"The bottom line is that when guests find out we offer unexpected and interesting drinks. They often get excited and come back. We gain their interest and ideally they will talk about us to their friends. So the key to success is not to be afraid to experiment with flavours," says Jan Jančar, Bar Manager at The Artisan Bar.
The Artisan restaurant and bar has opened up a lot not only to hotel guests, but also to people from the street, thanks to the renovation of the entire lobby of the Prague Marriott Hotel, where it is located. Which days of the week is the place busiest and what does it attract guests to?
It is impossible to say exactly, it depends on the availability of the hotel, the weather and the events we organize at the bar. There are a lot of factors that affect the attendance. We currently host live music twice a week and create a special cocktail menu each month with new signature cocktails for select events we host. We then keep the cocktails in circulation for two weeks so guests can enjoy them longer. Our goal is to attract as many locals as possible and build a base of regulars who are happy to come in for a drink during the week..
Czech and Slovak bars - with few exceptions - have long struggled with the "curse" of low footfall from the street. Is The Artisan Bar managing to break this curse?
I dare say that since the introduction of our cocktail book we have been able to reach out to outsiders, and it shows in the attendance itself.
In addition to the evening offerings, we also try to entice guests with an interesting afternoon cocktail menu that they can sample from 1:30 to 5:30pm. As part of this menu, they can try three of our clarified cocktails, three signature gin & tonic cocktails and three spritzes that we've created especially for our afternoon seating.
Why do Czechs and Slovaks so dislike entering hotel bars? Is there a psychological block?
I think so, but it's slowly starting to change. The main problem is that most people think hotel bars are only for hotel guests, which is not true. Likewise, the misconception of high hotel prices often doesn't match reality. Therefore, we try to create a friendly and open atmosphere at The Artisan Bar and offer an interesting cocktail menu to attract locals as well.
How or with what to convince the inhabitants of Prague to go to a hotel bar for a drink once in a while, maybe once a week?
The key is to have an interesting menu, ideas and flavours that people won't have the opportunity to experience anywhere else, that's definitely where I would start. For example, we have a cocktail clarified using strawberry yoghurt, topped with homemade white chocolate with dried raspberries, which guests can nibble on as they sip. The bottom line is that when guests find that we offer unexpected and interesting cocktails, they often get excited and come back. This gets them interested and ideally they'll talk about us to their friends, which helps us spread the word about The Artisan Bar. So the key to success is to not be afraid to experiment with flavours, because even the least expected combination can make sense in the end. That's the beauty of mixology.
As a bartender you have worked for example in Cloud 9 Sky Bar & Lounge of Prague Hilton Hotel or in the bar of Prague Four Seasons Hotel. Are they different concepts in their philosophy and approach?
Absolutely yes, they are two completely different bars. Cloud 9's concept and liveliness is aimed more at the younger generation of guests who want to have fun. The size of the bar, the lighting, the DJ, the loud music, the fancy drinks, the terraces with a view and the outdoor bar definitely play into their hands. The bar at the Four Seasons, on the other hand, is more intimate, offering elegance and an intimate atmosphere.
At the beginning of last year, you took on a new challenge and became the bar manager at The Artisan Bar at the Marriott Hotel. What convinced you to take the job?
During my time at the Four Seasons, I was offered the opportunity to become the operations manager of an Italian restaurant, which I accepted. After a year, however, the owners decided to sell the restaurant and I started looking for a new opportunity. I had several offers, but I missed the bar environment, creating new signature cocktails, putting together the bar menu, organizing events, and overall bar operations. Once the bar scene captivates you, it becomes the love of a lifetime and Marriott offered me exactly what I was looking for.
The Artisan's chef David Rejhon brings elements of sustainability, zero waste and localism to the whole concept. Do you manage to harmonise with him in this and bring these approaches behind the bar?
