Bartenders shake their stuff, pour out wonder

Bartenders shake their stuff, pour out wonder
LEANDRE D'SOUZA

OCTOBER 14: Harsh lights have rested on him, he's sliding against the bar, tossing bottles in the air, fixing the best concoctions for his customers. Eyes wide shut are split open to scenes from Cocktail

, the film that recognised centuries-old bartending as a civilised profession.

The scene described above, however, is lifted from something closer home. In fact, it happened right here in Mumbai at Stir 2000, at the Regent hotel in Bandra -- the three-day showcase to bartending skills, where the pros exhibited their knowhow for their compatriots from the beverage and hotel industry. In conjunction with the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI), the convention was last held in Mumbai, 12 years ago.

Though the Regent was bustling with a very active hospitality industry, the piece de resistance surged forth bartending professionals -- from the Regent, Taj, Tavern, Indigo and Marine Plaza -- performing for a wide-eyed audience. The formula? Pour a little, shake a little, rattle with might. Then, add the spirit while tossing and juggling bottles and glasses in the air. Finally, the 360 degree spin, while the glass filled to the brim remains hanging mid-air, followed by a backhand catch. And voila! Vijay Pal Ravat, Amandeep Singh from Sidewok (the man who trained Hrithik Roshan for the Coke ad), Ashwin Doijode, Sunil Hardwaria and Rajman Gorge were among the participants for the finale.

Stir 2000, hosted by Shatbhi Basu, is the official meet for bartenders who get together once every three years to discuss industry-related issues through interactive seminars. Sans the technical jargon, the highlight of the event is judging students and experts on the same platform for their art of spinning, rattling, mixing and `serving with a smile'. ``Before 1997, there was a vacuum in the hospitality industry, as bartending was practically non-existent,'' laments Basu. She continues by declaring that when she initiated the event in 1997, protest ran high, what with alcohol considered a taboo in India. Now, long after the hue and cry has died away, Basu boasts of the new breed of bartenders exploring the hospitality market.

Part of the juggling extravaganza were neophytes from Anjuram, Rizvi, D Y Patil, Mujjala and Bharti Vidhya Pith Catering Colleges -- all displaying their skills to play with bacardi, malibu, kahlua, blue curacao and a dash of cherries. The result is Pink Spider, Heaven and Malibu Quench rimmed with stories to soften the harsh glare of the judges.

``While bartenders abroad have gained recognition with their unique styles, it is a new phenomenon in India. It is now that bartending has got an impetus,'' declares Sunil Hardwaria, a bartender currently working on the new J49 project in Juhu. Sunil has learnt the art and skill of bartending from the Flair Bartending Academy started by Basu. ``We have approached the technical board to incorporate bartending as part of the industry's syllabi but our efforts have come to naught,'' regrets Basu. Thus, this is the sole oppurtunity for students to get practical knowledge about the field. Mention lack of opportunities for women in the profession and Basu's ears turn red with regret. Howvever, she reckons that the new lot will move with a flamboyance, well-versed in the techniques of communication.

The lady, revealing her passion for bartending and with J49's new project, says that customers will find her behind the bar for a month after the club reopens. And ask Sunil where he learnt the tricks of the trade, he smirks: "practise makes one perfect. It's important to break bottles -- four to five at home and one on the job," he innocently confides.