You’ve seen some quality bars in your time, what’s the first thing you notice?
Wow, a number of things, it depends on the bar to a certain extent. First of all it's how you feel when you walk in. The best bars in the world are ones that make you feel amazing, that instant greeting with a smile from someone that makes you feel at home within 10 seconds. Then there are more tangible elements: lighting I am obsessed with, temperature, aroma when you walk into a bar, but that greeting, especially in that first 10 seconds, I think makes or breaks a bar.
How is Pinnacle different to other reward systems?
The idea was always to sit alongside other reward systems. From the beginning we wanted to make sure we were showcasing bars across the whole country and not hyper-focusing on, say, London. We're all very good friends, we all love the industry, but there was definitely a gap within the global bar industry for a 1, 2, 3-star, or pin. And to give the opportunity to a wider pool of bars, across many countries, to show the amazing work they are doing. So that was where the concept was born.
And the response to date?
It's been amazing, a bit overwhelming. We're growing quickly, I know it doesn't sound quick but we will be in 12 markets by the end of the year, and that means countries in their entirety, not just a focus within a capital city. The response has been great from judges too, our anonymous judges who absolutely love the process.
What are your ambitions for the guide?
Our goal is to become the ultimate travel guide for the best bars around the world. We're expanding from seven to 12 countries this year and that will grow exponentially over the next two to three years. It's also to make our industry more inclusive and reflective of the incredible talent that we have across the world. And to be the ultimate symbol of excellence that all bars and, more importantly, consumers aspire to and take when they're travelling the world and need that inside information of where to grab that amazing cocktail.
What separates the ‘Exceptional’ from the ‘Outstanding’?
Where bars have gotten very close to this ‘Exceptional’ three-pin status is that they are highly meticulous in the way they operate. They're effortless in the sense of hospitality. So the front-of-house comes across effortlessly, it just works like clockwork, and then behind the scenes, they've got almost as much dedication to their team as they have to the client.
How many of the bars listed so far have you personally been to?
We visited all of them.
Wow!
Yeah, so between us three (with Hannah Sharman-Cox, Siobhan Payne) we made a commitment to do a world tour. It was one of those amazing experiences of our career, but we felt like we had to do it…
Was there a particular market that blew you away?
I just came back from Dubai, and it’s in a really exciting place, a similar feeling to London 10 years ago. There are some big operators moving over there, some great talent opening up smaller bars, and just this exciting scene going on.
What should applicants specifically keep in mind when applying?
There are two parts of the application process. There's a 100-question questionnaire on the Pinnacle Guide website, and if you pass a certain points score, our anonymous judges will visit at any time on any day, and do the second part of the assessment.
When going through the process, my advice would be to take the time to fill out the 100 questions correctly. There have been many bars that have applied – and that we know are outstanding bars because we visited them many times – but their written application doesn't do them justice because they haven't taken the care and time to fill it out correctly, and showcase the amazing work they're doing.
It’s our shout, what’s your drink of choice?
Tough question that one. I enjoy a wet martini, always. And I love an americano at the moment. This is my go-to first drink of the night, a lot of the time.
