Hey Guys!
This week I had the opportunity to visit Cluj, a very nice city, situated in the heart of Romania. I found it very welcoming and full of vibrating places where you can go to have a nice meal and drink.
At the invitation of my fellow companions from Breasla Barmanilor, I attended the main event of this month, a masterclass held by Diego Ferrari. (more details below)
I found the masterclass to be very interesting, I found out valuable information regarding the Italian way of mixing, new ingredients, concepts, etc...
He is a well known bartender from Italy that is specialized in mixology. He has a double digit career behind the stick and this is making him an asset for everyone who wants to get in contact with Diego.
He is a very nice, positive guy and he was kind enough to answer a few question regarding his bar tending background. Here is the full story:
- Hello Diego and thank you for accepting this interview. We are very happy to have you here and we are really anxious to know some more about the guy behind the „Cocktail Art”. Therefore, what can you tell us about yourself? How did you started to work in this industry?
Hi guys and thank you for having me. It is really nice to be here. I am a very humble guy, I am 40 year old (although I look much younger) and I developed my career since when I was just 17 years old. I have started to work as a bartender in an Italian pizzeria from Lodi, my hometown. It was very „painful” at the beginning since all my friends were going out, partying and having fun and I was always working behind the stick. Now, when I look back I am happy that I made this decision, because if not, I would have not been here today with you guys otherwise.
- What do you think about Romania so far and how did your project „Maximum 21” started?
For me, it is not the first time when I see Romania. My wife, Elena is from here and I have been approximately 7 times here before, but never with „business”. It is my first time when I have real contact with the Romanian bartenders and I am very excited!
My project started when I got my job as a bartender at Rotonda Bistro, in Milan. It was a though challenge for me but after long studies, trials & errors I managed to pull it off and thought that is a great idea to share it to the rest of the world. My official tour started last year in October in London at Mr. Fogg cocktail bar and after Romania I will be in Dubai, 3 different cities in Italy, Barcelona, Grenada and Beirut, at the invitation of my friend Jad Ballout!
- Most of us know you from Facebook, as being the man behind the „Cocktail Art” group. How did that started and what are the conditions to join the group?
Yes, a lot of people from around the world know me from Facebook and now for the „Maximum 21” project but for me is just a passion! The „cocktail art” movement started 3 years ago because I wanted to share my passion with other bartenders from around the world. „Cocktail art” doesn’t necessarily implies cocktails, it could be anything from the cocktail world: pictures, tattoos, poems, history, etc. Any bartender can join but there are some rules (obviously):
* First rule is to be a gentleman. I don’t like bad or stupid comments. If I ever see something that has a bad connotation I delete the post immediately.
* Second rule is that this group accepts only bartenders. It is not because we have a secret but I wanted to make something for bartenders so that I can help them socialize, meet other people, change recipes and why not, maybe find a job there. Unfortunately, in the past 3 years I had to reject more than 50 thousand request for this group because they simple didn’t fit with the description of the group. At this we have around 7,500 members and I am very happy about that.
* Third and last rule is that this is a free group and it is not sponsored by any brand. It is made by a bartender for bartenders and I don’t want to see any brands there. Only creativity and great cocktails. If I see a picture of a cocktail with a bottle inside, I kindly ask the bartender to withdraw the picture. Seems fair?
I only accept kindness so if you like something, press „Like”, if not, do not press anything. If you don’t like it, you are more than welcomed to leave the group.
„Cocktail art” is technically a small world inside another world. (Facebook) This is my world and I want peace and quiet, kindness and professionalism!
- I’ve seen that you are involved in another project regarding „Mixerplanet.com”. What can you tell us about this cocktail gallery ?
Nicole Cavazzuti is a reporter for „Mixer Planet Magazine” that has the website „mixerplanet.com”. She contacted me 7 months ago and asked me to supply her each 
month with the best 15 cocktails from „Cocktail Art”. It started as a small thing but now it became really famous. You appeared there several times, too. How does this work?
Well, if you appear there, I will tag you on Facebook and all your friends can see it. Next, you share it so that people can see it and it a very good way of promoting bartenders from all over the world.
I don’t do this for business. I am doing this to give the bartenders the opportunity to make a name for themselves. Nothing more, nothing less.
- What other bar projects are you doing right now?
I am working on a new idea of how to introduce spirits into my bar and make some homemade cocktails with them. As I said earlier, in my bar, Rotonda Bistro, the rule of the place is that I cannot have spirits with an abv higher than 21% ABV. This is because the place is a historical monument (Rotonda Besana) and the laws are very strict there. It is the same with the food. We cannot cook anything that releases heavy flavours and for that we bought a special oven that costed a bit over 15 000 euros. It was truly a challenge but we managed to pull it off.
This will be a long adventure since it is not that simple to make a cocktail with maximum 21% ABV. You have to study a lot of elements, water, dilution, temperatures, ABV rates, formulas, etc.
