King of Mixology

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31 Oct 2014
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2 min read
What would Jun Nartia – Head Barman at Pisco Bar at Coya, London – do if he were King of Mixology for the day?

I’d wake up to

…the sound of a rooster, sun rays piercing through the window, and an English breakfast in bed with an Espresso Martini on my side table waiting for me to kick start the day ( all day (-: )

I’d drink and eat…

…Forget about breakfast, I’m not a breakfast guy. My lunch would be nothing but grilled seafoods pairedwith Ti Punchmade by “the maestro” Salvatore Calebrese withagricole rum, fresh lime, sugar. It’s a simple cocktail but trust me, it’s the best choice when you are sitting in the sun, sea and sand.

I’d prioritize…

…quality then quantity;it’s not how much or how fast you can make cocktails, but it’s about the overallconsistency of the cocktail.If you get that secured then quantity will follow.

I’d make sure every knows about…

…Takanakuy its a unique Christmas dancing and fist fighting festival in Chumbivilcas, Peru, where people resolve their problems through slugging it out. WearingPeruvian ski mask and cowboy bootsthey all have breakfast at a local church and drink before the fighting starts. After the fight, they all end up having more drink together with their foes.

The national drink would be…

…rum, as much as most ladies are afraid to drink it. With ahint of chocolate, creamy, nuttycaramel or liquid butterscotch and vanilla,it’s a great alternative for a dessert substitute. For a lighter option,”don’t shoot it, just sip it”.

My Royal Palace would be…

…perched on a cliff next to the beach with bashing waves, the sound of seagulls in the distance with my favourite cocktail in hand.

My people would have to…

…be creative, fun and happy, experimental, strange, different, and be a lovely bunch.

I’d bring back

…old school bartenders, because these guys are more focused on the cocktails rather than on how they look behind the bar. There is nothing worse than ordering a badly mixed drinkfrom a well presented bartender!

I would travel…

…to the Andes mountain, and grab as much jungle herbs and fruits as I can and be the first mixologist to create a cocktail out of the unique flavours that I’ve foraged.

I would knight…

…molecular mixologist, Tony Conigliaro whoI worked with to help young bartenders develop their skills in the bar industry. The way he creates drinks are exceptional;it is not just about the taste, butmore about the structure of the drink and how the individual flavours work and react together. That is the cool thing about it, there is so much learn…

Coya | 118 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7NW |coyarestaurant.com