Journalism of Courage
The silent of all spirits is a cocktail favourite. Or so thinks Delhi-based mixologist Yangdup Lama. “Vodka is originally colourless,odourless and tasteless. But recently,an array of flavoured vodkas has hit the market – it’s a refreshing change,” he adds. He may be in a promotional mood; after all,he worked with United Spirits Limited to develop dual flavoured vodkas for Vladivar which launched in Pune on Saturday. But he is a creative person and soon veers from hot selling a product to working on ideas. At the moment,think: tangy orange and pepper; green apple and mint; and lemon and mint. At Curve,ABC Farms,Koregaon Park,he pleased the crowd with his concoctions and shared some tricks of his trade.
In Delhi,Lama runs Cocktails & Dreams,a school of bar and beverage management. “When I started,16 years ago,there was no scope to take up bartending as a full-fledged career. Today,the industry has grown. There are so many opportunities,” he says. Hailing from Darjeeling,he completed his hotel management from Kolkata and joined Hyatt Regency,New Delhi,as a bar captain. “I became a bartender and mixologist quite by accident,” he reveals. Quite unlike the young boys and girls who come to his school to train. “Just recently,we had a call from a girl practising medicine but wants to learn how to bartend. But,I’ve noticed that very few of the girls actually take it forward as a career because of the ‘safety’ factor,” he says.
Next on the cards for this passionate mixologist is a book titled Cocktails & Dreams. He’s worked with a friend,Gitanjali,who he describes as a “cocktail freak”,to churn out 50 recipes. “Twenty are international classics while 30 are signature recipes by us,” he says. Cheers.
