BARTENDER STORYJust look pretty, sell as many frozen drinks as possible, and sell an extra shot or two of booze,” my boss instructed me. This is where my mixology journey began, like all great things, in sleazy obscurity. At the age of twenty-one, I was hired as a bartender for a daiquiri bar on The Las Vegas Strip. Originally from a small village in Russia, I had no clue what comprised a Rum and Coke or Gin and Tonic, except perhaps the Coke. It fascinated me how different a blue, red, or yellow slushy tasted, depending on what spirit was added to it. I was instantly hooked on the entire scene.
BARTENDER STORYAt the age of 14 my family started making wine and I dove head first into the industry. I thought it was so unique. Over time, I fell in love with it more and more. There was something so amazing about being able to tell a story through a bottle. It was like tasting a piece of history. When I realized that correlation between wine and spirits as being a way to tell history, I gravitated towards spirits. I’ve always been the creative type, but I’m a terrible painter or artist in that respect. I love putting things together to create art, whether it’d be a DIY decorative candle holder or a batch of cookies. So that translated to the world of mixology; finding things that fit together seemingly seamlessly to create something exquisite. Being able to combine flavors, creativity and history, that’s what made me want to become a bartender.
BARTENDER STORYMy uncle had a bar and when I was eight years old I enjoyed making coffee for the regulars. I was very tiny so my uncle and my cousin gave me a little stool to reach the coffee machine. I felt like I was on stage in the middle of a theatre and I loved it.
