Anthony Hajj Nicholas, bar manager at Global Gourmet Hospitality Services Co., began his career as a waiter. Through dedication and hard work, he developed his skills and took on new challenges. In this interview, he explains how he got to where he is today and the latest bar trends.
What have been the greatest highlights of your career?
Moving to Riyadh from Lebanon has definitely been a highlight. Having worked in the nightlife scene for most of my life, I was excited yet nervous about my big move. It was my first time in the kingdom, and it was a whole new experience. Creating non-alcoholic cocktails was something new for me, so I have adapted. Throughout my time in Riyadh, I have learned about and understood local tastes and created mocktails to suit local preferences.
I earned a spot among the top 15 non-alcoholic bar talents in the region, which was another highlight of my career.
What led to this achievement was creating an “out-of-the-box” non-alcoholic cocktail menu and combining new/unusual flavors while catering to local preferences. Although it was risky, it paid off.
How do you go about preparing a cocktail menu?
I split my year. During the first three months, I brainstorm and come up with the craziest ideas possible before I draw them out in the fourth month. By doing this, I get a look and feel for the final product before starting the initial mixology process. Furthermore, I ask members of the bar community alongside stakeholders to share their ideas too. Stakeholders involved in the company conduct a tasting in the fifth month, where they share concepts and improvements.
Upon consensus, we unveil the new menu in a distinctive manner after six months.
Each event is different according to the bar menu’s theme. This process is repeated every six months. Thus, it helps me ensure that the non-alcoholic cocktails we create are also unique yet well thought through. The Riyadh Mule’s taste is inspired by our in-house Saudi coffee syrup, giving it a sour peach flavor with the richness of coffee.
What are the latest non-alcoholic cocktail trends?
The main trends, in terms of ingredients, include fig leaves, tomato water and seaweed chips. Our Peach on the Beach includes seaweed chips, sea salt foam and homemade orange “caviar,” offering an ocean-inspired sensory experience. Customers enjoy the full beach experience, with ocean-inspired scents and flavors, starting with the sea salt foam and seaweed chips. The sweet and sour peach base follows, providing a delightful contrast after the sensory journey of the ocean-inspired elements.
Another trend in the market is the duality of flavors. We incorporate different flavors into our cocktails by using ingredients that are contradictory. To balance our non-alcoholic cocktails, we use a sour ingredient to contrast the sweet/savory counterpart, creating an adventurous flavor profile.
