A famous Journalist, in the Bar Industry, while he wrote about me said that in his opinion I am one of the most ambitious person he ever met in the Bar’s World. He Saw me doubtful and he wanted to explain: “By using the Word ambitious, ‘In the etymological sense of term means : the person who has legitimate desire to improve his own position or to be evaluated on their own merits.” Probably yes …… the term “ambitious” and I Also would add “determined” fits me like a glove. I’ve always been a person who believed in himself, a professional who plans every goal rationally and does his best to achieve it.
I always worked very hard to realize each my project. Nobody has ever granted me discounts and I started my career from the bottom, from the sewers of this work, and right now I am working behind the bar of one of first venues in America. Proceeding step by step, my career as a bartender begins after obtaining a degree in the food and beverage management and a trip-internship at a large company of Americans Hotels In New York (thanks to my father, he is also a great professional in Hotelerie Hospitality ). Here I Fascinated by the work of Bartender, so once I came home attended a basic course to become a barman. At the same time I began to take my first steps as Barback in my dear friend bar in the summertime , located inside a Latin American festival. Are this kind of places where I started to work between Rome and London, (Barfly, Barrio Latino, Maron Glace and Salsa).
we were in the 90s, the clubs were the undisputed masters of the cocktails market . In those years I had a chance meeting with the current owners of the largest Italian Clubs, at that time just managers and organizers of important electronic music events. With them I worked around Italy and Spain with the role of Barmanager of their events. But one day I got tired of that kind of business and I managed to clear me thanks to a job in one of the first wine bar cocktail of Rome ‘La Buca di Bacco’ where I begin to make an high quality of Bar work. From that moment my career has grown growth continues, up to the moment in the early 2000s, when I began to work at the 45 Giri , where I met a great teacher who gave me a lot improving my skills and knowledge, my manager Luigi Nardini .
After two years spent in other work situations and more experience , I come back as Barmanager to the 45 Giri and after also at Riva Nord in summertime ( same property) , getting great results and satisfaction and a lot of attention from the media for my particular way to create cocktails. At the same time I won the Italian selection of Bacardi Legacy and later I gained the 3rd position in the World Championship in Puerto Rico, also I won the Italian edition of Disaronno Mixing Star in Rome and before to do the Global one in Berlin, I moved to Tokyo for four weeks, to learn the Real Japanese style and where I worked at the Super High Five Bar close The Master Mr. Hidetsugu Ueno, then at the Star Bar of Hisashi Kishi and at the Little Smith with the super nice guy Fumiyasu Mimitsuka .
I tied a strong friendship with Takuo and Sumire Miyanohara, Orchard Bar Owners and Stars behind the Bar. My last experiences have been around the world to make guests and seminars; parallel to the successful management of two cocktail bars of two Fine Dining Restaurants in Rome on which no one would have bet: ‘Settembrini’ and ‘Little Jumbo Bar’. between 2013 and 2014 I get other awards such as the 2nd place at the DIPLOMATICO WORLD TOURNMENT in Venezuela and a 2nd place at THE WORLD CLASS Finals in Italy after being the winner in the semi-final in Florence. In 2014 also I had the honor to start to be part as judge of the of the Academy Jury that decides the Best 50 Bars in the World
My most great satisfactions are not arrived only by mixing Drinks behind the bar, but also by developing and organizing marketing and commercial projects. As have the role of Brand Ambassador in the world of the historical Italian Liqueur STREGA ALBERTI, and manage with the Company SVILUPPO HORECA FACTORY as partners, Bartending cultural events with guests celebrities such as Dale DeGroff, Hidetsugu Ueno, Jim Meehan, Sean Maldoon and Jack Mcgarry, Gaz Regan and Steve Schneider. I look at Italy from a city like New York, behind the Bar Of one of the places symbol of American hospitality, the super rewarded venue ‘Del Posto’ owned by Mario Batali, Lidia and Joe Bastianich. This one is a wonderful person and an immense professional to whom I am immensely grateful for the great opportunity offered to me. This experience came for me at the culmination of a great job done in Italy. A chance that was impossible to resist. First, because here I am in love with a beautiful Brazilian girl, the second reason is because after a month of living in New York, as an immigrant and complete unknown in the world of American bartending, I won the global competition for the American ‘Martini Challenge ‘Belvedere (in Italy would have been impossible, because connections, friendships and combines ruin the competitions, especially the most important ones, which rarely is the best competitor to win, but the best friend of judges); and last but not THE least because have the chance to work in a place like DEL POSTO is an opportunity that few people can have in their career. About that I would like to spend few words about this wonderful restaurant and cocktail bar, unfortunately quite known in Europe.
‘Del Posto’ is a timeless place, one of the top three Restaurants in America where food and beverage research and refinement , High Standards of Service and hospitality are an unforgettable experience for our guests.. In my opinion it can be compared at the Savoy or Claridge’s in London. DEL POSTO was born 10 years ago and each year it has grown with satisfactions, awards and recognitions from THE Industry, especially since when to his guide to Side of Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali there is with the General Manager role Jeff Katz .
What I can tell you about the US BarSistem is that the American Barman is technically less sophisticated than European one , but in terms of organization, management of the service and hospitality in Europe we only have to learn. I do not know how long will be my experience in the States, but for sure I will be back to Italy sooner or later, more determined and strong and with many goals to achieve … ..
I hope that these few words will serve to a lot of young people to have more confidence in themselves and above all to believe in their own ability. I want to suggest them, take your inspiration by everything and everybody but never be the copy or the follower of anyone.
