Xavier Padovani: harnessing high energy
Xavier Padovani’s boundless enthusiasm and determination to ensure positivity in the workplace have helped Experimental Group grow over nearly 15 years.
The Pinnacle Guide releases first set of Pins
The first set of Pinnacle Guide ‘Pins’ have been announced with 37 bars across seven countries making it onto the initial honours list.
Bar Cham wins Live Naked Bar Swap in Korea
Sohee Park and Harin Kil of Bar Cham in South Korea have won the Live Naked Bar Swap competition for 2024.
KOL Mezcaleria introduces house mezcals to agave menu
London’s KOL Mezcaleria has introduced six house mezcals and distillates of agave to its menu.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars returns to Hong Kong
Asia’s 50 Best Bars has announced its ninth edition live ceremony will take place in Hong Kong on 16 July 2024, for the second year in a row.
Scarfes Bar introduces latest cocktail menu
Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London has launched its latest cocktail menu ‘From Scratch’, featuring 22 cocktails incorporating the team’s home-made cordials, ferments and distillates.
CopperBay opens third venue inside Paris's Hôtel Lancaster
CopperBay has launched its third site at Hôtel Lancaster on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, becoming one of the first independent venues to open within a luxury hotel in France.
India has what it takes to be a bar superpower
The country has an awful lot going for it and a keen community of knowledgeable bartenders are pushing the boundaries of cocktails in line with its progressiveness.
Experimental Group to launch two New York bars this spring
Experimental Group is due to open its second Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels wine bar in New York, La Compagnie Flatiron, ten years after the opening of its Soho site.
No.3 Gin education programme concludes in Soho
No.3 London Dry Gin’s education initiative Ph3 Bartending Programme, which aims to empower bartenders, has reached its final ‘Graduation’ phase.
Menu of the month: The Bombay Canteen
Make Mine A Bombay is the fifth cocktail menu that the Mumbai bar has also released as a cocktail book.
Mexico wins Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2024
Beto del Toro of Mexico was crowned the winner of the second edition of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge, earning a €30,000 prize to develop his waste repurposing project.
Mirror Hospitality Expo returns to Bratislava
The Mirror Hospitality Expo, created by the team behind Mirror Bar, has announced its return to Bratislava for its second year.
Bar Les Ambassadeurs highlights spring with new menu
Parisian bar, Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon, is launching its new menu ‘A Sense of Taste, Spring Harvest’, this Sunday, Drinks International can exclusively reveal.
The Savoy names 14th American Bar head bartender
Angelo Sparvoli has been named the 14th head bartender of the American Bar at The Savoy and will start his new role on March 25th.
Nomad London to host Mexico City’s Rayo
Side Hustle, the Latin American influenced bar at Nomad London has announced it will be hosting acclaimed Mexican bar Rayo for one night on Tuesday 19 March.
Finding yourself in the desert
Hamish Smith is invited on a trip to Dubai that turns out to be bartender retreat in the UAE desert. The terrain wasn't the only changing landscape, he says.
Stauning launches global cocktail competition
Danish whisky Stauning has launched the ‘Stauning Drinks Kollektive’, a global cocktail competition which aims to shine a light on bartenders from Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, US and Australia.
Ticket registration for the Class Bar Awards goes live
UK-based bartenders can now register for tickets for the Class Bar Awards 2024, the annual celebration of the UK bar industry by Drinks International's sister publication.
Minakshi Singh: breaking boundaries
A true pioneer of bartending in India, Minakshi Singh tells Sorrel Moseley-Williams how she managed to make her passion her career - in the face of all the odds.
Menu of the month: Arq by Sidecar
Sidecar’s Arq – The Essence is the fourth iteration of its annual cocktail menu, which holds two key elements of the bar programme, sustainability and seasonality, at its core.
Campari launches vermouth advocacy programme
Campari Group has launched the Vermouth Society, a new global bartender engagement programme designed around Vermouth Del Professore and 1757 Vermouth di Torino.
Himkok pair wins The Live Naked Bar Swap for Nordics
Carl Henriksson and Sebastian Sandvik of Oslo bar Himkok won the Nordics leg of The Live Naked Bar Swap in Copenhagen on Monday 19 February.
Double Dutch's Female Bartending Scholarship returns for 2024
Double Dutch, producers of mixers and tonics, has launched its Female Bartending Scholarship Programme for the fourth consecutive year, as part of its commitment to foster upcoming female talent in the hospitality industry.
