Chiara Beretta is the head bartender at Rita in Milan. She makes two cocktails for us, one with Punt e Mes and Campari and the second with Tequila and Cumin.
Chiara introduce yourself
My name is Chiara and I’ve been in the bar industry for the last ten years and working at Rita for four years. I began when I was a student studying modern literature. When I graduated I decided I wanted to be a bartender for the rest of my life, so I opened my own bar call Vesper (like the cocktail) near Monza, which is 45 minutes from Milan. I was very young at the time and decided I wanted to learn more, so sold the bar to a colleague and moved to Milan to work at Rita. Rita was my favourite cocktail bar in the world and still is.
The classic you want to show us
Fargo
15ml of Lime Juice
20ml of Saffron Syrup
25ml of Punt e Mes
45ml of Campari
Shake with Mint
Top with Sage Soda
The bar you dream of
I’ve already had the bar of my dreams with Vesper and my other dream was to work at Rita, which I have also done now. With Rita the people are great, it’s beautiful, we only use quality products and it has a wonderful atmosphere.
What do you do in your time off
I like to eat. Let’s face it, I’m Italian… we all like to eat. When I get time off I go out and try new restaurants in Milan as there is always something opening up.
The spirit you like the most
I really love working with alcohol that goes into classic Italian aperitivos, like amaros, campari and vermouths. It’s because I like happy hour, as the sun is setting and the drinks we make at this time use these ingredients.
What do you think makes a good cocktail
Balance and creating the right cocktail for the right customer. You need to listen and understand your guest.
What ingredient do you enjoy using in cocktails
Fresh fruit. Using fresh juices and extracts can completely change the most simple drink like a vodka and orange. We always use fresh juices in all our cocktails and try to stick to using seasonal produce.
The signature cocktail you want to show us
Santiago
30ml of Lemon Juice
15ml of Cumin Syrup
50ml of Tequila
45ml of Fresh Celery Extract
1 dash of Soda Water
Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender
I would say go to Mag Cafe, Pinch Bar and the bar at La Segheria, all here in Milan.
Chiara is nowGlobal Brand Ambassador for Fine Spirits