Story of MIXOLOGY Academy

WHO WE ARE

THE STORY OF HOW THE MIXOLOGY ACADEMY WAS BORN

As with many fairy tales, our story begins with “Once upon a time…”

Back when I was 20 years old, I set out to find fortune in the city of London as a summer time bartender. Even though I had no experience in the field I became fixated on the idea.

After completing my exams at university, I took it upon myself to travel to London with a cocktail recipe handbook under my arm.

With very little money, a suitcase filled only with clothes, and a heart brimming with excitement I encountered a much tougher reality than what I expected.

At my hostel I encountered youngsters from all corners of the world who had been trying to find work for months. They were older and more experienced than me, and my first interviews did nothing but confirm their own struggles.

It only took me a few days to understand that becoming a bartender in London was not going to be a game but a difficult feat.

After about 2 weeks of eating bread and discounted canned meat to save my pennies, a friend of mine called me for an open-house interview at a bar in the city center.

Dressed in the only decent shirt I had with me, I flew to Oxford Circus and waited in line with the others who were about to be interviewed.

Thanks to an exaggerated resume, a thirst for adventure and a great chat with the manager (and by the way thank you, dad, for sending me to English language summer camp) I got the job!

Having overcome the first obstacle of landing a job, I encountered a second difficulty; I never worked behind a bar before and was about to work in a busy cocktail bar…!

Thanks to pure luck, all newly enlisted employees had to go through days of internal training before starting their first shifts. It was just the miracle I needed.

After full days of training with bottles filled with water instead of alcohol and memorization of the menu, I was literally thrown into the mix to serve Happy Hour on a busy Friday night.

Imagine yourself doing something for the very first time in your life while being behind a bar with crowds of thirsty and rowdy customers assailing you!

After the first few minutes of panic I began to settle in. One of the most arduous experiences I ever encountered turned into one of the most gratifying and fun experiences I remember to this day.

It was at that moment I decided to immerse myself in the world of beverage and mixing while continuing my university studies.

Upon returning to Italy I sought work as a bartender at some of the best spots in Rome, but after just a few nights alongside others more experienced than me, I knew that I had a long road ahead.

I had to learn techniques different from the ones I learned in London. I began to take professional courses and to study and train every day.

After about a year I was given the opportunity to become an instructor in the first bartending school in Rome, known as Flair on Fire, and I accepted the job with overwhelming joy.

The idea of being able to share my love for this industry with others motivated me in many ways and made me proud of the pathway I’d taken.

Working as a bartender and trainer helped me to grow thanks to the professionals and students I was surrounded by.

Along with one of my fellow colleagues (and childhood friends) I opened my first bar at only 23 years of age.

The dream of opening my own bar had finally come true — a dream that 99% of bartenders hope for. We finally did it!

It’s a shame that nobody warned us about the other side of things, the side that would make anybody rethink the idea of opening a bar: the bureaucratic issues, long hours of work, never-ending taxes and of course the fight to stay afloat financially at the end of every month.

I found out that the life of someone who is “his own boss” is much harder than the life of an employee, but my determination grew every step of the way.

After several months of sleeplessness but with much encouragement, we restructured and refurbished our bar and realized a new concept for our business.

The results were positive and in almost no time the place was busy. We worked from morning to night 7 days a week, hiring a 10 person staff to help us so we could focus on the managerial aspects.

After a series of interviews we realized that hiring excellent bartenders that could meet and maintain our high standards was more difficult than we expected.

Our own need to find new staff gave us the idea of opening a training center, and this was the spark that ignited everything that followed.

Our idea was to personally train future staff and offer courses to others who wanted to learn how to bartend.

We did not foresee the surprisingly large number of people who wanted to learn bartending.

This is how the MIXOLOGY Academy was born.

Unlike other schools that were teaching the Classic Method of bartending, we decided to offer more advanced levels and created a program known as a Global Bartender where we teach the most modern techniques and give personal attention to each student.

Our students can choose the length of their training whether it’s only for a couple of weeks or more than a year. We offer the academic experience of growing and perfecting over time.

After years of growth, the MIXOLOGY Academy now has over 93 working stations, 5 separate modern rooms for a total of 600 sqm in size, making it the largest in Rome.

With the growth of our school and the addition of teachers who also continue to learn, the MIXOLOGY Academy has achieved international recognition for certifications and professional training in bartending, coffee making and bar managing.

Today Luca Malizia and I continue to grow the school while also establishing a number of companies in the beverage sector. These include our own store and e-commerce store for bartending products as well as our own restaurants which have enabled us to employ many others as well.

Just for the record: I was able to satisfy Mom and Dad by graduating from university, even though I love the line of work that I am currently in now has always made me happy.

What first started as a simple game transformed into a never ending fairytale and we’re helping others reach their dreams while continuing to chase our own.

Whichever pathway you decide to take, I wish you the best of luck in this magnificent field.

Like the motto of my very first bar says: “Enjoy your drink, enjoy your life!”