Stories

Nicola Loiacono

1 April 2020

My Story

The Style

Nationality: Italian
Occupation: Senior Bartender
Workplace: Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration, London
Favorite Cocktail: Boulevardier
Favorite Spirit: Whisky

What inspired you to become a bartender:

My inspiration was born when I was a child, when I was at the bar with my dad and I saw all those coloured bottles, not knowing what they were. I have been curious for years, until I had a chance to study them and answer all my questions while falling in love of this amazing world.

Tell me about your bartending journey and how you got to where you are now:

My journey started when I attended the hospitality school in Italy that introduced me to this world. I started as a waiter and then my passion gave me the chance to develop until I decided to start travelling the world. I went to Australia, then Miami and now I’ve been in London for over three years. I tried to follow my passion for the bar with dedication and while making sacrifices to where I am now – almost in charge of the bar at Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration. I am proud of myself and really happy about my team and our jobs.

What stamp would you like to leave on the industry:

I’m a really empathetic person (maybe too much), Im passionate and especially funny. I want to see the customers coming to the bar not only to have a good cocktail, but also to enjoy the show as if I’m a comedian behind the counter. That is what I want to leave to the industry: every time someone talks about me I want people to smile spontaneously. That would make me feel really happy.

Can you explain your personal process for creating a cocktail:

I can create a cocktail for many reasons: competitions, brands, Instagram or new drink lists at Mr Fogg’s. The process I use the most to create a cocktail is to try to follow my style, researching new ingredients or vessels that remind me of the concept of the venue, or the brand. I brainstorm while looking at the brand, the story, where it is produced, and the ingredients. Then when I find the ingredients I want to use, I try the recipes and balance them out. Everything is about trying to find sustainability for our planet and of course, our wallets.

What is the most important part of what you do and what does it mean to you:

The most important part of our job is the hospitality and the experience that you give to your guest. You can drink the best cocktail in the world, be the best bartender with the best knowledge, but if you cannot give an experience with a smile, service, and a little story behind the cocktail, you will not go far.

What do you think will be the future of the F&B industry:

Having a look at the situation we are in nowadays, in my opinion, F&B will be looking desperately for new ingredients and techniques from all over the world. Another thing that we have and will need, is social media. I don’t know how to feel about it because in this way, we are going to lose the purity of this job. It’s fine either way for me because I love to be the centre of attention.

Anything that would you like to add?

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Most bizarre client request:

The Most bizzare client request, I’m ashamed to admit, was when a lady asked me to take ice out of the glass and then to warm it up with the steam wand.