Barnie, is bar manager at La Serre restaurant. He makes two cocktails for us, one with whiskey and Pedro Jimenez, the second with gin and orange shrub
Barnie introduce yourself
Hi I’m Barnie, and I work at La Serre restaurant, Dubai. I am from Transilvanya in Romania and have worked in a bars since 2008. I was quickly infected by the magic of the bar, what the bottles represented, the tools, the vibe and the people around the bar. That’s where I feel the most comfortable and can really be myself. Just before I left Romania for London to start my career, I began to be more captivated by cocktails. I started to read blogs, watch videos on youtube and go to master classes to watch famous bartenders. Then, after London I moved to Dubai because I knew that the cocktail culture was new and it was an opportunity to develop my skills and make a name for myself in the industry.
The classic you want to show us
Smoky boulevard (boulevardier)
20ml of whisky Chivas 12 years old
10ml of Carpano Classico
20ml of Aperol
1 dash of orange bitters
2 dashes of Aztec chocolate bitters
2 barspoons of Australian Pedro Jimenez
A Spray of Laphroaig ten
The bar or party you dream of
My dream bar would be a contemporary speakeasy, like modern Gatsby style. It would have the culture of a speakeasy with a modern touch in the design and the kind of cocktails I served. There would be lots of stone and wood with a cosy vibe, where all my friends could hang out. It would be a place for people very passionate about what’s behind the bar.
When I party, I like to find good negronis to begin the night with some house music in a lounge-type atmosphere… not too crowded or too loud. After this, I move to club.
The spirit you like the most
I love single malt to drink, but I prefer gin to work with. It has several sides. It can be citrus, spicy or herbal. If you
experiment a lot with gin, you can create amazing things. Furthermore, people have not really been drinking gin for the last 20 years, but now it’s changing.
What makes a good cocktail and which product do you want to highlight at this moment
A good cocktail is about everything. The personality of the bartender, his craft, his knowledge of the spirit, the ingredients he has chosen which will suit the guests taste and palette. A good cocktail is the one a guest can’t stop drinking, you can see the spark in his eyes… that’s why I am behind the bar.
I like to play with bitters. They have very complex compositions and flavours and can build up the characters of a spirit.
The signature cocktail you want to show us
Renaissance number 2
20ml of Tanqueray gin
20ml of Créole orange shrub
20ml of Luxardo Maraschino
20ml of lemon juice
Glass rinced with Pernod
Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender?
In Dubai you should go to Coya and ask for Claudio from Romania. If you go to Romania you should go to Cluj the best city for cocktails in the country and look for Karma and a guy named Calin.
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