Q&A with Chef Barman, Roberto Catalano

Immerse yourself in the world of  Roberto Catalano

Tell me a little about yourself, what started your passion for becoming a mixologist?

Since I was a young boy, I have always been fascinated about traveling, different cultures and languages so when the opportunity came to me I did not miss it, I moved to London – the capital city of Bartending and Mixologist – to learn and develop my own style. It is in England where I decided that this path was my destiny.

How would you describe the cocktail menu at Rivages?

The Rivages menu it’s a very balanced menu with so many options, it has a very interesting flair when it comes to the elements that make our drinks so unique. Different spirits are been used in order to allow people to discover flavors that maybe, if not in a cocktail, they would never order.  The concept of our menu is about connection, the connection between ingredients, customers and stories.

What makes Rivages different from any other bar in the city?

Besides the cocktails and our food offering, for me the difference resides in the vibe and atmosphere of the place… the right lighting, music, decor and most importantly the team energy. These elements can make the true difference if this is a place your will remember and come back.

Which Rivages cocktail is unique and cannot be found anywhere else?

All our cocktails have an unique ingredient and twist for them to be unique to our menu but if I need to choose one I would say the  Scribere is a very particular one because this specific cocktail is taking form at the center of our bar with the energy of the people that decide to spend the evening with us. Curious enough? Come and visit..

Can you share one of your favorite cocktail recipes?

I love a classic Negroni:

30ml London dry Gin
30ml Italian Vermouth
30ml Campari
Stirr, ice block , orange zest…. Cheers

What was your biggest source of inspiration when creating the Rivages cocktail menu?

Connecting people,  rediscover that drinks and food are also elements that offer a full sensory experience.

What’s your favorite ingredient right now?

Always looking for the next one!

What’s the best part about your job?

People…. guests, my team and all the colleagues that make our place work; without the team of hard working people all of this wouldn’t be possible.

Are you seeing a rise in non-alcoholic drinks and which are the top three most requested?

Definitely yes. There are a lot of new products coming out in the market, new smells, new presentations. Our most requested cocktails are virgin mojitos, virgin piña colada and fruit creations.

Top tips for creating non-alcohol drinks at home?

Always use fresh ingredients, avoid more than 3 ingredients at a time  and divide  them as follows; 1 main flavor, 1 filler and 1 aroma. Sometimes ..less is more.

Drinking destination:

Rivages, Little Red door, Josephine Bar , Copperbay.

Dream customer:

No preference, everyone is welcome.