With nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, Alessandro Vella is a professional bartender known for his extensive knowledge of spirits and his intuitive ability to engage customers one-on-one. Currently serving as the Senior Bartender at The Donovan Bar, part of Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel, Alessandro has previously worked as a bartender at Splendido in Italy, 45 Park Lane, and The Bath Priory in London as well. Friendly and open, Alessandro is dedicated to creating loyal clientele by providing customized experiences that turn simple moments into lasting memories.

Here’s an interview with Alessandro Vella.

Your current place of work / Last place of work.

The Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel

Source: The Donovan Bar

Can you tell us about your journey into bartending? What inspired you to become a bartender?

Looking back at when I was a kid in my living room at home, where I grew up in Italy my grandfather, 40 years ago built a bar with proper counter, stools, bottle shelves, and fridges. Fortunately or unfortunately who knows, my parents do not drink alcohol so that bar had a different use: my mother kept her books there at first, and after became the place for my toys to be stored. Growing up and studying at the Hospitality school I started to learn about cocktails and looking at that bar at home I wanted to give it back its soul. I took all the books and toys away and replaced them with bottles to start practicing. This was no longer my game place but it quickly became my favorite spot to spend most of my time to improve my cocktail-making technique.

What training or education did you receive to become a professional bartender?

I started my career attending the Hospitality school back home in Italy and immediately fell in love with this job. I have been doing internship programs since I was 16. This helped me a lot to build relationships with guests and colleagues and it let me understand what this job was all about. At the age of 18, I graduated and I then moved to the UK where my Hotel career began. I did not follow many training programs if not masterclasses and mentorships by people I worked with through those initial years of my career.

What are the essential skills every bartender should possess?

I think bartending is not only about making great cocktails but is a way bigger world. You need to be knowledgeable about the products you mix daily, have a good shaking technique, know how to make homemade preparations, and be creative. With this said I think one of the biggest skills a bartender should possess is “Timing” and it does not only apply to service but to everything that goes around us: you need to find the right time to speak with your colleagues and with your guests, find the right time to jump into a conversation or just find the right time to create a cocktail for your guests.

What do you look for when you plan to buy new products for your business?

When planning on adding something new to our spirit list there are many factors to be considered. Is it the right product for our environment? Will our guests appreciate it? Is it a versatile product I can use for different purposes? Is it something authentic? Does it have a story to tell? Once these conditions are met I then want to understand if that specific product will be always available.

How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in mixology?

Exploring everything which is related to this world from magazines to podcasts not to mention traveling around the world. Travels open up your mind and let you encounter different cultures and lifestyles and meet new people who can be a source of inspiration as well as make new friends.

Source: Alessandro Vella

Can you describe your process for creating a new cocktail? What inspires your creations?

Everything you can think of could be a source of inspiration: flavors, memories, dishes, artworks, and so on. When working on a new cocktail I usually think about what I want to achieve with that cocktail, who is going to drink it, is it for a competition. Is it for a Menu? Is it for an event?  From there I start to work on the story of it and so I get flavors together.

Can you discuss any innovative techniques or ingredients you’re currently experimenting with?

Lately, we have been using many innovative techniques such as Rotavapor and Spinzall. We are also using techniques such as fat and milk washing which have become more popular in recent years. What we do like to do at the bar is to use simple ingredients to create flavors everyone can relate to such as apples, peaches, or strawberries. We present cocktails that may look very simple but they are complex in the behind-the-scenes preparations. We want the ingredients to be elevated to their maximum expression.

What are some current trends in the UK drinks industry that you find exciting?

One of the trends happening now in the UK is the low-ABV cocktails scene and I find it really interesting because once out you can decide to try more than one cocktail so in this way you are able to discover and taste more flavors. Tequila is very popular at the moment in the UK as well as Rum and Sherry, which are having a big coming back after years of absence.

How has the cocktail scene in the UK evolved over the past few years?

I think the UK cocktail scene, especially in London has always been one of the leading in the world, always there to create new ideas and trends to spread around the world considering the heritage of many classic cocktails created over the years. I feel like in the last couple of years we have lost many professionals due to different circumstances and at the moment we are experiencing a tough time but like history teaches us there will be a new bloom soon.

What are your thoughts on the growing popularity of non-alcoholic spirits and low-ABV cocktails?

I am a very big fan of non-alcoholic and low-ABV cocktails in recent years people have been very meticulous about the calories they consume daily. When I first started bartending every nonalcoholic cocktail was made with juices and pre-mixed syrups, having guests not happy about the final results. Fortunately, lately, many great non-alcoholic beverages have been created so we as bartenders can offer our guests fantastic cocktails with no alcohol but still very tasty.

Source: Alessandro Vella

How do you handle difficult or unruly customers?

I think there is no specific rule to follow because every customer is different so you should approach them in different ways and read the situation you are involved in.

How does sustainability influence your work behind the bar? Are there any eco-friendly practices you implement?

Keeping high sustainability in a 5-star hotel bar I think is something really difficult because we always need to guarantee a high level of freshness for our guests.

We try to do everything in our power to give a second life to ingredients that most of the time will be otherwise wasted for example berries used for daily mise en place at the end of the day are turned into juices or crisps, or cucumbers still used for daily mise en place are then turned in a lacto-fermented syrup.

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Any good customer story that you recall that comes to mind.

Many actually, but like every good story they cannot be told. With this in mind, the stories I like the most about bars are when guests get to meet with other guests and become friends, or they meet again in the same place after years they have not seen each other.

What are the biggest challenges you face in managing a bar, and how do you overcome them?

I am not a manager but I hold a senior bartender position where I act a bit as a filter between the line staff and the junior and senior management. My role is to pass information above and below.

How do you see the role of bartenders evolving in the next five years?

I think bartenders lately are a bit like chefs. First of all, we work very closely and with similar products and techniques. As many chefs gained a lot of popularity and opened up with so many restaurants in recent years I think bartenders are on the same path just until a couple of years ago people just cared about eating well I think currently and in the future people will also care way more about what they have in their glasses.

If you could only use five ingredients behind the bar, what would they be and why?

Hospitality, Passion, Flair, Love, and Ice. Everything else is just a liquid.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in bartending?

Almost everyone I know would say: “Don’t do it”, what I always say is:” Do it” it will teach you so many things you will be able to use in life, like knowing how to relate with people in different situations and different moods, knowing how to manage stress and what to give priority first.

Also when you encounter difficulties never give up, you will find bumps and obstacles in your way during your journey, issues make it even more interesting and rewarding, especially once you overcome them. There will be sleepless nights, and weeks with no free time but your efforts will pay back sooner rather than later.