The Irish House has been one of the prime spots for weekend revelry in Calcutta for over a year. On November 13, the pub at Quest mall celebrated six years in India and Diageo brand ambassador, Maxime Grivel, rustled up cocktails for a Friday-night party.
“We are always looking for new and innovative ways to entice our guests. Collaborating with Max on The Irish House’s sixth anniversary in India was one way to do so. What sets him apart from the rest is how he makes cocktails keeping the Indian palate in mind, making them a huge success with the patrons,” said Rajiv Singh, general manager, Global Kitchens.
KNOW YOUR BARTENDER
- Maxime Grivel left France for London to pursue an English speaking course when he was 18. He was supposed to stay for three months but stayed for 11 years.
- ?He took up bartending as a part-time job because he realised “the best way to learn English was to socialise in pubs and restaurants”; it became his passion in no time.
- Grivel admits that his cocktails have made some celebrity fans — Hugh Grant, Natalie Imbruglia, Kim Cattral and Kate Moss to name a few.
- Maxime has bartended at Rick’s Bar at The Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi as well as had a three-month stint at Taj Lands End, Mumbai. On his first visit to Calcutta, he’s been to Arsalan at Park Circus for a serving of the least spicy portion of mutton biryani.
Favourite bar: L’Antiquaire in Leon which serves pre-Prohibition and Prohibition cocktails (recipes from days of ban on alcohol in the States from 1920 to 1933).
Simplest cocktail to make: Gin Rickey.
Personal favourite: The Old Fashioned, “because it never gets old!”
Bartending rules to live by: Always look the guest in the eye, keep your work station clean and just have fun.
Go-to cocktail ingredient: The mood of the crowd. Once you’ve pinned that, go with the flow.
(Left to right) Ciroc Kolkata Swirl and Ciroc Sangria were Maxime Grivel’s Irish House specials. Since the pub is known for its beer, the Kolkata Swirl has been topped up with wheat beer as well as a dash of gondhoraj lemon. The sangria contains lager and homemade rosemary syrup.
Text: RS.
Pictures: Sayantan Ghosh
