"My affair with the bar began when I was about 18 years old,” says Natasha Sorensen, who started her career with the cocktail bar The Press Club, in Brisbane, as a waitress. But she admits to have had her eyes on being behind the bar for a while. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but I didn’t let go,” she adds.
From then to an expert in making drinks, 25-year-old Natasha’s journey into the world has been dotted with various jobs at bars to finally become the brand ambassador of an internationally recommended vodka brand.
“I think it’s my passion for hosting people that directed me towards this profession; I like the idea of serving drinks, talking to people, meeting new ones,” says Natasha.
But it’s got to be tough, being a bartender in a man’s world? “Well yes it is. Most people expect women to stand pretty at a bar and a man to make the real drinks. It’s the mindset. But I kept at it — the idea is to not give up,” she says.
Talking about the drinking trends in India, Natasha says she was quite amazed at the way Indians like their food and drink. “Indians eat the spiciest of foods but when it comes to cocktails, they want it sweet! There can be a lot of development when it comes to the cocktail scene in India, which effectively comes down to the innovation one can do with drinks; but it won’t happen overnight for sure. My guess is that when it comes to India, it will take at least another five to 10 years,” she says.
Natasha, who is also conducting workshops with different hotels and bars across the country, says that most five star hotels that are part of some international chain are bound by strong rules which prevent them from innovating on their own.
“A martini at an international chain in Bangalore will probably taste exactly the same in its foreign property. But I think it’s important to create a menu that is intrinsic to the drinking culture of that specific country,” she says, adding, “How can a guy sitting in the USA know what a guy in Mumbai would like to drink?” Now that’s something to think of!
