2009 Aug 18 Spirit "It" Away: An Interview with Bob Louison
Bob Louison started out bartending in Paris, but it was in London that he really earned his bartending and cocktail-mixing stripes. “Everyone told me London is ‘the’ place to be if you want to be a bartender,” Louison explained. Bob arrived in Beijing in April 2008, working in ChinaDoll in 3.3 before launching Spirit “It” with Ariel Tang. Spirit “It” runs cocktail-making classes and offers bar management services at events and parties, with Bob and Ariel at the forefront of the company. We asked Bob about his career as a master of the mix and what Spirit “It” is all about.
Has bartending always been your passion?
Since the moment I first stood up behind the bar and shook my first cocktail, I knew that it was what I wanted to do, that I was meant for it. Working behind a bar allows you to meet people from all around the world, without moving anywhere. You can learn so much by talking with the customers. People like to share their life experience and tell stories. Most of all, being a bartender allows you to work anywhere in the world. It is always easy to find a job as a bartender.
What inspired you to start Spirit “It”?
I came to China with the dream to start my company based on the bar consulting and training. When I got here, I observed people’s lifestyles and the standard of drink industry, and I talked to people to see what they thought Beijing was missing. Through my work I met Ariel. She's a brilliant and talented person, specialized in marketing and PR. We saw we could blend our skills and knowledge, and we just said ''Let's do it!'' Grand Marnier and Pernod-Ricard helped us a lot at the beginning and give us a lot of events and bar training so we could get recognition and meet people. We are very grateful for that.
What were you looking to achieve with the company?
We want to make all the bartenders we meet to feel proud of their job and enjoy it, so that they become curious and try to create new recipes and new techniques of bartending and service.To try to improve the service with their own style and personality. We also hope that soon people will start to tips the bartenders when they go out in bars. We are looking for to raise the standard of the drink industry in Bejing and in other cities around China. We also want to get people interested in every aspect of cocktails and spirits. That's why we created our cocktail classes together with Guillaume Deon, the brand ambassador of Grand Marnier. We hope that by passing on knowledge, we will encourage people to order cocktails instead of a bottle of whiskey or cognac in the clubs. I will be so happy the day I go out and see at least one cocktail on every table in Beijing bars and clubs. For a bartender there is nothing more boring than just serve a full of bottle of spirits.
Who are the cocktail classes aimed at?
Mostly at beginners, people who never made a cocktail before. Experienced people, such as bartenders, are also welcome. We just want people to have fun.
How do the classes work?
The main spirit we use is Grand Marnier, as they sponsor the classes. Each class, we help participants discover a range of new cocktails based on different themes, with
an infinite background of flavors. We teach people a little about spirits to make them curious, so when they go to bars they ask bartenders questions, or to learn more about drinks on their own. In class, each person makes four or five cocktails. It’ll make you feel like a real bartender for 2 hours.
Can anyone learn to mix good drinks?
It’s all about love and passion for the drinks. In order to make nice cocktails, it’s up to each individual to listen to themselves and express what they like and feel.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
We hope that, in the future, every time someone hosts an event or party and needs good drinks with good service, or wants to have a bar show, they think Spirit “It.” We’re doing more and more events every weeks. We would like to work with spas, mixing our cocktail concept with a therapy theme. While you are relaxing you sip a healthy cocktail made with Navan Vanilla liquor or other something similarly smooth and delicate. We’re developing the concept of private parties in houses and apartments. We bring the alcohol, juices, glasses, and a mobile bar if needed. We also want to expand our cocktail classes across China and even Asia.
What makes the perfect cocktail?
When the customer sip his or her drink and suddenly have a big smile appearing on his face.
For more information on Spirit “It” cocktail classes and other services, contact Bob and Ariel at bobariels@gmail.com.
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