We are resuming our series of bartender interviews with a pillar of the French scene! Guillaume Leblanc tells us about his incredible journey, which led him to travel the world and immerse himself in all the cocktail cultures. He tells us about his love of rum and shares some secrets 😉 Enjoy reading!
Can you tell us about your career as a bartender?
You're not in bed then!!!
It started when I was very young when I went to visit my godfather who ran a brasserie (Au Tonneau des Halles in Paris then Le Petit Choiseul). I loved the atmosphere, the contact with his customers and his good humor.
So I naturally did a course at a hotel school (1999/2003); the one in Paris (EHP 17th) to finish with a complementary mention in bar where I finished first in my class with a European prize in the competition organized by the AEHT (you can still see my prize at the Paris hotel school in the windows).
I started in 4* hotels but quickly understood that I needed more freedom, less hierarchy and more direction.
I applied to the Alcazar in September 2005 and stayed there for 3 years, working my way up from bartender to head bartender. That's where I made my first menu-worthy creations and my first infusions and experiments inspired by Colin Field (head bartender at the Hemingway bar at the Ritz and my class's sponsor).
Then after a 3-month break in Argentina, I took the position of head barman at the Kube Hotel in the 18th arrondissement, which consisted of managing the hotel bar and the Ice Kube by Grey Goose (the ice bar in Paris). The concept was fun for the time but quickly became redundant. I stayed there until October 2011 and signed my first full menu.
I met Stanislas Jouenne (Grey Goose brand ambassador), who would end up managing the LMDW boutique at Odéon and would create a Masterclass program in 2010 which would be a new source of knowledge and a way of deepening my spirits and bar culture!!!!!
I want to say that until about 2010/2012 the bar world was nothing like it is today! We were in the era of the lounge bar where the star was the DJ, mojitos, caipis, cosmo and vodka reigned supreme, and the internet did not yet provide much useful information for our profession, books were very difficult to find knowing that you had to know at least the titles and authors.
It was in December 2011 that I joined the Experimental group, which only had 3 establishments in France at that time.
Recruited for the opening of the Ballroom in May of the following year, the group's first bar/club.
I did my first extras at the Experimental Cocktail Club and at the Prescription, where I found a real family of enthusiasts and purists.
Finally, after a few departures, I chose to take over the management of Prescription alongside Xavier Lusso because I really like the team and the place!
Puis en 2013, le groupe ouvre un beachclub à Ibiza, je pars faire un remplacement début juillet mais je me retrouve vite à devoir remplacer le bar manager, une expérience intense qui durera jusqu’à début octobre avec des journées très chaudes dans tous les sens du terme, il fallait en plus de bien se faire comprendre par une équipe novice garder la qualité « Expé », mettre en place « la machine » toute nouvelle, faire face à l’imprévu. Des journées de 15h parfois et un seul jour de congé en plus des soirées clubbing ibizencas, de quoi perdre facilement la tête.
At this point the desire to travel is more than present in me and I decide to aim for Australia because my 30th birthday is approaching and the working holiday is almost over for me.
I am then organising a new initiatory expedition for mid-December, starting with Nepal, India and then Sri Lanka for another 3 months, with the aim of finishing in Australia.
The universe having other plans for me made me return home after Sri Lanka. (A big thought of support after the drama of last month).
Back in Paris, I only take on extras, with the goal of always leaving for Australia at the beginning of October. I organize the mixo part of a pop-up for Mercedes with Jean François Piège, the anniversary of the brand Vicomte Arthur, another pop-up for Fashion Week. Then during the Rhumfest, I meet up with a former opponent from the Hendrick’s competition who has since opened the first Tiki cocktail bar in the capital, the Dirty Dick. He invites me to come by and see what we could do together.
It was at the end of June that I did my first extra work, but I quickly took the full weeks because of the departure of the last manager and the holidays.
I also quickly realized the potential of the place, the team and the concept to bring up to date, but the desire to travel was too strong so I kept my primary objective.
Summer passes, I return to Ibiza for 15 days to see friends, enjoy life and I do my first Guestshift with the cachaça Leblon , an idea of Philippe Mille at the beachclub of the brand new Hard Rock Hotel, with Josefran Martin as bar manager.
When I returned to Paris, Scott (Dirty Dick, editor's note) finally made me an offer that I couldn't refuse, plus carte blanche to develop the bar thanks to the experience I had gained.
Something I took very seriously and I entered at the end of 2014 (until October 2018). We relaunched Tiki culture in France in its best aspects and with fun, internationally in the form of pop ups, during tiki festivals and Guestshifts (about fifteen for me in 3 years), with the promotion of quality rum and Spirits, fresh fruits, daily homemade preparations and many new techniques, a colossal work.
Tout ça concentré dans un menu où classiques faux polynésiens, Néo Tiki et bowls tropicaux changé 3 fois en 4 ans pour correspondre aux désirs de la clientèle parisienne et internationale, ce qui nous a valu plusieurs distinctions par Time Out, figurer dans le prestigieux guide Louis Vuitton, figurer 3 années dans les 100 meilleurs bars du monde et figurer aussi dans la liste des nominés de Tales Of The Cocktail 2018 « best international high volume cocktail bar ».
I am also launching Ambassador Thursdays at the end of 2016, where once a month I invite a brand ambassador to the bar so that they can talk about their brand, make 3 creations with them and do a food pairing.
