Final 12 months Baba au Rum celebrated 15 years since opening its doorways. A key bar in placing Athens on the map for up to date cocktail tradition it’s picked up its fair proportion of awards, most not too long ago taking house the World’s Finest Spirit Choice introduced by Tales of the Cocktail Basis in 2024, and is a daily on the World’s 50 Finest bars checklist, at the moment sitting at No. 17. We caught up with founder Thanos Prunarus, asking him 15 questions, one for every unbelievable 12 months.
Thanos, let’s return to the start and what first attracted you to the cocktail world?
It started when i studied hospitality administration on the College of Crete. It was very wide-ranging and included mixology. That was my first contact with cocktail tradition, making classics like Martinis, Manhattans and B52s. Then in 1998, aged 27, I moved to London and began working as a waiter at Covent Backyard Brasserie, then at a spot known as St. James Park. It wasn’t a cocktail bar, extra of a restaurant and restaurant, but it surely gave me the chance to leap behind the bar and expertise the cocktail world.
Then after I returned to Athens in 1999 I labored in a really stunning and really well-known bar known as Inoteka. It was partly about wine but in addition cocktails. I labored in a number of different bars however I knew I actually wished to open my very own cocktail place.
And this was Baba au Rum – what was the driving thought and the motivation for this?
Each bartender needs to open their very own bar sooner or later. However I wished to create one thing distinctive. At the moment the excitement in Greece and in Athens was normally music oriented. My associates mentioned to me, “oh, you’re opening your personal bar, nice, what’s the music going to be?” That was at all times the primary query. And I used to be saying, “it’s not about music, sure it’s gonna have nice music, but it surely’s gonna be in regards to the drinks!”
What was your considering for these drinks?
I wished to convey to Athens, and Greece typically, the actual cocktail tradition. The historical past of blended drinks from the nineteenth century, going via cocktail historical past – Manhattans, Martinis and Tiki tradition. Bringing them to life in Athens. And that is what we did. In our first menu, for instance, we had basic drinks, just like the Brandy Crusta and Julep. On the time they had been fairly unknown in Athens.
You known as your bar Baba au Rum, the place does your love of rum come from?
I consider there’s a mythology round it. It’s a spirit you can inform essentially the most tales about, even when most of them should not actual. It doesn’t matter. That creates a really charming background. In order that was the very first thing. I really like whiskey as properly, however rum is extra enjoyable.
And I believe you’ll be able to serve rum to any individual. For instance, if you happen to’re a 20 12 months outdated with a youthful palate you’ll be able to have a lightweight rum and ginger beer. Simple. If in case you have a extra mature palate and extra mature persona I can serve you an aged rum in the way in which I’d serve you cognac. Gin shouldn’t be for anybody. Whiskey shouldn’t be for everybody. However rum has this big variety of various kinds.
The place did the title Baba au Rum come from?
I believed it’s a pleasant title. Baba au Rum is a candy dessert. The individuals from Naples and from France, they declare that it’s their very own, however we’ve it in Greece as properly. So I believed it’s a nickname. Everyone is aware of what Baba au Rum is, it’s Rum Baba. It’s catchy. It’s very playful. And the primary letters, B. A. R. spell “Bar”.
There will need to have been many highlights through the years, what are a few of the standout moments for you in these 15 years?
The evolution of our menus is certainly one in every of them. With each menu we’ve created one thing new. And we launched for the very first time, at the least in Greece, the cocktail and meals matching. That was again in 2010. Then in 2011 we launched two new classes, just like the Manhattan, and sizzling winter cocktails, equivalent to Blazers and Sizzling Butter Rums. Stuff like that, which wasn’t the norm in Athens. These had been very spectacular and really theatrical. Individuals had been like, “wow, what’s that?” The evolution of our menus has been actually vital. The visitors have developed too.
One other spotlight was the publication of our journal. And 2013 was our first time on the World’s 50 Finest Bars checklist.
One of many many putting issues within the bar is the methods drinks are introduced, what’s the story with this?
