Article: GOLVET Bar&Restaurant - Interview with bar manager Andreas Andricopoulos

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May 29, 2021

GOLVET Bar&Restaurant - Interview with bar manager Andreas Andricopoulos

Berlin is characterized by its culinary diversity – and the city's culture is defined in just as much variety. GOLVETThe Michelin-starred restaurant Located in the heart of Berlin, this bar stands for hospitality, a relaxed atmosphere, and high-quality service. In addition to an exquisite selection of dishes, drink connoisseurs will also find something to their liking. Since 2017, Andreas Andricopoulos has been serving his guests unusual cocktail creations, influenced by Northern European flavors. The bar boasts a carefully curated selection of spirits, mostly produced in small distilleries, and with more than 50 varieties, it offers the largest selection of aquavits in Germany. We met with head bartender Andreas Andricopoulos and talked to him about... GOLVET and shared his experiences as a bartender. Andreas comes from a Greek family of restaurateurs and therefore learned the meaning of hospitality from an early age. Perhaps that's also why he sees himself as a host and not just a bartender. In the interview, he tells us how he got behind the bar, which non-alcoholic drinks he would recommend, and what developments he has observed in recent years.

Laori: Tell me a little about yourself. How did you end up behind the bar?
Andreas: I come from a Greek family of restaurateurs. We had a tennis court, a snack bar, a restaurant, and a bowling alley, and we always lived above our establishments. As a little boy, I started clearing tables and sorting empty bottles. Eventually, I progressed and was allowed to wash glasses, clear tables, then manage an entire station, and eventually even pour beer – and then, at 17, I was running the whole place. I then started my apprenticeship as a hotel specialist and quickly realized that it was quite easy for me. This allowed me to work in the front of house right away, while other trainees had to stay in the kitchen. In my third year of training, I discovered that I really had a knack for bartending! After my apprenticeship, I joined what was then the best hotel in the city, the Dorint Hotel, and started mixing cocktails there.

Laori: Do you remember what your first cocktail was?
Andreas: I'm pretty sure it was a Piña Colada. We're talking about 2003 here. So it was definitely a Piña Colada. I drank more of those than I'd like.

Laori: What happened next for you?
Andreas: I also worked a lot in clubs on the side to further my bartending skills. It was easier to make drinks and really let loose in a club than in a hotel. After that, I needed to get out of the city and went to AIDA Cruises as head bartender. There, I could talk to people from different countries, study the various drinking cultures, and ultimately be inspired by the different ingredients. You're always in new ports and always get new ingredients. For example, if you visit ten ports, you'll get different mints at each one. After AIDA, I worked in other clubs and bars. After stints at places like the Kameha Grand Bonn and the Alto Bar in Berlin, I was asked in 2017 if I'd be interested in something new, and I've been at [company name] ever since. GOLVET.

Laori: Tell us about the restaurant and bar. What makes it special?
Andreas: That GOLVET It's a one-Michelin-starred restaurant that initially focused on Scandinavian cuisine with some Asian and regional influences. Now, for the past year, it offers minimalist cuisine with a regional twist. The name is Swedish and means something like 'ground'. The 'ground' refers to its down-to-earth nature.

Laori: Michelin-starred cuisine and down-to-earth fare: how does that fit together?
Andreas: Michelin-starred cuisine can be down-to-earth, for example, by using local ingredients. We have dishes where the swede is presented in all its forms, without any fuss involving truffles or caviar. Our service and style are also very down-to-earth. Our classic dish, for instance, is salted caramel butter with bread. We simply place it in the middle of the table so everyone can dip their bread in. I would say we're the young generation of Michelin-starred restaurants. We play loud music, and that's intentional. Our interaction with our guests is also very relaxed and not as stiff as you might expect from a typical Michelin-starred restaurant.

Laori: What drinks are offered with your menu?
Andreas: We offer a classic wine pairing – and you can also choose a non-alcoholic beverage pairing. Our 7-course menu always includes three to four drinks. If you choose non-alcoholic, that would be a kefir, a kombucha, and a 'pure' non-alcoholic drink, such as a glass of non-alcoholic wine. The topic of non-alcoholic options has become very prominent for us.

Laori: Which three cocktails would you make me if I came to your bar and wasn't drinking alcohol?
Andreas:
1. Alcohol-free Cosmopolitan with salted raspberry syrup, lime juice, non-alcoholic gin and a zested orange
2. Salted Watermelon: salted watermelon juice infused with grapefruit and a splash of lime, topped up with grapefruit lemonade.
3. No Cuban with non-alcoholic vermouth, mint, red grape syrup, lime and non-alcoholic sparkling verjus.

Laori: Does alcohol-free have a chance of becoming the new vegan? What trends have you observed?
Andreas: Since we opened here, I've seen a steady increase in business. We already had a few at the beginning. non-alcoholic drinks It's on the menu, and many guests came specifically for the non-alcoholic kefir kombucha pairing. Previously, maybe five out of every 100 drinks we mixed in the evening were non-alcoholic. Now it's an average of 40 out of 100 – and there have even been evenings where more non-alcoholic than alcoholic drinks were ordered. You also get a lot of 50/50 situations. Guests might have a non-alcoholic drink during their multi-course meal and then come to the bar and order an alcoholic gin. & Tonic. What I've also noticed is that people have certain expectations. While a few years ago guests were happy to find something non-alcoholic on the menu, today they expect a certain range of options. It's very similar to the trend towards veganism.

Laori: What are your tips for successfully mixing non-alcoholic drinks at home?
Andreas: Good ice! Good ice is always important. So either you buy good ice or you get XXL ice cube trays. You can tell good ice in the supermarket by whether it can be crushed. If you can crush it, it's not good ice. Also, fresh ingredients. That doesn't make the drink worse, only better!