I quickly understood that rum was one of my favorite spirits and that it had so much potential that I had to learn more about it and in 2017 I was lucky enough to be able to do four Caribbean islands in order:
Puerto Rico with the Cane Camp program of the Serrales Distillery, Jamaica where I can visit Worthy Park Estate and Hampden Estate a real authentic trip and in the past, Barbados with Plantation which had just acquired WIRD, Mount Gay and its jewel St Nicholas Abbey.
Then St Lucia distillers in October after having organized and judged the first Chairman's Reserve Mai Tai Challenge France, its final and the evening, again an extraordinary experience.
To finish in Reunion in January 2018 and visit Savanna because its rums are exceptional, well-deserved rest and discovery of the island of my darling who has since become my fiancée and mother of our first son.
After 4 years of good and loyal service, last October after promoting Dirty from Russia to the Caribbean, I hand in my apron to the bar that gave me the faith in authentic rum and become a consultant, to give me time to develop my next two personal projects and different partnerships with brands, a fun program with Savanna and other surprises that will see the light of day by the end of the year.
What are the basic rules in mixo?
For me, the basis is to know what we are talking about, to know the products: from the sweetening agent to the different citrus fruits and spices and then the whole large family of spirits. That is to say a lot of reading and research.
When you know your basics you know what you put in your shaker.
Then you need to know the techniques and tools .
Mais aussi, le goût des bonnes choses – mon grand-père m’a toujours dit : « on ne fait du bon qu’avec du bon ».
Et donc forcément faire toutes les préparations soi même devient une évidence, je suis un amoureux du « fait maison ».
It is a passion, a vocation, therefore the work of a lifetime and a long term.
What makes a really good cocktail in your opinion?
This is a very good question, difficult to answer because many parameters must be taken into account and it goes even beyond the concept of the cocktail.
The ingredients, the techniques chosen, the balance of the cocktail, the decoration and the glassware are elements to take into account.
You also have to understand the subjectivity of taste, a very good cocktail for me will not necessarily be so for you.
The experience that you will live thanks to the place and the people, that is to say from the decor of the bar to the bartender and his team, to the person(s) who can accompany you will make this difference.
I understand that you have a certain fondness for rum, to say the least, can you tell us how it happened?
Rum is the spirit that fascinates me the most and it started in 2010 when I took out my first menu at Kube, I made my first selection of rum and whisky there.
Les premiers Cocktail Spirit et Rhumfest ont attisé ma curiosité et quand j’ai découvert le Smith & Cross (blend de rhums jamaïcain continentaux et vieilli sur les docks de Londres suivant une vieille tradition), je suis tombé profondément amoureux des rhums puis des high esters – les « grands arômes » – dans notre législation française.
C’est à partir de là que j’ai commencé mes recherches et mes expériences, j’ai vite compris qu’on pouvait les mélanger pour mettre en avant les différents profils qu’ils peuvent offrir.
Et dans cette recherche de « grands arômes », j’ai découvert en 2014 le « Lontan » de la distillerie Savanna, l’un des rares derniers G.A français, ce qui m’a donné envie de mieux connaître cette distillerie et ces rhums et j’en suis tombé éperdument amoureux.
What are the advantages of rum in mixology?
Comme je viens de le dire chaque rhum à un profil différent et le panel gustatif du rhum est extrêmement riche et diversifié.
Cela en fonction de sa matière première, son type de fermentation, son type de distillation, son affinage, etc.
Ça nous rappelle le concept très français du « terroir » et j’en suis autant amoureux que défenseur.
De là, il est bien plus que l’agent « fort » (alcoolique) du cocktail, c’est une source de goût multiple et on peut l’associer à d’autres pour booster ou mieux contrôler les arômes et la force du résultat final.
On peut aussi construire le cocktail autour de lui pour le mettre encore plus en avant et ça marche à merveille avec des recettes simples à savoir le daïquiri.
Il est selon moi le meilleur cocktail pour tester un rhum.
Are there any rules or principles for mixing a rum (or several)?
Once again, it is a question of experience, knowledge of aromas, good taste and good dosage.
Do you have an effective cocktail recipe for a beginner?
I really think that a beginner can very easily make a great daiquiri with a Tiki rum blend, and I'll even give you a little tip for more deliciousness and pleasure.
The most complicated part will be to flush out the rums.
1 – A very simple daiquiri to make :
1cl of cane sugar syrup
2cl of lime juice*
1cl Savanna Creol 52
2cl Hampden overproof 60
2cl El Dorado 5 years
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker.
Shake and strain into an iced coupe.
2- Exo-tiki-zation ?
You take the recipe that I just gave you and you will add to it:
1/2 passion fruit
5cl of pineapple juice**
1cl of Dry Curaçao Pierre Ferrand or Cointreau
And if possible a generous double Dash
From Angostura Bitter .
Either you use the previous method with the shaker.
Either you use a blender and add
4 nice ice cubes (per cocktail)
Then blend for a maximum of 10 seconds
Pour into a large chilled glass with a bamboo straw
Decorate with:
1/4 passion fruit
1 pineapple wedge
And a paper umbrella
*Press at the last moment and filter through a fine strainer!!!
** Centrifuged pineapple juice of course
The easiest way to freeze a glass at home is to leave it in the freezer for 10 minutes.