We're keeping up with the restaurant. We make many of the ingredients ourselves, from syrups and cordials to clear ice, homemade bitters and perfumes. We don't throw away the ingredients used in the infusions, but we try to use them as much as possible. For example, we infuse gin with butterfly flowers, which we strain, dry and then crush into powder for garnishing cocktails once the infusion is complete. Similarly, we create oleo saccharum from cut citrus peel after making fresh juice. You'd be amazed at what can be created from things that would normally end up in the trash.
As for local, we have a whole chapter in our cocktail book dedicated to Czech flavours and traditions. In other chapters, we also use local products that we can't get enough of.
How close is the collaboration between the bar and The Artisan restaurant?
Very. We try to pair our cocktails with some of the products from the Artisan kitchen in the form of a "side dish", meaning that the cocktail is accompanied by a side dish, a small dish. An example is our signature Old Bohemia cocktail, which represents both Czech flavours and traditions. It consists of Czech Gold Cock Peated whisky, homemade beer syrup and homemade chocolate bitters. The cocktail is smoked under glossy cherry wood and served with homemade bread chips and crackling.
You are the author of the brand new The Cocktail Book, which offers more than just a cocktail menu. What is the concept behind it and how did you approach its creation?
As I mentioned, the bar concept was planned from the beginning to keep up with the restaurant concept, where sustainability, a zero-waste approach, local ingredients and local produce play a major role. But I also wanted to bring something new. So we decided to incorporate T/A cuisine directly into each cocktail and elevated the actual presentation of the drinks at the table in front of guests, including techniques like glossing, parfaiting, tanning and adding homemade foams. To make the menu more interesting for guests, we've divided it into chapters, each with its own specific charm: Bohemia Touch represents Czech flavours and traditions, Discovery brings unique infusions and home-made foams based on xanthan, Elyxirs offers elegant cocktails based on premium Absolut Elyx vodka served in special copper vessels. Gintasy gives vent to the imagination with tonics, lemonades and premium gins and their infusions, and finally Mocktails provides a nice selection of non-alcoholic cocktails.
You're a forged bartender of hotel bars. Can you guess what an American, a European and a guest flown in from Asia will drink? What are their flavor profiles?
As they say, different country, different mores, and that goes for tastes too. But there is one thing that all visitors to the Czech Republic agree on, and that is local products, especially beer. That's why we decided to incorporate beer into one of our signature drinks in the form of homemade beer syrup, which is quite popular with foreign guests. Generally, gentlemen from the US like to drink whiskey or bourbon, while ladies prefer vodka or gin, which is still in vogue, or stick with a glass of wine. Asians don't usually drink and rarely show up at the bar, but when they do visit, they go for Czech beer and if they want to "blow their wad" they'll have a whiskey. It's not so much the nationality as the character of the individual that matters, and I can usually guess what a guest is going to drink within the first few seconds.
The Cocktail Book is a relatively comprehensive drinks menu. Which of the cocktails on the menu so far have been the most successful, i.e. the most ordered?
The most successful cocktails are definitely the aforementioned Old Bohemia, as well as the Butterfly Effect, based on gin infused with butterfly flowers and boasting a homemade citrus xanthan foam. Also very popular is the Sleeping Beauty, which is an example of clarification using strawberry yogurt, and the Harmony, which houses vodka infused with homemade caramel for 48 hours and homemade coconut cream.
And can you guess why?
Each of these cocktails has a different flavor, base and style of preparation and I think that's very appealing to our guests. The whole book is designed to have a balance of flavours, each cocktail has its own charm and will find its fans.
You're introducing a menu of shorter seasonal cocktails in addition to the signature drinks. Which are they currently and what is their flavour profile?
Yes, we regularly include seasonal cocktails that reference various international days of selected spirits or world cocktails. Each month we choose a theme that is most interesting to us and create a menu of three signature cocktails. For example, during International Whisky Day, we create new whisky-based cocktails and include a whisky tasting menu with small bites such as bread chips with crackling spread. These special menus are then available for the following two weeks to give guests more time to enjoy them. We're always trying to bring something new to keep our bar interesting so guests can discover new flavours.
