What do the stars drink? World champion David Rios on Banderas, Beckham and the art of the perfect cocktail, for Woman.bg

What do the Hollywood elite, football legends and the third best restaurant in the world have in common? The answer is a single name – David Rios.

Before winning the ultimate title of “World’s Best Bartender” at Diageo Reserve World Class, Rios built his palate as a sommelier in Michelin-starred restaurants – including the cult Mugaritz, ranked as the third best restaurant in the world. From there his career has moved only upwards, and it has long reached beyond the frame of the traditional bar scene.

He is the man who created special drinks in honour of Antonio Banderas for the Goya Awards. He has hosted official events side by side with David Beckham in Madrid. His cocktails have been at the centre of exclusive dinners for guests of the calibre of Luís Figo.

Along the way he has also won several international championship titles for the perfect gin and tonic.

Today Rios sets the rules of the industry as a lecturer, consultant and judge at the competitions for the best bars on the planet.

On 18 September he arrived in Sofia with one specific goal – creating the new cocktail menu of Mancó. Rios stepped behind the bar himself to present his new recipes in person, bringing his global experience together in a single glass.

We got the chance to talk with him about the secrets of an unforgettable cocktail, what the drink we order says about us, why cocktails have no gender, and what Bulgaria would taste like if it were turned into a cocktail.

What separates a good cocktail from a truly unforgettable one?

– Flawless execution, of course – from the glass, the ice, the ingredients, the technique and the garnish to, above all, the way you present and explain the whole concept at the end. All of that together is what turns a cocktail into a memorable experience.

If a woman sits down at the bar and simply says “Surprise me”, what are the first three things you would want to know about her, and what cocktail would you make for her?

– First I would ask her how she is. Then I would introduce myself, tell her my name and explain that I want to create a wonderful cocktail especially for her. After that I would ask which spirit she prefers – tequila, whisky, vodka, mezcal and so on – and what type of cocktail she is looking for: something bitter and suited to an aperitif, or something fresher, a long drink for instance. Finally I would ask whether she is willing to try something new, to experiment. With all that information we can already make a cocktail created specifically for her taste.

In your view, is there such a thing as a “women’s” and a “men’s” cocktail, or is that a completely outdated cliché by now?

– In my view the idea that a particular drink is a “cocktail for women” is a completely outdated and mistaken cliché. I strongly disagree with it. I think I have served more Dry Martinis to women than to men, and I have plenty of female friends who adore a Negroni. Cocktails have no gender – they are for everyone.

You have created special drinks in honour of Antonio Banderas for the Goya Awards. What kind of cocktail suits a man like him, and how do you translate a personality into a flavour?

– Antonio Banderas is a down-to-earth, warm-hearted man from Málaga, in southern Spain. So I started thinking about ingredients that would suit his personality – a sweet wine from the region, for example, spices such as cinnamon and vanilla, a stronger accent of chocolate bitters and Mediterranean orange to finish. All of it on a whisky base. The whole combination is very “Antonio Banderas”.

You have been at events alongside David Beckham, and your cocktails have been served at exclusive dinners with guests such as Luís Figo. Has there been a celebrity whose choice of drink genuinely surprised you?

– The event with David Beckham was really special, and the day ended with a dinner for celebrities, Figo among them. All the cocktails were made with David Beckham’s whisky and most were in a highball style with ginger ale, soda and similar ingredients, so they were very fresh. Some of the guests, however, asked for something closer to an Old Fashioned.

After so many years behind bars all over the world, can you recognise a person’s character from the cocktail they order?

– Of course. Experience and observing your guests often allow you to understand a lot about a person from the cocktail they order, the way they order it, what they are wearing and their behaviour in general. You can draw quite a few conclusions from all of that.

And what can ordering a Dry Martini, a Negroni, a Margarita or a Cosmopolitan say about us?

– It is not only about the cocktail itself. It matters whether you are alone or with other people, whether you are with friends or have just finished a business lunch, whether it is the afternoon or the evening. Certain conclusions can be drawn from all of these things. I know people who order a Piña Colada or a Mojito when they are on their own, but choose a Dry Martini or an Old Fashioned when they are in company.

You have also won international awards for gin and tonic. Are there really that many secrets behind this seemingly simple combination? What does the perfect gin & tonic look and taste like according to David Rios?

– I have been asked about gin and tonic many times, and there is actually far more behind it than people assume. First you have to choose a good glass and make sure it is well chilled. Then use clear, dense ice cubes.

Choose your favourite gin, chilled as well, and cold tonic, and of course lime for aroma. I use a three-stage aromatising technique: first I aromatise the glass, then again halfway through the preparation, before I pour the tonic, and once more at the finish. That way the first aroma you catch is citrusy and refreshing.

Is there a drink you would never order in a bar you are visiting for the first time?

– Probably something homemade – kombucha, fermented drinks and the like.

And the other way round: is there a classic cocktail that immediately tells you how good a bartender is?

– I do not like judging bartenders while they work, because I have enormous respect for my colleagues. But if I really have to pick one cocktail, I would probably order a Tommy’s Margarita.

You travel all over the world as a consultant, lecturer and judge. Which city do you think has the most exciting bar culture right now?

– Barcelona, perhaps. But also Madrid, London, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Shanghai, Lima…

Before your guest appearance at Mancó, what did you know about Bulgaria and the Bulgarian cocktail and bar scene?

– I was first in Sofia about ten years ago as a World Class judge and I was genuinely impressed by the level. I have been back several times since, most recently to run master classes devoted to the world of tequila, mezcal and other drinks.

The rooms were full, and that is exactly what I like. People here want to develop and to learn. I think the level of knowledge and professionalism in Bulgaria keeps rising.

If you had to create a cocktail inspired by Bulgaria, with no recipe prepared in advance, which flavours or ingredients would you instinctively reach for?

– That is a really difficult question. I would have to do some research and think about it seriously. But I would probably go in the direction of forest berries, herbal and spicy flavours. Something along those lines.

After all the awards, the celebrities and the incredible places you have worked in, what still excites you when you step behind the bar?

– The chance to make someone happy, to bring a smile to their face, to awaken a memory of something beautiful – in short, to give them an unforgettable moment. That is what I work for.

And a final question for Woman.bg: if you had to describe the perfect evening with only three ingredients, what would they be?

– The three ingredients of the perfect evening are: dream, enjoy, smile… and good champagne.