Ago Perrone may have stumbled into the diligence – bartending was in the beginning just a means of paying for a picture taking class he was interested in – but time have transfer , to say the least . These daylight , he run what is wide consider as one of the cosmos ’s best bars ; the Lake Como indigene has frequently been credited with redefining the world of hotel taproom . Having amount on as header mixologist for The Connaught bar since its relaunch in 2008 , he has since bring the syllabus up to mean a heightened experience , where every pauperism is see with personality , grace , and charm . While the barroom has been not - so - quietly doing its thing for year , 2016 was the twelvemonth of its return to the spotlight .
What have you been focusing on this year?Agostino Perrone : The Connaught is genuinely a magical experience for guests , as well as those who work here . Magic sometimes can not be excuse ; however , the location and magnificent design does help a lot . That will always be our focus . We are lucky that everyone working here has the same passionateness for hospitality , and that really makes the departure .
What was your proud moment?Perrone : This has been a year fill up with proud moments . We were present World ’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best International Hotel Bar by Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans . I ’ve also recently been grant European Mixologist of the Year and The Connaught was awarded European Bar of the Year at the Mixology Bar Awards 2017 in Berlin . What I feel most proud of is when we have guests from around the world turn back to see us .
Courtesy of The Connaught
Why do you cogitate the London cocktail scene is so strong currently?Perrone : London genuinely has everything to extend when it follow to the cocktail fit , and cocktail bars are have time to control their vision to ensure they stand out and propose the good experience . It is not just about drink a cocktail anymore ; it ’s about an experience . So all the touchpoints of service standards , merchandise , outer space , and entertainment have to be ticked .
Where do you think boozing are manoeuver in London in terminus of trends , tastes , and designs?Perrone : I rightfully consider that the quality of the ingredients is incredibly significant , and finding innovative ways to heighten the guest experience is equally crucial . For example , at The Connaught , we use dry ice-skating rink for all our drink . This stops the cocktails from diluting , allow the taste of the drink and the overall experience to last longer .
Is there anything you may partake for future plans?Perrone : We are very excited to be working on our new menu , which we will be launching betimes next yr . It has taken some time for us to discover groundbreaking way to continue to delight our guests . I ’ve been golden to trip the human beings , discovering young flavours and ingredient to compound the guests ’ experience .
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