Celebrating International Bartenders Day with the best Mixologists in Dubai

 

 

A bartender is easily your favorite person on a night out in town, these mixology experts are the not-so-secret weapon behind every top-choice bar of yours but they certainly operate behind the scenes and away from the spotlight, making their crafted concoctions their centerpiece of praise and attention.

 

At the end of the day, the work speaks for itself. But today, for the International Bartenders Day celebrated worldwide, we'd like to raise a toast to our knights of the night, trailblazers of modern mixology, our bar powerhouses and beverage wizards who are constantly quenching our thirst, never-ceasing to amaze us with their innovation and creativity and are the leading force behind the best bar teams in Dubai. 

 

 

 

 

As artists of their own realm, and like any other artist, appreciation is the fuel that keeps the engine going so remember to be a little extra grateful today to our bartenders out there who are working hard to make your nightlife experience unmatchable and unique in its own way in the already highly-competitive Dubai scene. And now without further ado, let's check out DubaiNight's round up of the crème de la crème of bartenders/bar managers and leaders in town, who have made/are making their way to the top and raising the standards of the establishments within.

 

 

Alain Achkar - Beverage Manager, Amelia Dubai

 

 

With a personal motto of I make people happy, what's your superpower?, Alain Achkar of the multi-Award winning Amelia Dubai is easily one of the most celebrated public figures of the bar world as he leads the cocktail menu at Amelia with signature creations each telling a story of its own. Each drink that Alain creates is a tale that'll take you on a journey of flavors and a heck of a good time. His experience of over 2 decades stemming from hometown Beirut, Lebanon is reflected in the mastery he commands at Amelia Dubai with his team of neatly-trained professionals. You can find him doing bar take-overs and seminars worldwide, spreading his mixology wisdom. Here, you can find him @amelia.dubai

 

 

Andreas Maloutas - Assistant Bar Manager, COYA Dubai

 

 

Oushing bartending boundaries since 2018 at COYA Dubai, Andreas Maloutas is a resourceful and performance-driven professional bartender with passion for creativity providing an excellent guest drinking experience. A relaxing and enjoyable time is guaranteed if you're being served by Andreas as he radiates of a cheerful and friendly personality. He's constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve guest's experience ensuring high quality and timely expedition of guest's requests, resolving issues and winning guest's loyalty. With a specialty in bar staff training, product education and cocktail development, Andreas is a highly-valuable member of the bartending scene in Dubai. Find him @coyadubai

 

 

Angelo Immorlano - Bar Manager, Nobu Dubai & Nobu by the Beach

 

 

From ZUMA to NOBU, the award-winning Spanish-Italian mixologist Angelo Immorlano is an experienced bartender with a demonstrated history of working for more than 17 years in the Food & Beverages industry. His impressive background holds work experience from distinguished venues like Roka London, Zuma London, and Zuma Dubai, where he was a devoted leader guiding the bar team to global acclaim. Find him @nobudubai

 

 

Anton Pavlov - Head Bartender, Josette Dubai

 

 

Josette Dubai is under perfect supervision by Anton Pavlov, the bar enthusiast with a passion for crafting drinks and exploring the art of mixology through the night. There's always a good and  meaningful conversation around Anton as he aims to create memorable experiences for those around him. Winner of the PATRÓN Margarita Perfection competition, he has also conducted guest shifts with Hendricks and Sailor Jerry, enriching his mixology expertise. Find him @josettedubai

 

 

Brent Flowers - Bar Manager, La Petite Maison (LPM) Dubai

 

 

Meet Brent Flower, LPM's Bar Manager/Resident Cocktail Connoisseur! With a passion for the perfect pour and a deep appreciation for quality ingredients, Brent is the artist behind the bar, making it the place to be for true mixology magic. Brent started off at Cape Town’s World 50 Best Bar, Asoka and underwent a journey that earned him a rank among Asia’s Top 50 Bartenders. Find him @lpmdubai

 

 

Cheytan Baez Estevez - Bartender, Kiara Dubai

 

 

As a Bartender, Mixologist and Bar Supervisor at Kiara Dubai, Cheytan Baez Estevez crafts unique cocktail experiences, blending technical expertise with creativity in one of the city’s most
sophisticated dining destinations. With over a decade of experience across prestigious venues in Dubai, the Dominican Republic, and beyond, from Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana to La Niña and La Cantine Du Faubourg, he has mastered the art of crafting unique, balanced cocktails that reflect both tradition and contemporary trends. His dedication to continuous learning is reflected in his certifications from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, BarSmart, Pernod Ricard, and the SWA MMI Bar Academy. Find him @kiara.dubai

