A day for the industry, by the industry.
8th May, 2017 was a special day for some really special people. Iβm talking about those people who rarely get to have a party to themselves because they are busy throwing you one. House parties, big music festivals, wedding naach gaanas, bachelor and bachelorette shenanigans, sundown soirees; you name it, and they will be there. Weβre talking about the people behind the bar of course. You know, the ones who skilfully put two and two (sometimes more than two) together and get the best possible formula out of it. You wouldnβt disagree when I say that these formulas are even better than what maths can ever think of achieving. With booze flowing into our blood, we donβt care about flaunting our mismatched moves on the dance floor. So letβs be honest here, itβs about time these party-starters got exactly what they deserve, a day celebrating them.
Bacardi Bartenderβs Day Out was an initiative by Cocktails and Dreams, Mumbai β a bartending school renowned for introducing the world to some of the best bartenders in the business, in sponsorship with Bacardi. Cocktails and Dreams have been successfully dishing out top-notch bartenders since as early as 2005. Founders Mr. Kishore Thapar and Mr. Vijaypal Rawat, along with their core team, headed by Mr. Pranav Thakkar, put on an unforgettable show for everyone in attendance. The whoβs who in business came down to show their support and indulge in the revelry that was a celebration of their achievements. Bartenders, both novice and experienced, flew down from all corners of the world to celebrate a day curated just for them at Razzberry Rhinoceros, Juhu.
Kishore Thapar, Vijaypal Rawat and Pranav Thakkar
We Came. We Saw. We Loved.
Starting as early as 3pm, Razzberry Rhinoceros welcomed enthusiastic revellers to warm up and prepare for the long night ahead. The sea view was breathtaking, even under the scorching afternoon sun. The dΓ©cor was tasteful, with just the bare minimum making a big statement. Bacardi made their presence felt in a big way too, with a colourful art installation that looked out into sea, serving as a the perfect place to get your photo taken. A stage was set up for the performers of the night to get their freak on. The VIP zone made for a cosy corner for the big names to network over cocktails and more. All in all, the venue was set up very well, with all the right elements in the right places.
All Play And No Work Makes Jack A Happy Boy
For a change, the ones hard at work in a party had the chance to let their hair loose. There was a range of fun games strategically placed around the venue to keep people busy. You name it and people were working their skill there, right from Foosball to Jenga to Ring Toss to Breezer Pong to Drinko. Competitions were held to make it more interactive and it worked. People couldnβt stop but bring out their gamer selves.
The performers of the evening were a delight as well and they got the crowd to lighten up way before alcohol started doing the rounds. The DJs made sure the music never stopped, with the only exception being the time comedian Angad Singh Ranyal from East India Comedy took the stage. He belted out some relatable boozy jokes that got the audience in splits. MC Sid took the stage for a hilarious rap session that deserved an encore and got one too. The night concluded with DJ Akhtar taking the console and spinning some dance-worthy tunes.
Congratulations And Celebrations
The most important segment of the evening was the felicitation ceremony that was specially held to acknowledge and applaud the achievements of the game changers in the industry. Yangdup Lama (Mixologist and Owner/partner at Thirsty Three Hospitality, Cocktails & Dreams), Vikram Achanta (co-founder and CEO of Tulleeho), Nischal Gurung (Director, Mixologik), Nitin Tiwari (Director Razzberry Rhinoceros), Irfan Ahmed were felicitated along with past winners of The Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition. This yearβs winner β Pawan Singh Rawat, will be representing India in the world championships. Industry big wigs like Devraj Sanyal (Managing Director & CEO at Universal Music Group, India & South Asia), Aman Anand (founder of Kickstart Entertainment), Riyaaz Amlani (CEO of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd), Deepak Choudhary (Co-Founder & Director, Event Capital) and Vikas Bhatia (Director On Premise – HORECA. – βRed Bull India Pvt. Ltd.) were handed over a memorabilia for their contributions to the industry.
Afternoon To Night. An Out And Out Delight
Once the formalities for the night has wrapped up, it was a party for all. Music kept everyone on the toes. Booze was flowing and starters were on the move. Everybody got the opportunity to network with each other and form credible business connections. People got exactly what they came for.
We managed to catch hold of a very busy Mr. Pranav Thakkar, who stopped by to give us a lowdown on the event.
βAfter 12 years in the industry, something has to be done for bartenders and we, as a company, have grown because of them. This was just a day for them. We didnβt think so many people would turn up but they did and thatβs great. Bartenders are always working when others are celebrating. So we had to give them their day. Everyone who had our support during their events came down to support us in this initiative.β
C&D Team With The Chief Guests
The Sherp had a great time and couldnβt have asked for a better Monday evening. We highly await the next edition!
(Image Credits: Bartender’s Day Out)