Award winning mixologist and owner Andy Coleman, returned to Mai Tai
this month to join up with the team and create some fantastic cocktails for all
to enjoy. With Andy being away with other U-Mix projects of late seeing him
travel not only the UK but to places such as Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland New
Zealand, time spent at his award winning cocktail bar, Mai Tai Cocktail Lounge
had been in short supply. We managed to catch up with Andy after his
return.
"For me, Mai Tai captures everything you need in a great cocktail
bar; great staff, great atmosphere and of course great cocktails! Many venues
try to make cocktails or have a small menu knocking around the bar somewhere;
when really they aren't a cocktail bar, stick to what you do best, if you’re a
pub be a pub, a wine bar, be a wine bar!! It’s like asking a fish and chip shop
to knock up a "Heston style" snail porridge, it’s just not going to
be any good. Mai Tai is a cocktail bar and the staff understand every part of
what that means," says Andy.
We asked Andy what it was like being back behind the bar at Mai Tai?
AC: You never really know what a bar is going to feel like until it’s
been built and you can get behind there and start creating. Mai Tai for me is
the best bar certainly I have ever had the privilege of working behind. The
Ashley Cross customers are amazing, they embrace what we do as part of their
night and spending the night with them on Friday, the love and buzz from when
we first opened 5 years ago has just grown and grown.
What do you think the success of Mai Tai has been down to?
AC: Mai Tai is in no small part where it is today because of its staff
and their dedication not just at the moment but with the past staff too. The
likes of Niall, Ricky, Gina, Tom all amazing people who really shaped Mai Tai.
The present team, well they are incredible, the team there at the moment are
just so talented; sampling a few of Gino's and Jo's cocktails on Friday, I
was blown away."
Who do you think has influenced Mai Tai the most?
AC: For sure it is Dave Winstanley; Dave has been with me for over 6
years now. He has been a massive influence on not just Mai Tai, but U-Mix. We
have a similar drive to make the venues special and niche, but most of all he
understands the importance of good staff. Company staff training each week is
held by Dave and each week he comes up with new and exciting things to better
all of us. Dave was hugely involved in Mai Tai winning our spot in the Top 10
Venues in the UK last year and his personal mixology awards speak for
themselves. Truly he has been a major driving force in U-Mix for many years
now.
What's next for Mai Tai?
AC: Well - lots of new things actually, we are just launching Mai:Pizza
actually. With 2012 well under way now I met up with the guys at Mai Tai to
discuss what their plans for the new year would like to be and food came out on
top! So from the 3rd Feb Mai Tai will be serving its own homemade pizza's!
Alongside that big launch, we are bringing back our live music nights and a new
cocktail demo evening for people to come and try making cocktails!
With Mai Tai moving into its 6th year of business next August and no
signs of slowing down, the future looks bright for Ashley Cross's award winning
cocktail bar.
Extracts from forthcoming media interview.
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