Corporate beverage manager and head mixologist, Passion F&B, Sherine John, tells us about his journey in the world of mixology.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in South India and ironically I started my hospitality journey in the kitchen as a trainee Chef. It was while working in the kitchen at one of the restaurants in Delhi that I was exposed to and developed a passion for the bar life. Mostly self-taught, I spent the early years of my professional life studying and researching global trends in bartending which gave me a better understanding of the nuances of beverages and workings of a bar. Mixology is a passion, which for me began in 2007. I picked up the basics of bar operations from my first bar experience in India, after which I spent a considerable amount of time in researching and travelling to get an in depth understanding of beverages and trends in international bartending.
How do you bring creativity to your drinks?
At Passion, our core philosophy revolves around the idea of continuous innovation. We try something new, interesting, and unique every day. We play around with flavours, using various techniques of creating drinks, sometimes even quietly picking up a kitchen equipment to explore developing an aspect which has been used in the concept of our food, but not yet tried out with beverages. Continuous research and exposure to international trends, techniques, and methodologies are an essential component for our team to keep the momentum of innovation going. At the end of it there is a story behind all our signature drinks, be it at Trèsind or those served at Carnival, which we feel add to the overall guest experience and a special touch.
What is your signature drink and why?
One of our most popular signature cocktails, recently introduced as part of the Evolution of Trèsind, is called Sailor’s Tattoo. It is an old-fashioned style cocktail which is prepared using Sailor Jerry spiced rum. To add to the experience, instead of doing the usual garnish, we serve the drink along with an edible tattoo, representing Sailor Jerry, which can be rolled like a cigar and eaten while sipping on the drink.
What is the most important factor in mixing the perfect beverage?
There are actually two factors, quality of ice used and serving temperature of the drink. Besides this, for us, the presentation and flavour of the drink is equally important.
Your favourite flavour to work with and why?
For a bartender, all flavours are interesting and unique, bringing with them their own opportunities and challenges. Though I don’t prefer to have a favourite, passion fruit and chocolate are two flavours which offer robustness for me to play around with our drinks. Passionfruit offers freshness, while chocolate is a great ingredient for garnishing.
How often do you experiment on your beverage offerings?
While our signature beverage menu, across Trèsind & Carnival, is revised regularly, we are continuously innovating and getting guest feedback through trial sessions or beverage focused events that we organise across our venues.
What do the coming months hold for your beverage menu?
We will explore revising our signature beverage menus while continuously innovating and showcasing fresh creations to our guests.
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