 

 

Christos Panou - Assistant Bar Manager, Ling Ling Dubai

 

 

Christos Panous has garnered over 20 years of beverage experience which made his ability to thrive within busy environments with a high level of efficiency, one of many of his fortés. At Ling Ling Dubai, he is the mastermind behind the innovative beverage menu. Christos has participated in several cocktail competitions over the past years and that made him love the process of making a recipe, and is now developing a new cocktail menu inspired by ’Madame Ling Ling’. Find him @linglingdubai

 

 

Dimitris Maladakis - Bar Manager, Amazonico & Paraiso 

 

 

Born and raised in the hospitality-rich island of Crete, Dimitris Maladakis always had a passion for great drinks and even greater experiences. His journey in Dubai started almost 4 years ago behind the bar at Amazonico, where he honed his craft before stepping into his current role as Bar Manager for both Amazonico and Paraiso. Over the years, his love for the industry has taken him around the world, exploring distilleries, breweries, and vineyards—always seeking inspiration and new flavors. Whether behind the bar or discovering the next great spirit, he believes every drink tells a story. Find him @amazonicodubai / @paraisorooftopclub

 

 

Elie Kreidy - Bar Manager, Salmon Guru Dubai

 

 

Elie Kreidy has taken Salmon Guru Dubai to new heights with his vision, sense of leadership and innovation. With 16 years of experience in the industry he flipped the standards of Salmon Guru making it a prime spot for cocktail enthusiasts. Currently and successfully leading a team 20, Elie has contributed to the entertainment program at Salmon Guru as he introduced popular theme nights and hosted events with the likes of Bacardi Martini. Find him @salmongurudubai

 

 

Francesco D’Arienzo - Bar Manager, Blind Tiger

 

 

Franceco D’Arienzo is a Cocktail Creator & Bar Industry Pro with over 10 years of experience, leading the team at Blind Tiger, Jumeirah Al Naseem, since September 2022. D’Arienzo's bartending career spans from 2013 and since then he has worked in renowned venues across Italy where he comes from, as well as in London and Sydney. His collaborations with high-end brands has resulted in nothing but sheer success to the parties involved. And with that, he was a key player in the opening of Galaxy Bar and made it as a finalist in the World Class Competition 2023. Find him @blindtigerdxb

 

 

Jean-Paul Irani - Bar Manager, Raspoutine Dubai

 

 

With 14 years of experience in luxury hospitality, Jean-Paul Irani from Beirut, Lebanon has brought his special touch to Raspoutine Dubai, leading the venue as its Bar Manager, where he redefined mixology, and curated an exceptionally unique menu that seamlessly blends heritage, innovation, and sensory storytelling. Taking the already-prestigious Raspoutine bar to a new elevated level, Jean-Paul's vision has pushed the boundaries of drinking culture resulting in Raspoutine Dubai’s innovative cocktail program, meticulously crafted with house-made infusions, rare botanicals, and modern mixology techniques. Find him @raspoutine.dubai

 

 

Juan Pedro Posta - Bartender, Arrogante Dubai 

 

 

At Arrogante Dubai, Juan plays a key role in curating an immersive guest experience. From crafting bespoke cocktails that align with the restaurant’s bold Italian personality to ensuring seamless service, he embodies the essence of the venue’s theatrical and vibrant atmosphere. With over eight years of experience, Juan has worked in some of the most prestigious venues in
Dubai and beyond...His expertise extends beyond crafting cocktails, he is deeply involved in menu development, bar operations, stock management, and training teams to uphold the highest standards of service. Find him @arrogantedubai

 

 

Kaleb Barry - Bar Manager, ROKA Dubai

 

 

Kaleb Barry is one of them naturals who had left an impact in the bar industry right from the early years. Currently the manager of ROKA Dubai, his accomplishments have included ranking as top five in the World Class national finals in 2022, taking home the PATRON Perfectionist’s UAE title in 2022 as well which ultimately resulted in him making it to the global finals in 2023. He is now raising ROKA's standards to new heights, which has contributed to Roka achieving 1 Pin from the new Pinnacle Guide rating system. Find him @rokadubaiofficial

 

 

Lilian Sausset - Head of Bar Operations, CLAP 

 

