#WednesdayWisdom - ‘Cocktails at the Connaught Bar’ with Agostino Perrone
Agostino Perrone, Director of Mixology at the Connaught Bar
This weeks’s Wednesday Wisdom is brought to you by the master mixologist and creative mind behind the The World’s Best Bar and The Best Bar in Europe.
Agostino Perrone, Director of Mixology at the Connaught Bar answers our questions about the art of cocktail making, how he became the world’s leading mixologist and his inspiration and approach when building best in class cocktail menus.
What is mixology and how did you become the world’s leading mixologist?
Mixology is the art of blending flavours in a liquid harmony. It is a form of art that goes hand in hand with hospitality to transcend the pure chemistry of the mix, because no cocktail experience is remarkable without the personalised moment a bartender is able to deliver alongside the serve.
I got here by dedicating all my efforts and passion to this work. I never spared myself from new experiences, no matter how hard they would be, in order to grow and learn new techniques, new ingredients and cultural approaches. Most importantly, I have always let my vision guide me throughout my career. It is fundamental to stick to your beliefs and work to bring to life and your own personalised style in order to stand apart.
Tell us about your favorite infusions, syrups and craft cocktails. What advanced techniques are used in mixology and where can a bartender learn this?
We’re always in contact with ingredients and flavours through our work but also our connections with other artisans of taste. The learning process never stops, and one should seek inspiration and knowledge in all sorts of encounters and opportunities beyond schools and bars. The experience on field is paramount as it enables bartenders to really experiment with professional tools and ingredients in order to perfect their creations. For example, at The Connaught our team works a lot with equipment such as rotavapor and sous-vide machines in order to create signature preparations.
We re-interpret the inspiration that comes from external stimulus to create our own flavours and techniques. Bergamot is the example of an ingredient that we have been owning, using it throughout many styles of cocktail preparations until we’ve made our signature Martini bitter out of it. You should always add your personal essence and message to a creation.
How do you build a menu?
We start from an overall concept, from our inspiration, to build a brief that we hand to the entire team to interpret and respond to. Each member of the team brings ideas and recipe proposals to the table and we start working together on combinations of flavours and techniques to bring cocktails to life, with a great balanced taste and a story too.
Sometimes a cocktail can build on our conceptual idea for the menu, sometimes on a specific ingredient, technique or even a personal story. We never follow the same process, we let creativity flow and always push our boundaries while also being guided by our technical expertise, in line with our in-house cocktail and service style.
Where do you find inspiration?
Inspiration hits you when you least expect it. We base the Connaught Bar cocktails and experiences on personal stories, travels, encounters. Everything can inspire you and we are always ready to gather memories and thoughts in order to convert these into fine drinking experiences for our guests. It’s a personal instinct that we give structure to, thanks to the expertise and technical skills we apply to the creative process.
How important is your work as a brand ambassador to your success?
We are ambassadors of the Connaught Bar and of Italian hospitality around the world. We have managed, throughout the years, to take our signature hospitality style to every corner of the world we have visited because we believe in our approach to the bar experience, and we take pride in our roots which have integrated in the local London scene to elevate the offering for our guests.
