- Name: Siya Negi
- Instagram: @siyanegi__
- Industry Experience: 4.5 years
- Favorite Drink: Tommy’s Margarita
- Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Coffee, served hot
Ever watched bartenders do fascinating things while flairing and getting inspired to become one? That’s exactly how Siya Negi’s journey began in semester two while attending bartending sessions from the KD Academy of Doon. From not knowing that a career in mixology even exists to becoming the Head of Bar Program at The Leela Palace, New Delhi, Siya’s journey is nothing short of a serendipitous adventure. Inspired by industry heavyweights like Ami Shroff and Shatbi Basu, Siya began charting her own journey into mixology. Her first stint at The Oberoi gave her hands-on experience with a standalone property, lessons that Siya is grateful to encounter so early on in her career.
We ask her about her most memorable career moment? “The first competition I participated in – the Delhi Cocktail Week… that competition was very crucial for me,” says Siya, given that it was the first ever and she won! “And then that gave me enough confidence to participate in other competitions also,” she adds. What followed next was a series of accolades from international competitions like Diageo’s WORLD CLASS in 2022, where she ranked among the top 6 bartenders in India, followed by a runner up title for DIAGEO WORLD CLASS INDIA 2023 .
Having tested the waters on both sides, Siya believes hotel bars have a unique advantage over standalone ones — infrastructure, bar design and clientele. There’s also the quiet luxury that comes by way of personalized service, peppered with “a lot of attention and anticipation.” A diverse clientele, elevated experience and access to premium ingredients and resources is the secret sauce. In the same breath, Siya adds most hotel bars aspire to unique bar setups like standalone outlets with interesting cocktail programs but fall short on the execution. She suggests focusing on elevating the bar space, nurturing the bartender’s talent through bar training sessions, personality development classes and of course, “strong bar concepts along with storytelling to create a buzz in the market.”
We also chatted about the current bar scene in India, particularly bar pop-ups, which Siya believes are excellent opportunities for growth and excitement on both sides of the table, provided they’re done judiciously. If the frequency is too often, “then it becomes hectic for the bartenders also. The good thing about these pop ups, though, is they bring long term revenue” Given the right kind of hype and regular planning, guests get a chance to experience a variety, become loyal patrons and get to enjoy the excitement of a bar-hopping scene! For bartenders, these become the bedrock to learn and grow alongside experts both from within and outside India. Plus there is the opportunity to travel to different cities and countries, experience the culture and glean new tips and tricks alongside industry experts. Any tips for new bartenders? “Focus on the basics,” says Siya. Her rule for long-term success is simple, “when they are starting their career, I think they should not use shortcuts” Once you attain some level of proficiency, bend and break all the rules you want, but begin with the basics!
Siya finds the current trend of bartenders getting as much (if not more) recognition as chefs promising. Whether it is special food and cocktail pairings, unique savoury cocktails like the ones by The Savoury Project to taking pride in local ingredients, the future for bartenders is ripe with promise. And what about her plans for the future? Like every bartender, Siya’s long-term dream is to have her own bar. Her inspiration comes from her two main loves and her own experiences behind the bar, “Whenever a guest asks can I have a coffee in the bar, the answer is almost always no. I don’t like that. I think I want to have a bar which serves coffee and cocktails both!” Here’s toasting to Siya’s successful entrepreneurship in the future!
– Nagwa Kureshi