The Dram Attic Sessions

Arina Nikolskaya is a firebrand - director of Moscow Bar Show and Academy Chair for World's 50 Best Bars, she has also recently been named among the 100 most influential bar figures in the Bar World 100 list by Drinks International, for the second consecutive year. Arina talks to us about her brave decision to proceed with Moscow Bar Show in the midst of a pandemic, the challenges, the criticisms, a well as the highlights. 

Yangdup Lama is a bartender, bar owner, published author, and mixologist from Darjeeling (India). Apart from wearing a heart of gold, Yangdup also wears many feathers in his cap including having his name featured in the 2020 Bar World list of 100 most influential people in the global beverage industry, making him the first Indian to feature on the list. Yangdup's bar Sidecar also won a coveted spot in Asia's 50 Best Bar awards 2020. In this episode, we talk through his journey, his observations, his idea of mindfulness in bartending, and what it means to be a "spirited monk".

For more stories, log on to www.thedramattic.com

Nico de Soto needs no introduction. The brains behind world class bars like Mace (NYC) and Danico (Paris), Nico is a highly decorated bartender and industry thought leader. 

We chat with Nico to delve a little deeper into his world, the Med Brotherhood, survival in the time of CoVid and most importantly, the fundraiser he and the Med Brotherhood have put together to help Jad Ballout and team rebuild Electric Bing Sutt which has been ravaged by the recent explosions in Beirut.

Please donate via this link and help the Electric Bing Sutt team rebuild their bar, every penny counts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/c2x98-help-electric-bing-sutt-rebuild

Holly Graham is the Managing Editor (International) of DRiNK Magazine and an advocate for sustainability and women in Asia's alcohol industry. In 2019, Holly founded Asia Women in Booze, a community for women working in the continent's alcohol industry.

We catch up with Holly to chat through the initiative and its plans for the community.

For more, visit www.thedramattic.com

Artem Peruk is not an unfamiliar name or face. You've seen him slay across the El Copitas and Paloma Cantina pages with an infectious energy that is hard to ignore. We catch up with Artem to get to know what goes into being recognised as one of the world's best bar teams, and the life cycle of an award winning bar, outside the brick and mortar.

For more, visit: www.thedramattic.com

Moving continents and having worked at some of the world's best bars has been quite the journey for Jesse Vida, who currently calls Atlas his home. Jesse walks us through his journey navigating the transition and gives us a little peek into his world, the realities, and the rewards of perseverance in hospitality.

For more, visit: http://thedramattic.com

The names Vijay Mudaliar and Native (Singapore) have long been synonymous with setting the gold standard for sustainability in the world of bars and cocktails. Having been recognised for the efforts in moving towards a zero waste bar, Vijay has inspired many in the industry to approach their beverage programme responsibly. In this episode, we catch up with Vijay to learn a little bit more about his journey, his ideas for Native, as well as his advice for anybody who is keen to explore a sustainable approach to cocktail culture. More on http://thedramattic.com 

Building a great bar is almost impossible without a great team. And great teams are built by great mentors.

We caught up with Agostino Perrone, Director of Mixology at The Connaught Hotel, London.

Having heralded a team and bar that never fails to make it to the top of every prestigious list of bars in the world, Ago is well known and revered in the circles for being a great mentor.

In this episode, Ago shares his thoughts with us about what good mentorship means, why training is crucial, and what it takes to be a good learner.

Visit: http://thedramattic.com for more

In the last decade, Asia's beverage industry has seen soaring success. Some of the world's most renowned bars and bartenders continue to emerge from Asia and the Herculean efforts that have gone into building this culture, have been applauded the world over.

In this episode of the The Dram Attic Sessions, we chat with Paul Gabie, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Proof & Company, one of Asia Pacific’s leading independent spirit companies. Join us as Paul helps us trace the growth of Asia's burgeoning bar scene over the last decade, as well as Proof & Company's evolving journey through this.

Head over to the Dram Attic website for more stories like this.

The hospitality industry has been hit by the maelstrom we call CoVid19, making us reassess everything we know about our favourite social activities.

In this episode, we are joined by Vivian Pei (Writer, Chef, and Academy Chair, Asia's 50 Best Bars) as we chat through some of the observations she has made within the bar community in Asia and what the industry is doing to alleviate the immediate concerns.

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