Bartenders

Paul Mathew

Type

Bartenders

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

UK – Surrey commuter belt originally, but currently living in Cambodia after a 4 1/2 year stint in Beijing

WHERE DO YOU/HAVE YOU WORKED?

The Hide on Bermondsey Street for a long time – I’m one of the owners, but now I’m only there on the odd occasions I'm back in the UK. These days I mainly work as a guest bartender at various places in Asia. Prior to all that, a whole host of pubs and bars around the UK (20 years worth now).

FAVORITE BARS?

Ones with friendly, talented bartenders.

FAVOURITE DRINK?

Blood & Sand (with an Islay whisky preferably) - like them so much we named our company after them. Default to a Negroni after that though. Or a beer. Or maybe a G&T. Whisky is good too. Actually variety is the best thing about the drinks industry come to think of it!

Bad ass barman/rock n roll moment?

I’m not particularly “bad ass”.

Ever done it on a bar?

I’ve done all sorts of things on bars.

What's next for you?

Another bar in the works for London hopefully – and a second child on the way later this year so late bar nights and early baby mornings.

Best/worst chat up lines you've heard at a bar?

“I love a bit of salt & pepper” - to me from a younger gent who clearly liked older men (or at least their hair).

Tell us a secret or something we don't know?

I once spent seven days running through the Sahara dreaming of martinis.

If you were to make a barchick cocktail, what would you put in it?

Blonde au pear: Jensen’s Bermondsey Gin, Camden wheat beer, home-made pear liqueur, lemon juice, orange bitters shaken very hard & served up in a fancy pants goblet.

How do you like your Martini?

3:1, a straightforward London Dry Gin, Noilly, small lime twist.

What did you want to be as a kid?

Jungle Explorer - and I spent quite a few years working in tropical forests as a conservation biologist when I grew up, but then bars took over.