Shroff to Smirnoff

Tell us the difference between flair bartending and mixology?
Which one do you enjoy the most?

Ami Shroff:-Flair bartending means adding flair to bartending. To tend the bar with flair and finesse, to handle objects and tools with ease and confidence and to overall make the drink preparation process visually more enticing.
Mixology is the art of mixing flavours to create a cocktail or a curating a recipe of their own, along with trying to achieve that perfect balance of flavours in the cocktail and maintaining consistency.
I enjoy both the combination of it in fact. Although flair is my first love in the profession.

How does it feel to be among the top five female bartenders of the nation?

Ami Shroff:- Feels good to have 5 or more female bartenders in our country. Being on the top I don’t care much about, because art is perspective and so is being on the top.

India had a stigma towards Bartending at the time when you started it. How was your journey in opting bartending being a woman?

Ami Shroff:- Bartending had its stigmas due to the lack of dignity of labour in India, which is a problem our country still struggles with.
Along with the taboo and negative reputation of alcohol amongst many people. These issues exist irrespective of gender. But in India, we have before and still face a major hindrance in our growth (personal and professional) due to gender inequality, sexism, patriarchy and gender violence.
These issues affect every industry and every environment.

People find it unsafe for girls to choose to bartend. Would you like to break this myth by giving your opinion?

Ami Shroff:- It’s certain men who are unsafe for girls/women/intersex/trans people.
Not bartending.
If anything, bartending might just teach us how to tackle these unsafe situations that we may face outside the bar. Simplest advice- be a feminist.

Tell us about some interesting drinks which you create in London Taxi Gastro Pub?

Ami Shroff:- All of them were interesting 🙂
My favourite was the beer cocktails because beer has not experimented with too much in cocktails.

What kind of research goes into designing or coming up a new cocktail and deciding how it should be served?

Ami Shroff:- Research & Experimentation.
Understanding the story and creatively expressing that story or mood through its ingredients, taste and presentation. Then to find the perfect balance and to make it consistently taste good. While keeping in mind, that it needs to be bartender friendly and other elements like storage of ingredients, glassware etc.
And lastly, how should it be marketed and when should it be served, how much to price etc.

What role do the glasses play in serving a perfect drink?

Ami Shroff:- The role of holding it all together. We see it as the cover of the book we read. It’s just the first impression, so depends on how much importance it’s given by the beholder of that glass.

What motivated you to be a fire juggler and contact juggler? and please tell us your favourite ingredient and bartending tool?

Ami Shroff:- The fire and visuals attracted me. Some kind of instinct came up which made me feel like imitating what I saw. But motivation came from many places of love and harmony and art. It all inspired me to flip the bottle and roll the ball.
Have had different favourites throughout. Loved playing with ginger one phase, then hibiscus and kokum and other berries; fresh juices. Basically, anything that is locally available and is in season.
The favourite tool might be the shaker or the bar blade. Very comfortable with them.

What has been your proudest moment behind the bar?

Ami Shroff:- A performance gone well, a cocktail made beautifully and a guest that you leave an impression upon. 

Given a chance in the whole wide world for whom or where you would like to do juggling and flair bartending and why?

Ami Shroff:- For anyone who’s not seen it before and for anyone who would like to see it again.

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