In the near future, I will be in Milan with Martini in „Gran Gala Del Aperitivo” with other 5 famous bartenders and Michelin star chefs. We will prepare cocktails, twists for the „Americano” and „Negroni” and will talk about 5 different bar epochs:
* 1800’s and Jerry Thomas, Harry Johnson, Frank Meyer
* The Speakeasy Times
* The 1950’s
* The 1980’s
* The future of bar tending.
I will be the one that will talk about the future of bar tending. And I not referring strict for the drinks and the bartenders because no one can really know this but my main subject is technology: how technology can help us with our business and our career. For instance there is a very nice app that can improve a lot of things in your bar.
[Unfortunately, we cannot disclose more details, since this is one of Diego’s surprise for all the bartenders involved in the „Maximum 21” project. All you have to do is to go to his Masterclass) 🙂
Technology is the real thing. It develops quickly, now me know just a little, but in 5 years we will know a lot more. Untill then maybe we can ask Zuckenberg for an advice? [laughs]
- You started this project „Maximum 21” last year and one of the cocktail trends predicted for this year is „Low Abv Cocktails”. Do you think this is a pure coincidence or this has to do with you?
No, this is pure coincidence. I don’t think that this trend is born from my work. I am not that powerful in this industry. [laughs] 
When talking about trends, I think it is all about timing. You see, when I started making cocktails with beer two years ago, no one wanted them, it wasn’t a great time for them.
This year, it is the best. All great bartenders are doing this now. Even Simone Caporale is known for making some great cocktails with beer.
It is true that one of the cocktail trends for 2016 is „Low Abv Cocktails” but that has nothing to do with me. Unfortunately! 🙂
- We see a lot of great Italian bartenders worldwide that are behind the stick in the most famous bar from all over the world, but we’ve seen lately a lot of tension inside the Italian bar tending community. How did this happen?
Unfortunately, this is still a big problem in Italy. Since the culinary shows arrived in Italy (like the ones stared by Gordon Ramsey, Masterchef, etc), Italians become critics overnight. Regarding all sorts of topics like food and drinks. This syndrome has spread into the Italian bar world and that makes me sad. 
People from outside sees us as a power but inside there are a lot of fights and disputes, basically over nothing. Silly things. Childish stuff.
We have to stay quiet. We have an amazing job and our main focus should be to stay connected with everyone. To help each other grow. If you are kind with other, kindness will come back for you.
Each of us have our own style. It is normal to be different, since we are different individuals and we should learn to respect that.
When I was in London last year, there was a lot of love among bartenders from different bars. They all recommend other bartenders for their skills and drinks. It was a wonderful thing to see and I think that us Italians, should learn from this.
- Now that you’ve seen and got to know the Romanian bartender community, what advice do you have for young, aspiring bartenders?
The power is in your hands! You have the power to connect yourself with other bartenders. You need help each other in this long road towards perfection and happy guests.
The last ten years had been focused mainly on flair bar tending but now we see a lot of interest in mixology, classic cocktails, in giving an experience for our guests. This should be your main goal!
Now things have changed, our guests are more informed that they used to be regarding cocktails, they travel a lot now and are eager to try new things. If they go abroad and have a nice cocktail, they expect the same when they come home. It is your duty, as a bartender, to know the classics, how to make a Manhattan, for instance, or an extent array of cocktails. This is how the profession should grow: guest and bartender, bartender and guest.
Romania in my opinion is on the right track, it is in continuous development. You and bartenders like Cãlin, Sergiu, Aida, Silviu and other Romanian top bartenders have created a community in your country and that is a best thing. Finaly!
- In a few hours, you will make a guest bar tending in Charlie. What have you prepared for us?
Yes, tonight I will make 4 cocktails for you. I already shown you three of them and the forth one will be a surprise.
First I will make a „French Mule” that has St. Germain liqueur, fresh ginger, fresh lime and ginger beer. Is truly a delicious mix that got a lot of attention lately from the ladies. 🙂
Then I will prepare for you the „Sanctorum” , an unusual mix between three liqueurs: St.Germain, Frangelico and Creme de Cacao with fresh lime juice, Boker’s bitters and egg white.
The „Pantheon” is a remake of an classic Negroni, but made with Bitter Bordiga, a very nice bitter from Italy that is made using only natural ingredients.
The final cocktail that I will be making it will be the „Liberty 1847”, a take on a classic „French 75” made with Spitz Gentian liqueur and Prosecco.
So, I have to go now since there will be a long night ahead of us, but not before saying thank you for all the guys that made this happen: Lucian from Charlie, Monin, Bordiga, Rossi D'Angera, Sergiu and Breasla Barmanilor. Grazie a tutti !!! 🙂
For the upcoming events organised by Breasla Barmanilor, please check out their Facebook page here!
