“You can have a perfect drink, but if everything else is flat and boring, there’s no reason for the guest to return,” says Marian Beke, founder of the legendary Gibson bar, now based in Berlin. In an interview with VisitChef, he talks about the differences between London and Berlin, the role of hospitality in modern bars, and why the overall experience matters more than the cocktail itself.

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“I think making a good cocktail is actually quite easy. Guests don’t come primarily for the drinks, but for the atmosphere, hospitality, and the people,” says Adam Eddy Bursik, a Slovak bartender currently working at the Origin Bar in Singapore. In an interview for VisitChef, he speaks openly about burnout in Asian bar culture, the behind-the-scenes reality of the World’s 50 Best Bars list, and why bartenders often create menus mainly for themselves.

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“One of the biggest misconceptions is that The World’s 50 Best Bars is based more on popularity than on experience. In reality, at its core, it’s very much an experience-driven list. It’s important to understand that guest shifts and pop-ups are not eligible for voting. We always say you should deliver the best possible experience to every guest who walks through your door. Try to see the award as a by-product of that hard work, rather than the end goal itself,” says Emma Sleight, Head of Content and Creative at the prestigious The World’s 50 Best Bars ranking.

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“Our inspiration for producing Savanna rums comes from the wild nature of Réunion Island. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to understand why you would sell a rum for, say, €50 a bottle when they can buy another one for €10. I believe transparency is essential for rum and its producers, because many people still see rum as something sweet or cheap. But real rum is not about that. It becomes especially important at a time when consumers want to know what they are drinking. Let’s show them what’s inside the bottle so they can make their own comparisons,” says Samuel Pitarch of Savanna Distillery on Réunion Island.

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“Guests come to a bar for the experience, and it’s our role to create a deeper connection with them. When you have a regular guest and know what they like to drink, you begin to build a relationship. Simply asking, ‘How was your day?’ or ‘What’s on your mind?’ can turn an ordinary guest into a VIP,” says Cassandra Eichoff, Director of the European Bartender School in Cape Town.

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„Cibuli, kmín a uzené jsme s sebou vezli do Marseille na evropské kolo Bocuse d’Or jako národní chutě. Představte si, že se musíte trefit do chutí dvaceti členů poroty v jeden moment – v té chvíli je těžké udržet signature styl. Kdybys za mnou šel do restaurace, budu vařit podle sebe. Na Bocuse d’Or ale vařím ze surovin, které vybral někdo jiný, a musím vyhovět porotě. Ze strany Makro ČR jsem měl obrovskou podporu po celou dobu příprav na soutěž,“ říká dvojnásobný vítěz národního kola nejprestižnější světové gastronomické soutěže Bocuse d’Or, čerstvě třináctý na evropském kole Bocuse d’Or a Executive Chef Makro Akademie.

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“My family has deep roots in barbecue cooking, and I am proud of that tradition. It took me 18 months of experimentation and refinement to fine-tune the timing and technique of roasting duck and achieve the ideal smokiness from cherry wood,” says Daren Liew, a world-renowned Asian cuisine expert who earned a Michelin Guide star for the London restaurant Duddell’s and now leads another top-tier venue, Nanyang Blossom.

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„Když si dáte sousto do pusy, chutě vám mají doslova střílet na všech chuťových centrech. Je to exploze chutí. Už od sedmé třídy jsem tíhnul k tomu udělat perfektní burger. Hledáme cestu, jak se vrátit k větší tučnosti a šťavnatosti. Burger, který dnes děláme, jsem původně vůbec nevytvořil pro FatFuck,“ říká majitel FatFuck Smash Burgers Tomáš Linhart.

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