#30, Ivan Villegas, Spanish Bartender in London (now Mountain, ex-NoMad London, ex-Davies & Brook, ex-Swift) & CAP

The Philip Duff Show

I've known Ivan since 2013, when, still a fulltime photojournalist, he moonlighted bartending at the seminal O'Clock bar in Madrid (90 gins & 7 tonic waters - in 2013!) and became a finalist in the G'Vine Gin Connoisseur Program contest which I organised, so we got to hang out for a week at the world finals in Cognac, France.
Ivan then moved to London to be a full-time bartender (and I moved to New York), so we don't get to hang out as much as I'd like, therefore this was a sprawling three-hour catch-up over mezcal and whiskey, touching on, among other topics:
- All the fun of the Feria in Spain
- Pros and cons of guest bartending and takeovers
- Why people hiring bartenders should check references
- Being a CAP (Cocktail APprentice) at the Tales of the Cocktail festival
- Striving for excellence in bar programs and restaurants
- Why some of the best bars really only sparkle 1 night out of 30
...and a whole bunch more!
(PS, Mountain, where Ivan works, is the new place from chef Tomos Parry (of restaurant Brat), and it's getting rave reviews - so next time you're in London.....)
Ivan on IG: https://instagram.com/ivanivan?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Ivan on FB: facebook.com

Get in touch with Duff!
Podcast business enquiries: [e-mail]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.)
Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, brand creation and repositioning: [e-mail]
Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com
Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com
Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/oldduff...

Chương

1. Weather, Seasons, and Travel (00:00:00)

2. Bartender Journey and Career Transition (00:13:11)

3. Contests and Brand Ambassadors (00:28:26)

4. Accusations, Theft, and the Consequences (00:43:01)

5. Hospitality Industry Experiences and Career Growth (00:57:18)

6. Culture's Impact on Hospitality Training (01:08:46)

7. Evolution and Adaptation in Bar Management (01:19:16)

8. Bartending to Restaurant With Drinks Transition (01:25:23)

9. Ambitions and Fear in Hospitality (01:32:40)

10. Hospitality Industry Challenges and Changes (01:43:30)

11. Appreciating Curiosity and Adapting to Change (02:00:35)

12. The Importance of Curiosity and Engagement (02:08:45)

13. Challenges of Bartending in Expensive Cities (02:23:35)

14. Advice and Future Plans With Ivan (02:39:08)