How did you get started in mixology?
I started as a cocktail bartender in my hometown in Slovakia at 18. Mixology as a term didn’t exist back then. Those years, you had to have flair with bottles and the main selling cocktail would be either a mojito or caipirinha. At the time, my bar manager had just come back from shaker bar school in London and Japan. I wanted to experience something similar and decided to leave the country to improve my English, as well as gain some of those cosmopolitan city vibes. London was a perfect choice.
You opened the Gibson in 2015 in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood. Tell us about the space.
It was designed by Helen Calle-Lin, who was inspired by New York bars between 1905 and 1915. [She used] Edwardian and Victorian elements like bronze mirrors, peacocks, a copper bar, and green leather. The building is an old English pub dating back to 1880. It’s a listed building, so we couldn’t touch it or change a single thing. But it works in our favor to preserve something from British culture.
Why has the bar become a London favorite?
Cocktails are beverages, but that’s only as good as oil in a car. [Operating a bar] is like a car race. You need a great car but also a mechanic and a driver to win. We have to provide a service way more complex than just making a drink. People come here to meet [people], relax, and forget the outside world.
Is there a secret to your success?
Success comes after a long time and a lot of hard work, so firstly, you need to be patient. Then, [you have to have] determination and strong beliefs in your values. If you do what you do well, it will [only] be a question of time before people appreciate [that].
What’s next for you?
There are always a few plans [in the works] if you’re running a business. But with Brexit and this current economic climate, it’s not as clear whether to invest in the longterm in an expensive city like London. In the meantime, we’re considering going abroad and other side projects.