Once we opened the bar we wished the drink itself to be the hero of the night time. So we mentioned, it’s not simply sufficient to create some good drinks, however to spotlight them visually as they had been made. We used the tin and glass shakers as a result of we wished individuals to see it. And the room itself was fairly darkish so we additionally put spotlights on the place the place the drink was served on the bar. This was very theatrical. So when somebody entered the bar their eye instantly went to that drink on the bar. I’m very proud that now you’ll be able to see this impact used virtually all over the place on this planet.
We’ve been visiting the bar for over 12 years and whereas it feels acquainted there are at all times little modifications – what’s your method to protecting related?
We need to be a basic bar, however at all times with an evolution. Just like the Rolling Stones, . We wish it to be like an outdated basic bar, however after 15 years with the brand new type of making drinks. We observe the scene globally, so if we like one thing, we go there. But when we don’t prefer it, we don’t take it simply because it’s a development. We’re not a development bar. We wish to create our personal tendencies in a method, just like the highlight I discussed.
It’s a easy philosophy.
And what retains you busy exterior of the bar?
I work on consultancy with some nice motels right here in Greece. It’s not about cash however the soul and creativity. That is what at all times motivates me. The journal, in fact, is one thing I actually love as properly, as a result of I really like magazines. We’re going to have the following concern after a 5 12 months break. It is going to be out subsequent Autumn and it’s in regards to the tradition we need to unfold.
Reverse Baba au Rum you additionally opened In Love Once more, what the connection?
In Love Once more is about our dedication to gastronomy. We consider that, cocktails and spirits, are a part of the gastronomy, together with pastry cooking and occasional. So, for instance, at In Love Once more, a few of our pastries are cocktail-inspired. There may be additionally this new period of espresso and we need to be a part of that. We need to give good espresso to the individuals in the identical method we love to offer them good cocktails. So the 2 venues complement one another.
So what did you do professionally to have a good time 15 years?
We had a collection of masterclasses about artwork and cocktails, and our historical past. For example, we at the moment have an avant-garde part in our menu. We talked about what it means, not simply because the title for a cocktail menu, however its complete story. We’re speaking about what avant-garde is as a social and creative motion that began in Europe, like, 100 years in the past. We additionally had an enormous occasion for our common visitors.
What about you personally, how have you ever been celebrating 15 years?
After I’m on the bar I have a good time being there. I have a good time myself. I have a good time the place. Simply to be there, I like it. If I’m sitting on the bar and see two individuals there, I like to go and discuss to them and be the waiter for them. Or simply internet hosting my associates. On a regular basis is a celebration for me after I’m on the bar.
Over 15 years you’ve created and served many excellent drinks, what has been the most well-liked cocktail?
I believe if you happen to see the numbers it’s the Spicy Baba. It’s a signature drink that we created in 2010 and it’s been on our menu ever since. We’ve modified it barely through the years as a result of peoples’ palates change, and now we use extra up to date strategies than again then. We calculated that we’ve bought one thing like 130,000 Spicy Babas. It’s a pleasant easy tropical drink with aged rum, ginger, lime, cranberry and another good things in it.
What’s your straightforward fail protected rum cocktail that folks like us can simply make at house?
A Daiquiri, however with an addition of slightly little bit of rum agricole and two or three dashes of fragrant bitters. It’s the very best drink you’ll be able to have. Simple. Simply preserve it easy, preserve it balanced. And use a pleasant, stunning aged rum. Excellent.
Final query, Thanos, are you able to inform us one factor that no one is aware of about you?
I don’t have secrets and techniques anyway. However that’s a great query. I’m a musician and I used to be in an electro band. I performed the keyboards and the digital stuff like computer systems and synthesizers. It was like a hybrid between British new wave and trendy digital sounds.
All the things I do, it’s all about creativity!
Baba au Rum, Klitiou 6, 105 60 Athens, Greece
Hear Thanos speaking in regards to the Athens bar scene on our podcast from third November 2022