The Art of Shaking launches TAOS Day Palermo
Bartender education platform, The Art of Shaking (TAOS), has announced it will host an exclusive day of learning in the city of Palermo, Sicily, on 26 February 2024.
Danico bar introduces new menu
Paris-based bar Danico, recently ranked no. 51 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 51-100 list 2023, has launched its third cocktail menu, ‘Japan’.
Peru’s Hidden Bar introduces Modern & Classics menu
Hidden Bar in Lima, Peru has introduced a new menu in collaboration with Aaron Diaz, founder of Carnaval Bar, blending kitchen ingredients in cocktail preparation.
Industry names to lead Schweppes brand ambassador programme
Schweppes has announced the launch of its European-wide brand ambassador programme.
Little Red Door figureheads leave positions
Ex-bar director Alex Francis and former head bartender Barney O’Kane have announced their departure from the Parisian bar.
Fabio La Pietra: stirring the melting pot
On a mission to share Brazil’s biodiversity, Fabio La Pietra at Sub Astor bar is concentrating on a menu that does that.
Menu of the month: Sub Astor
For 15 years Sub Astor has been a leading speakeasy in Brazil’s São Paulo.
Velvet Bar launches icon-inspired menu
Velvet By Salvatore Calabrese, set in the Corinthia London, has announced the launch of its new menu ‘The Quote Book’, Drinks International can exclusively reveal.
Schmuck announce New York residency ahead of launch
Schmuck has announced an eight-week residency at the Back Bar at the Kimpton Hotel Eventi kicking off on 8 February, ahead of the bar’s launch later this year.
Alquímico forced to close by Cartagena mayor’s office
Alquímico, in Cartagena, Colombia, has been forced to close following accusations of non-compliance with fire regulations from the District Mayor’s Office, the bar denies any wrongdoing.
No. 3 Gin opens Unrivalled Classics competition entries
No.3 London Dry Gin has opened entries for its newly renamed 2024 global cocktail competition, Unrivalled Classics.
Yann Bouvignies to leave Scarfes Bar
Yann Bouvignies is to leave Scarfes at Rosewood London to undertake a new role as director of bars at Rosewood Amsterdam.
Viajante87 launches takeover series
Viajante87, the London bar from Pietro Collina and Veronica Di Pietrantonio, has announced the launch of The Culture Exchange, a takeover series that will bring some of Latin America’s best bars and restaurants to West London.
Maura Milia to leave Connaught Bar
Maura Milia, bar manager of Connaught Bar, will leave her role this March to pursue a new project overseas, after a decade at the Mayfair hotel.
Menu of the month: Sastrería Martinez
Diego Macedo and his team at Sastrería Martinez have created a menu which incorporates the lesser-known and indigenous ingredients of Peru.
The Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge returns
The Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge is returning for its sixth edition, inviting global bartenders to create an original aperitivo cocktail inspired by art, using Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto.
Three Sheets to open second London site
East London bar, Three Sheets, has announced the launch of a second site opening its doors in London’s Soho district in March 2024.
Handshake Speakeasy team to open bar in Amsterdam
The team behind Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy has announced the launch of a new bar in Amsterdam.
Galaxy Bar Dubai introduces new menu
Dubai’s Galaxy Bar has unveiled a new menu alongside the launch of a mobile app and new interiors.
Bar Llama comes to Madrid
Natasha Bermúdez, bar director of New York’s Llama group, has launched a new venue in Madrid, Bar Llama.
Ajabu Cocktail and Spirits Festival to debut in South Africa
Africa's first bi-annual international cocktail and spirits festival, Ajabu, is set to debut in Johannesburg and Cape Town in 2024.
Menu of the month: The American Bar at Gleneagles Hotel
In October, The American Bar at Gleneagles Hotel won the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award at The World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony in Singapore for its Book of Berries menu.
Trailer Happiness: embassy for rum
Trailer Happiness has been a stalwart of the London bar fixture for 20 years now. Owner Sly Augustin tells Oli Dodd how he grew its success.
Himkok announces aquavit collaboration with Linie
Oslo-based bar and distillery, Himkok, has partnered with Norwegian aquavit Linie to launch its limited edition Himkok Linie.
River Wood: playing in the big league
River Wood, head of mixology & Century Bar manager at The Gleneagles Hotel, had anything but a traditional start in hospitality.
Baccarat Bar launches menu inspired by photography
Drinks International can exclusively reveal that Baccarat Bar of Harrods, London, has launched the third edition of its cocktail menu, titled ‘Through the Creative Lens’.