As head bartender of new private members' club 1880 along Robertson Quay, Rusty Cerven is no stranger to mixing up drinks for the movers and shakers. With more than 10 years of experience under his belt, Cerven has worked in luxury hotel The Connaught as well as popular bar The Gibson in London.
We sit with him to ask him some questions.
We sit with him to ask him some questions.
You started out in marketing, then went to a friend's bar to work and got hooked on
making drinks. What drew you to the job?
It was probably the vibe and atmosphere, which you can find only at the bars – meeting new people every day, making fancy cocktails, being on the stage and trying to look like Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail!
How do you see bartending for a members only club different from a hotel bar?
I think there are many similarities between these two bar environments. You have a very similar clientele of returning guests with a higher demand on quality, personal approach and perfect service. Nowadays, people are more educated about the drink culture and their favourite spirits, which creates enormous space for our constant and never-ending improvement. Once we gain their trust, it means the world to us, and it usually pays back with a great appreciation for our work.
The only difference is the pace. In a members’ club, you have the guests returning to the bar more often, and that creates the challenge of keeping up the moments of surprise and excitement. You want your members to keep enjoying every visit and not get bored so easily; you need to think not one, but two steps ahead.
It was probably the vibe and atmosphere, which you can find only at the bars – meeting new people every day, making fancy cocktails, being on the stage and trying to look like Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail!
How do you see bartending for a members only club different from a hotel bar?
I think there are many similarities between these two bar environments. You have a very similar clientele of returning guests with a higher demand on quality, personal approach and perfect service. Nowadays, people are more educated about the drink culture and their favourite spirits, which creates enormous space for our constant and never-ending improvement. Once we gain their trust, it means the world to us, and it usually pays back with a great appreciation for our work.
The only difference is the pace. In a members’ club, you have the guests returning to the bar more often, and that creates the challenge of keeping up the moments of surprise and excitement. You want your members to keep enjoying every visit and not get bored so easily; you need to think not one, but two steps ahead.
How do you see cocktails evolving in the next few years? What do you notice
consumers asking for, more and more, recently?
From one side, I see the trend of returning to the classic cocktails and simplicity, focusing on well-balanced flavours, while using the freshest ingredients from all around the world. On the other side, there is a high demand for cocktails with a visible “wow-factor”, so people can take the best photograph for social media.
From one side, I see the trend of returning to the classic cocktails and simplicity, focusing on well-balanced flavours, while using the freshest ingredients from all around the world. On the other side, there is a high demand for cocktails with a visible “wow-factor”, so people can take the best photograph for social media.
The lounge at 1880
Singapore has been riding the wave of bespoke cocktails for a few years now. How will the cocktails you do add a different dimension to what is currently happening in the scene here now?
At 1880, our main focuses are on sustainability, sourcing local ingredients and working closely with the chef. What we believe will bring a different dimension to the Singaporean cocktail scene will be a whole package of different experiences: from a warm welcome and individualised approach, through to remarkable design and music, inspirational people all around you, luscious food in the restaurant, to personalised cocktails at the bar. That’s the art of hospitality, without which the bar would be soulless.
What's one of the strangest requests you've ever entertained while working at the bar?
Every guest comes to the bar because of different reasons, and each of them has different needs. So it's not so much strangest requests, but strange combinations I sometimes do for them. I don’t tell them what’s inside the drink until they try it. It is great for me to see the expression of surprise on their faces, and the guests often feel like it is a privilege to be part of creative process.
These ideas were mainly inspired by food. For example, I’ve added foie gras to a Martini, black truffle to an Old Fashioned, and peanut butter to a Kingston. Guests don't see it on first sight, but will find the flavours after the first sip. It might sound funny or bizarre, but that’s why we are there: to make the impossible possible and the strange, novel.
At 1880, our main focuses are on sustainability, sourcing local ingredients and working closely with the chef. What we believe will bring a different dimension to the Singaporean cocktail scene will be a whole package of different experiences: from a warm welcome and individualised approach, through to remarkable design and music, inspirational people all around you, luscious food in the restaurant, to personalised cocktails at the bar. That’s the art of hospitality, without which the bar would be soulless.
What's one of the strangest requests you've ever entertained while working at the bar?
Every guest comes to the bar because of different reasons, and each of them has different needs. So it's not so much strangest requests, but strange combinations I sometimes do for them. I don’t tell them what’s inside the drink until they try it. It is great for me to see the expression of surprise on their faces, and the guests often feel like it is a privilege to be part of creative process.
These ideas were mainly inspired by food. For example, I’ve added foie gras to a Martini, black truffle to an Old Fashioned, and peanut butter to a Kingston. Guests don't see it on first sight, but will find the flavours after the first sip. It might sound funny or bizarre, but that’s why we are there: to make the impossible possible and the strange, novel.
