BARTENDER OF THE YEAR:
Graziella Nieto, Okku Dubai
You have achieved a remarkable amount in a short time — what drives you?
Working with such a great team in an incredible working environment is a huge driving force as well as seeing the smiles on the guests’ faces as we surprise them with great drinks or a bespoke cocktail.
Why is it important for bar professionals to take part in various competitions?
Participating in competitions pushes you to constantly improve your skills and keep up with current trends, techniques and tastes internationally. Global platforms are a great way to get together with other professionals and see what is going on in other countries as this can provide inspiration and bring new ideas to the workplace, this is especially the case in Dubai.
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How do you advise and train the new staff you mentor?
At Okku, we provide a very open forum and really encourage the whole team, especially the junior mixologists, to experiment with their palates using different ingredients.
We host tasting sessions at least once a month so we can challenge each other to come up with new creations, which benefits the guests. It’s unusual for a venue here to invest so much in the bar team and allow them to grow and develop.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
Being named Bartender of the Year at the Caterer Awards was a huge moment for me. Being one of the very few female mixologists in the region I am happy to have been recognised for my abilities.
I will be representing Okku and the whole UAE at the coming Global Mixology Masters 2011, held in Barcelona. This is such an amazing honour and I’m looking forward to showing the judges that Okku and the UAE can push the boundaries, and produce and nurture amazing talent that can compete on an international level.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
I am not sure. I am just following my dream, and this has been such an amazing journey and I think there is still a long way to travel, hopefully I will be part of the team to open Okku in other exciting cities like London and have a chance to experience working with the world’s finest.
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