How it was possible to achieve

The secret St. Petersburg bar El Copitas took 39th place in the list of 50 best bars in the world and became the first St. Petersburg institution in the main ranking of World's 50 Best Bars. Prior to this, El Copitas got into an expanded list of the best bars twice.

The co -owner of the establishment, Artem Poruk, told Paper as international awards help Russian bartenders become part of the world industry, why the rating rarely does not get from the capitals and how previous awards affected the public El Copitas and their business.

Artem Porok

Co -owner El Copitas, founder and rector of the Bartenders Faqtory school

-In 2016, we took 76th place, in 2017-the 70s. The second fifty dollars is great, but it was considered a comforting prize. But over the past year we have done a tremendous work and ended up in the first fifty dollars. Nobody got there from St. Petersburg. And from Russia over ten years there were only three places in the first fifty dollars (Moscow City Space, Delicatessen and Chainaya. Tea & Cocktails - approx. "Papers" ).

For Russian bartending (the work of the bartender - approx. "Paper" ) and barrowing to get a bonus is very important for several reasons. Firstly, basically the most top-bearing bars are open either by bartenders or people close to this. There is a phrase: “The soldier who does not want to become a general is bad”: The Bartener who does not dream of opening his own bar is bad. And, of course, bartensers dream of being inside the global industry, and not just to be a well done inside their city or country.

Such events give (let the imaginary and subjective) the feeling that you are not a sucker, but a part of a large family, a large industry with a single language of terms and a single labor market: a person from Berlin can get a job in Barcelona, ​​and a person from London - to the States. And from Russia it is not clear where to get a job, because we have a lot of a ponon.

The second - it really helps to attract guests. The essence of hospitality is to give their guests to feel unique. Many people forget this principle and think that they go to the bar exclusively for drinks. But you can drink them at home. Therefore, it is necessary to somehow give guests the feeling that they are special, that they are waiting for them. This can be done with the most delicious drinks, the lowest prices - it does not matter. The feeling of self should be present in the bar, so it becomes loved and cool. The prize can also give your guests a sense of elitism. You want, for example, to go to dinner at the best restaurant where the best chef works. And it does not matter what award it is the best - this is also a kind of compliment to the guest.

The third point is the desire to work with alcoholic companies and partners. In our industry, alcoholic companies are mostly interested in the image. They want to work in cool places and pay bars for this huge money. And this coolness is created by the same international awards.

The fourth plus is that colleagues also want to work in a cool place. In addition, the bonus can make the bar be better. They noticed you, and you seemed to promise the whole world that you are great. A normal employer will try to justify this expectation.

But the most important nuance is foreignity. In Russia, in the post -Soviet time, it is very important to be what is called, International Acclaimed - foreignly seen. We are very fond of all foreign, and when you become recognized in the world, certain attention and respect arise.

In addition, our [Russian] bar industry is 20–25 years old, and their [western] is 250. We are in one way or another-from London, New York, Singapore. And every student wants to be in a party of teachers.

[Make a match for World's 50 Best Bars] is as difficult as possible. As far as I know, in the entire history of the rating, we are only the third bar not from the capital that got there.

How does this happen? You can be on this list if you were recommended and one of the famous bar figures of the world has voted for you (this year 505 people from 55 countries vote for bars-approx. “Papers” ). They used to be known. And many simply brought these guys - for their money or brand money. But for the past two years, the names of judges have not been published - it can be anyone.

It was especially difficult when we started: then there was no Moscow Show in St. Petersburg (the exhibition of the bar industry - approx. “Papers” ), there was no mescal (a Mexican strong alcoholic drink that is received from the rabid agave juice - approx. “Papers” ) - four years ago there was nothing. You could not say: "Come to St. Petersburg is the same city." [Come here] it was how to go to the village to grandfather.

The assessment is influenced by publicity, international, level of social responsibility, from judges - the desire to understand the region. Cocktails, atmosphere, music, conceptuality - they have certain points that they note. But this is not a sport: I am important or dislike. Maybe someone in Mexico robbed you and you can’t stand Mexico, but we have a Mexican bar.

Another criterion that should be taken into account: the judge had to visit this bar in the last 18 months and this bar should still exist. Suppose I want to support someone and vote for him: I need to provide evidence that I drank something there, spent time.

In addition, you should not be affiliated with the bar: you are not a co -owner, not Bartener in it, you did not give money and is not connected with the brand that works with it.

All guest-bartendings [in the ranking] are also not considered. Guest bartending is a cultural phenomenon when Bartender or a group travels to another bar, in another city or country, and begins to realize the atmosphere of its establishment there. Suppose we go to London: there will be our drinks, our music, our atmosphere. We do this so that people can be inspired and appreciated. And if you ended up inside this guest bartending somewhere in France, then this is not considered: the judge must visit the bar itself. Therefore, it is so difficult for us [Petersburgers]. Almost everyone who comes to us does it at our expense. We are not New York so that these judges are accidentally with us.

Secret for Europeans is not an indicator at all. But in no case we did not want to flirt with the concept of “secret bar” [when we started]: there was simply no money to open a normal bar that visitors could enjoy in the morning and in the evening. We spent [on the opening] million rubles - there was no longer a penny. How can you open a bar for a million? But for the public, tourists, journalists, it became a chip.

[The first hit in the rating] affected us as much as possible. We got to different tourist guides. And foreigners basically trust themselves: they look at all sorts of tripadweights, see comments in English and believe that they need to come. Now foreigners go to El Copitas much more often.

The prize influenced foreign attention - and this is very good. Now we have everything scheduled for about the next August. During these three years [after the first entering the rating] we traveled all the continents, all cool bars - exchanged experience. This is such a between the lander - and if you are in the ranking, everyone is happy and everyone wants to be friends with you.

In St. Petersburg, everyone wants to open their own bar, but how to do it?

Paperpaper.ru

The main thing about the premises, menu and alcohol license