 

Currently the Head of Bars Operation of CLAP & KIRA Dubai, Lilian Sausset climbed an incredibly impressive ladder upgrading his position from Bar Manager by always providing the highest quality of work ans exceeding expectations. Within the decade of his bar expertise, he was leading Unico and Showroom in China and managing 400 bartenders across 40 venues. This global impact granted Sausset his award-winning beverage programs and international guest bartender roles. A blend of Manager and Mixologist, he brought forward creative yet simple solutions with a firm base of F&B knowledge and found innovative ways of inspiring his teams and improving all operations within the company. Find him @clapdxb

 

Luca Salgueiro - Bar Manager, Clay Dubai

 

 

With over 12 years of mixology experience, Salgueiro is the bar manager at Clay with a sense of leadership that is highlighted by harboring team growth, motivating his teammates to participate in competitions, and continuously seeking self-improvement and personal growth from industry experts. Amongst Salgueiro's prime tactics is applying zero-waste principles and he's always developing new and innovative cocktails. Clay's 100-flavour Pisco Sour menu? of the many creative ideas that saw the light under his guidance. He made the top 4 at the Jim Beam Highballer Champion in 2023/2024. Find him @clay_dubai

 

 

Nicola Lazzari - Head of Bars, 1920/ Il Gattopardo/ Bar Des Prés

 

 

A firm believer in consistency as key for perfection, the Award-winning Mixologist and Head of Bars Nicola Lazzari comes from an impressive background of over a decade in the bar industry. The "Bar Manager of the Year" (The Big NightLife Awards 2024) served as the Bar Manager of some of the most prestigious venues in Dubai like Babylon & Sucre Dubai and is now leading the ICD Brookfield bars to new horizons. Find him @icdbrookfieldplace

 

 

Osmari Corredor - Assistant Bar Manager, Gigi Rigolatto

 

 

Osmari Corredor is a female force in this industry with a massive contribution that has put Mimi Kakushi on the global map as they ranked top 40 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2023. Currently the Assistant Manager at Gigi Dubai, Corredor has a stellar record in competitions, making it in the Top 10 in the Bar Craft Challenge 2022 and coming in second place in the Cointreau Margarita Challenge UAE. Her international bar shifts and collaborations, included Jigger and Pony (Singapore), Paradiso (Barcelona), Odori Vermuteria (Athens) and Red Frog (Lisbon). Find her @gigi_beach_dubai

 

 

Roman Tanasiev - Bar Operations Manager, ATTIKO Dubai

 

 

Roman Tanasiev reflects his passoion and expertise in Award-winning creations. In 2023, he came in 2nd place in the BACARDI Doha Winter competition and his innovative K-POP Paloma was a true highlight of the 2024 The One & True Paloma competition in Barcelona. Passionate about Global Food & Beverage market trends, Roman - currently managing ATTIKO's bar, has a successful track record of creating guest experiences, initiating change, and bringing out-of-the-box solutions to often challenging F&B environments. This result-oriented mixology professional has strong beliefs in giving employees ownership of their work, making him an exceptional leader. Find him @attikodubai

 

 

Sniega Remeikaite - Bar Manager, Kimpo

 

 

Sniega Remeikaite is the Bar Manager at Kimpo in Conrad Dubai where she brings almost a decade of experience in the hospitality industry to the table. From Lithuania to London’s Dorsett Hotel and Rosewood London, she managed the UK’s largest gin collection. At Kimpo Dubai, she demonstrates ultimate passionate to deliver memorable experiences for her guests. Sniega seeks to constantly build relationships and trust in the industry through her innovative cocktails that stand out and her skilled leadership. Find her @kimpodxb

 

 

Yaroslav Proshuta - Bar Manager, Iris Dubai

 

 

With a stellar expertise spanning over ten years in the industry and six dedicated years at Iris Dubai, Yaroslav has been recognized as a pillar of excellence, leading his team with passion and precision. He has a striking reputation of a large signature cocktails collection that exceeds your expectations, making it a cocktail enthusiast's haven to delve into the different flavors & creations. Winner of BATW Dubai 2021, Proshuta stood out in local competitions and proudly represented the UAE on the global stage. This wizard is able to craft any cocktail that tickles your fancy just by a simple conversation of a couple of questions with his guests. Let's raise a glass to Yaro’s impressive journey and accomplishments.

 

 

Cheers to our local bar heroes and thank you for all that you do!