Working as a bartender can be a fantastic job, but it’s not for everyone. Serving cocktails is not all that a cocktail server does. There are some talented professional bartenders that go much further than that. Today we are going to try to show you another aspect of their job.
Hi Matthias, we’d love you to tell us about where you are from and where you live now?
MATTHIAS – I’m from Guadeloupe a small French island, I’m 36 and I have been working in the bar industry for 20 years and now I live in Paris.
URLOPOP – What a wonderful city Paris! What does your job consist of?
MATTHIAS – My job is opening and developing all Buddha Bars around the world and all our different brand from Buddha Bar world group and creating lots of new cocktails and mocktails experience, together with all my bar team around the world.
URLOPOP – For our readers that do not know the meaning of the word mocktails, these are alcohol-free cocktails. The expression comes from the word “mock” that means to imitate or mimic.
How long have you been doing this work? And how many years have you been involved with Buddha Bar?
MATTHIAS – I began this job when I was 16 years old and by the time I turned 18 I was in Bar Fly Paris (first concept opening by my group before first Buddha bar) after I have worked around the world without the group and I have been back for 10 years to take charge of all bar development.
URLOPOP – You have an impressive career, you have been working in different places around the world. How was your experience in Moscow?
MATTHIAS – My experience in Moscow was great, not easy at the beginning because it’s not easy to communicate with all my team (because I don’t speak Russian) but it was great. In Russia the bar culture is very good and you have good bartenders and very interesting guests.
URLOPOP – In which clubs did you work before the Buddha Bar? We know that you worked in Dubai, how was life there?
MATTHIAS – I worked in different places (luxury hotels, private beaches, night clubs, cocktails bars)
URLOPOP – What do you like of Paris, and what you would like to change?
MATTHIAS – Paris is a magical city but I have to say that after travelling around the world each city has something special.
URLOPOP – What kind of studies did you do?
MATTHIAS – I was in bar school for 3 years and after I did 2 years hospitality training in France.
URLOPOP – How did you end up working for Buddha Bar? Was it just a coincidence or something you planned?
MATTHIAS – At the beginning it was just a coincidence and after was real special history.
URLOPOP – What is your favourite kind of cocktail? And your favourite wine?
MATTHIAS – I don’t have any special favourite cocktail, I really like discovering new flavours and trying new experiences, for the wine I really like sweet white wine from Alsace in France.
URLOPOP – Would you like to mention someone that has worked with you and you would like to thank?
MATTHIAS – I really want say a BIG THANK YOU to all my bar chefs and bar teams from around the world because without them I couldn’t have done what I have done today, all of my inspiration has come from around the world!!!
URLOPOP – Tell us about an evening or an event you enjoyed in particular?
MATTHIAS – All my different cocktails festivals are magic because I really get to exchange ideas with all my teams and I can propose new experiences for a lot of different guests.
URLOPOP – Your job has taken you around the world, which is the best place you visited so far?
MATTHIAS – All the World! And all the different cultures and peoples.
URLOPOP – What are your projects for the future?
MATTHIAS – To continue to discover, continue to create, continue to exchange with all people from around the world and maybe create my first bar World Laboratory.
