Simone Caporale – “The important thing is to be yourself and keep your feet on the ground!”
During this year’s BCB, we had the opportunity to listen to a lecture given by one of today’s most famous bartenders – Simone Caporale. He is a person who was part of the team behind the bar four times, which led the bar to the place of the best in the world according to “The world’s 50 best bars“. Thus, in 2022, with Sips bar, he earned a high third place in the world. After the lecture, our Filip asked him 10 quick questions about his life and career.
You can read how he started his career, what motivated him to succeed and how the awards affect him in the interview.
- OK, so first things first, who is Simone Caporale and how did you decide to become a bartender?
“I decide to become a bartender because I have no other option. I was 15 years old, I wanted to get a summer job, and I didn’t start as a bartender, started as a pot washer in Discoteque. So washing glassware, collect their dirty glasses, clean the bar, and clean the bathroom. And that’s how I started, and I loved it.”
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So you started in Italy because you’re from Italy?
“Yes, I started in Italy at Lake Como.”
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What did you work on after you left Como?
“I went to Spain, I went to Valencia, and then I went to the US. My father lived in the United States, and I came back and got married. I work in Italy again. Then I moved to London. I lived there for 12 years, and now I have relocated to Spain. I opened my bar „Sips” and we also recently acquired the oldest cocktail bar in Spain, which is called Boadas. It is a cocktail bar from 1933. It is a bar that introduced Cuban culture to Europe, at least in Spain, 90 years ago.”
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Did you have some influence? For your work, for your thinking, or something like that.
“I have, yeah, I still do. Obviously, I hear it every day from colleagues and people from various disciplines.Not recently, but over the last 2-3 years, maybe five, I haven’t gotten inspired by bars or cocktails to do cocktails or bars. I think it is a bit too saturated for me. I seek inspiration beyond.”
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You imbibe in your own unique way.
“No, it’s not my type. But we created a system called systematic creativity, which is also documentary. My platform, which is called The Art of Shaking, is also on Instagram, and over there I show, I share so people can use it, and I explain how we get ideas for, of course, cocktails or bar concepts.”
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You’ve take the title for the „The World’s Best bar” for a few times. How many?
“It was well in 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012. Many years.”
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What was the first time you received the reward? How did you feel?
“For us, I didn’t change anything. We carry on. For us, it was their celebration. But the next day, life goes on. I hope it didn’t change me, and yes, these awards are great; it’s a recognition, but the next day, the past is gone.It’s not the present anymore, so you need to move on. That’s how I see things.”
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What is important to being successful?
“The important thing is to be yourself and keep your feet on the ground.”
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I see that you do a lot of cocktails. The Croatian scene is a little bit different. We don’t have so many infusions and stuff like that. You have been in Croatia, in Zagreb. So which is one of your favorite drinks? Do you like grappa and espresso together?
“Yes, yes. I was in Zagreb a while ago. I love them all. Honestly, all of them are special in their own way.
I do. I love that mix. I do, of course. I drink very often.”
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I went to Treviso about two weeks ago, and we went out to dinner. The waiter came and said, “What would you like to drink, like an aperitivo or something like that?” My wife said Crodino, my cousin said Prosecco, and I said Grappa, and he was taken aback. Is it breaking tradition to drink grappa as an aperitivo?
“Yes, because we are defined by our habits. You have a grappa after dinner. But you know it’s good to shock people. Yeah. So carry on; keep shocking people.”
