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Jack Sotti chats career and what to expect from Bar Convent London in this week\u2019s episode<\/p>\nAs the inaugural Bar Convent London approaches, ambassador Jack Sotti shares his passion for hospitality, the importance of education and parental support in the trade.<\/p>\n
Jack Sotti chats career and what to expect from Bar Convent London in this week\u2019s episode<\/p>\n
The first Bar Convent London show will kick off at the end of this month from 30 June to 1 July<\/a>. Set to take place at London\u2019s Tobacco Dock, the event has promised to bring its international format seen in Berlin, Brooklyn and S\u00e3o Paulo to the UK capital.<\/p>\n In the lead up to the show\u2019s opening, Sotti, brand ambassador for Bar Convent London, spoke to the host of The Spirits Business Podcast, editor-in-chief Melita Kiely, on a broad range of topics. From recounting the early days of Sotti\u2019s hospitality career \u2013 including taking some career-changing risks in New Zealand \u2013 to opening his own venue<\/a>, and championing the on-trade further through his ambassadorship role, Sotti\u2019s candid conversation offers valuable insights into the world of hospitality.<\/p>\n For Sotti, hospitality is what came first, and cocktails second.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one trained me to make cocktails, really, I just learned it on the job. It was always about the hospitality first \u2013\u00a0it still is,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Both elements will play a crucial role at Bar Convent London.<\/p>\n Sotti stresses that this is not just a show for London dwellers; Bar Convent London is about uniting the hospitality industry in the UK and Ireland.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a UK-Ireland trade show,\u201d he said. \u201cWe just finished the road show [in April], where we wanted to bring a little taste of some really great world-class education to the rest of the major UK cities. We had Ian Burrell, Anna Sebastian, we had Kevin Armstrong, and Elliot Ball all delivering some really cool sessions in six key cities around the UK and Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n Focus on quality educational sessions<\/strong><\/p>\n While the scale of the first Bar Convent London will be a smaller affair than its more established shows overseas, Sotti is confident in the quality of education and brands it will deliver.<\/p>\n \u201cFor our first year, we wanted to make sure that we\u2019re serving the community, so we\u2019re keeping it small, intimate,\u201d Sotti explained. \u201cWe\u2019ve got three stages, we\u2019ve got a workshop stage, a brand stage and the main stage.\u201d<\/p>\n On the education front, he continued: \u201cWe\u2019ve got some deep dives on liquid, more pragmatic business stuff, looking at how to run a bar in this terrible economic climate, we\u2019ve got some inspiration stuff, we\u2019ve got some stuff on neurodiversity in the industry. And crucially, we\u2019ve got some great brands that are all signed up to be there. The stands are going to be very exciting, and there\u2019s going to be loads of activations going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Outside of the main Tobacco Docks venue, there will also be a number of activations taking place in the city across the two days.<\/p>\n To listen to the full conversation with Sotti, head to your usual podcast streaming platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.<\/p>\n Alternatively, click the link below to listen for free.<\/p>\n Past guests on The Spirits Business Podcast have included Deano Moncrieffe, founder of Hacha Bar and Equal Measures<\/a>, Trudiann Branker, the first female master blender for Mount Gay Rum<\/a>, and Claire Warner, head of luxury advocacy at Diageo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Related news<\/strong><\/p>\n \n \n
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