degree from ITM Kharghar, she sailed through it all, thirsting to find her destiny. While interning at The Oberoi, she finally got to work at the bar for Trident banquets, where she learned through observing, understanding behavior, and streaming the internet to gain skills in this arena. All her struggles and prejudices were conquered with hard work, continuous upgradation into the field, and the sheer passion of following her heart. You can follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/the_negroni_moron/?hl=en
Summing it up
Bartending services are a beautiful blend of knowledge, art, communication, and expertise. Like every job, it comes with a dignity that shines in the eyes of many today. With Ice Please!, stay tuned for more inspiring stories that make your eyes light up and ask for more. The next time you set foot in your favorite bar, remember the taste that made you stay a little longer!
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