Stefanos is the founder of The Trap in Athens. He makes two cocktails for us, one with Gin and homemade Vermouth and the second with Bourbon and Campari.
Stefanos introduce yourself
I’m Stefanos Draganidakis from The Trap in Athens. I started in the industry nine years ago in a small city in Greece called Larissa. I was intrigued by the drinks you could create with alcohol and really enjoyed interacting with clients. As I became more interested in bartending I began to watch videos on YouTube and started visiting cocktail weeks in London, Paris and Berlin, which led me to doing many guest bar shifts in Paris.I moved to Athens a few years ago and worked at The Clumsies and another bar, until I had the opportunity to open my own bar… The Trap. We focus on simple, clean flavours and even create our own beer. The Trap is just a place where people come to relax, whilst enjoying good food and cocktails.
The classic you want to show us
Martini
50ml of Gin
50ml of Trap vermouth (A blend of Bianco and Manzanilla Vermouth, Pear Eau de Vie and Greek Botanicals)
The bar you dream of
That’s a difficult question. Maybe I would create a beautiful beach bar in Greece that focussed on hospitality and cocktails that used local Greek products.The ambiance would be bright and luxurious with a central marble bar and seating for around 50. It would be open all day, serving coffee and food during the day and delicious cocktails in the evening.
What do you do in your time off
Most of the time I like to go home and just relax by reading books or watching series. Otherwise I tend to catch up with friends in bars.
The spirit you like the most
Definitely whisky. I like Scotch the most because it’s complex and combines a lot of flavours together like chocolate, tobacco and flowers. I prefer using it in short, stirred drinks. I don’t have a favourite, as it depends on my mood.
What makes a good cocktail and which product do you want to highlight at this moment
A good cocktail comprises of quality ingredients, skill, passion and love… it’s a Greek thing.
I like Campari as it’s very versatile to connect flavours with the bitterness, sweetness and herbal flavours. Actually now that I think about it, I use this product a lot.
The signature cocktail you want to show us
Whisky and Cola
40ml of Bourbon
15ml of Campari
40ml of Cola Vermouth (Angostura Bitters with Lime Oils and Averna)
Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender?
A person that really impressed me is Leo Robitschek from The Nomad Hotel in New York. Also visit Ohla Boutique Hotel bar in Barcelona, Natalie from Gin Joint in Athens and of course Chris Houseas from 42 Bar, also in Athens.
Pingback: Aurélie Panhelleux: Copperbay (Paris) – Le cocktail connoisseur