- Name: Arati Mestry
- Instagram: @the_negroni_moron
- Favorite Drink: Paloma, if it’s a straight drink then a smoky whiskey or Monkey Shoulder
- Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Black coffee, if its outdoors then a Cortado
- Industry Experience: 12 years
A trailblazer in every sense, Arati’s life story speaks of her determination, passion and perseverance against all odds to find her calling. She started her career in the unlikeliest of places for any bartender: in the animation and video editing industry. Despite cracking several interviews and bagging a job in one of India’s leading animation companies, Arati couldn’t bring herself to take the job once she saw her soon-to-be cubicle. “I can never imagine myself fitting into that box, ever,” she confesses.
So began her out-of-the-box career in the field of the food and beverage industry with being a humble server at Pizza Hut. Despite being advised by her superior to take the managerial exams at the outlet, Arati turned down the opportunity to pursue her dreams by going back to college. A fire was lit inside her. She was ready to make her mark.
She graduated from the Institute of Technology and Management and Queen Margaret’s University which paved the way for her flourishing bartending career stirring drinks, putting smiles on her guests’ faces and immersing them in stimulating conversations. Although an introvert at heart, she brings out her social side while mixing drinks and creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship at the bar. She loves it when an exquisitely crafted cocktail puts a smile on her guests’ faces.
Arati was driven to the Food and Beverage industry because every time she served a drink or a dish, she loved receiving a smile on her guests’ faces. Moreover, earning their trust and engaging them in spirited conversations always felt very natural and effortless to her.
Besides being an expert bartender, Arati has won several accolades in myriad bartending competitions and is one of India’s leading female bartenders. Additionally, she is a part of LGBTQIA+ community, donning a lapel pin on her uniform proudly to show it’s a safe space for someone from the community to speak or authentically express themselves.
Close to completing her tenure as a Bar Manager at the Taj Hotels in Bengaluru, Arati is embarking on a journey towards the long-term plan of opening a quaint cocktail bar and to teach the new generation of bartenders. She wants the bar to be a safe space that allows people to be authentically themselves with no judgments. A place they can unwind, make memories and strike intense conversations while sipping their favorite cocktails.
Her advice to budding bartenders? Understand the basics of cocktails and invest time in practicing it. Don’t be in a rush to be a brand ambassador just yet. “There is no quick route to becoming a popular bartender,” she says. She also advices aspiring mixologists to understand who they are serving. Above all she encourages, “Don’t lose hope. There is much more to gain from this industry, but you need to invest time for that.”
– Written by Nemisha Sharma
