Where do you work?

Purple Rain Lounge.

Celso Amor Castillo

Tell us something about yourself.

I’m a young and dynamic bartender. Looking forward to improving my team and myself and always trying to satisfy and to surprise our customers’ palates.

What inspired you to get into bartending?

To make people happy. It's that simple. I really enjoy having a great chat in a place with a good atmosphere, so i just try to give the experience that i would like to get in a venue.

How according to you has the role of the Bartender evolved, especially now during Covid times?

Well... It has been really hard for all of us. Hospitality workers had suffered this situation very closely. But I think that now, the people are giving another value to our work. They feel that we are doing an immense effort to make those smiles come back on their faces and we are grateful to see it.

Deliveries, digital menus, new equipment for the venues or hygiene procedures are a fact. So we show everyone that hospitality is alive and we keep reinventing hospitality to provide the best service.

Celso Amor behind the bar ,Head Bartender en Purple Rain Lounge

What are some of the most important skills for a bartender to have?

Even if it sounds foolish, I will say common sense. As a bartender, you will deal with a hundred different situations every day that you won´t find in a book. So common sense is a must behind the bar.

What do you look for when you plan to buy spirits for your bar?

Quality/price is always a good point to start. Obviously you have to find a balance on your spirits and liquors. And fancy bottles always look great. But a good variety of spirits and liquors will provide the bar with a solid base to create a gorgeous drinks list.

What support programs work best for you from suppliers?

To be honest... the only thing I ask of my suppliers is to have good communication and to be on time everyday. That's the best support i can get from them.

What cocktails and drinks trends do you see in 2022?

Fermented drinks, cocktails with oils and extracts and exotics flavours. Non-alcoholic cocktails are also a trend. We are very lucky to live in a world where we can share our ideas and recipes instantly with anybody. So we are participants and spectators of the biggest brainstorm in history ever.

What's the best part of your job?

As I said, to make people happy. When I see customers having a great time I’m satisfied. Teaching and learning is also a nice part of my job.

What are your favorite TV shows right now? Or your favorite movie?

I´m a "Masterchef" addict.

If you had to pick one spirit as your personal best, which would it be and why?

No doubt, Scotch. I lived in Scotland for 4 years and there I found a new world of whisky. The fragrance, notes, aftertaste... the conversation you find with a whisky can’t be compared with another.

How are you marketing your bar to drive some foot traffic during Covid-19?

Our best marketing is to show our customers that they are safe. We took a step further with strict hygiene procedures and enabling new areas on the terrace.

Any tips for new bartenders?

Always keep your feet on the ground, never panic and enjoy the function.

What’s the most underrated cocktail ingredient or spirit?

I won´t say underrated... but I bet that many bartenders will find a forgotten bottle of "Calvados" hidden on a shelf. 

What is an experience or a customer story you thought was funny and that you remember?

I had a funny situation with a customer and his denture... but i can't say more.

What are 4-5 challenges you face in your business and how do you overcome them?

- Complaints. To deal with small or big complaints is an important challenge. To deal with this kind of situation smoothly, gives you an extra experience in the future.

To deal with the different personalities in your team to make everyone happy is not easy and being a balanced person is a must when you are leading a team.  The creative process is amazing but really hard and to keep your team informed of the new trends is the key to let the creativity flow.

What's your career goal? Where do you want to be and how are you working towards it?

My goal is to open my own venue. I´m just collecting experiences, contacts and places and waiting for the right moment in the right place with the right people.

Celso Amor Mixing

Tips for brands looking to pitch to bars? What should they cover in their pitch? What you do not need to know? Give us the best elevator pitch brands can do to you.

In the UK training by brands is pretty normal. Spain is a bit different and I really think that they should improve in this area; with training, brand deals, functions and events.

Define a good Bartender according to you.

A good bartender must have good spirits and liquor knowledge, great communication skills, know how to work in a team, delicacy, imagination, patience and a smile on their face.

What's an ideal bar drinks menu? What should it include, what profit metric should it try and achieve?

I like to create thematic menus so that's a good point to start. On the menu I like just the name of the cocktail and a short explanation about the drink, nothing else.