In 2024 there will be no shortage of innovations regarding the Speed&Taste Challenge, starting from March when the third edition of MIxology Experience.
In the meantime, let’s retrace what happened in the Brescia stage, in the words and sensations of Adrian Cristian which, together with Adela Paulfounded the Dialogue Lounge Bar. Enjoy the reading!
How did it go? Hot thoughts?
I’d say it went well! It was fun and enjoyable at the same time, as well as a good opportunity to meet up with friends, colleagues and partners from our industry.
From my point of view, unfortunately, these types of competitions risk losing more and more visibility: a trend which, in the long run, would lead them to vanish – a bit like flair. And it would be a shame, because they are very fun and have their reason, as there is always the possibility of discovering new emerging talents and at the same time seeing the various competitors grow professionally.
What is the philosophy behind your restaurant? How does it fit into hosting an event like the Speed&Taste Challenge?
In our restaurant, quality and service reign supreme. We work only with high quality products, paying close attention to craftsmanship. Our signature list is always changing based on the seasonality of the ingredients and we constantly work to give the perfect balance to each of our cocktails.
We offer a service with attention and speed – as every self-respecting Speed&Taste Challenge must be – and we take care of every single detail at 360 degrees: the guest must always feel pampered and always have the pleasure of returning to live a unique experience.
Speed of execution and quality of drinks seem like two parallel lines that never meet… Yet they are equally important. How do you reconcile them in your restaurant?
Speed and quality certainly come together: the fundamental ingredients for these two elements to coexist are preparation and knowledge.
Good preparation of the service line is half the job, but it is inseparable from product knowledge and staff training. Continuous research and the confidence that what you are doing is the right path are the ingredients of success. And then, let’s not forget the atmosphere of the place which is still the wow factor for the guest.
In our restaurant, preparation and training are key elements. When the doors open we are like well-prepared actors on stage: just as they don’t have to respect the script so as not to miss the lines, we too don’t have to rush because we forgot the ingredients.
You saw many bartenders at work during the Challenge: is it a good opportunity to discover new possible talents?
It is always a pleasure to be able to interface with different working methods and speed techniques. Even if an afternoon of experience unfortunately (or fortunately) is not enough: to have a complete vision of our beautiful profession it takes time, it takes learning experience and it takes a lot of humility to be able to learn from the best.
What does it mean (for better or for worse) to work on quality mixing in a small city, off the radar of drinking capitals like Milan or Rome or Florence?
It means a lot of commitment, a lot of effort, but with great satisfaction. I’m not saying that in cosmopolitan cities you don’t work hard, but the pool of guests and the internationality of the customers help you to convey your vision, your concept more quickly. Through our mixing, our travels, the national and international guests we host, we try to bring a bit of internationality to Brescia too, which is proving to be increasingly inclined towards the culture of quality mixing.
Let’s talk about food pairing: a drink that you would pair with a typical dish from your city?
We always talk about food pairing… but never about drink pairing.
A good pairing of flavors requires the ability to best understand and recognize the ingredients, the flavors and the balance of their components, focusing at the same time on how to stimulate the senses and how light or perfumes can influence the way in which the taste perceives what we go to eat or drink.
And then, there doesn’t necessarily have to be a pairing: contrasts are also important, and it could be very interesting to propose combinations between contrasting components, which once put together can give that perfect balance, leaving its mark as an unforgettable experience.