4. October 2011 16:00

Speakers of Bar Convent Berlin 2011: Dimitri Sokolov

Dimitry Sokolov did attend the inaugural Bar Convent Berlin in 2007 as a regular visitor. This year he is returning as a speaker. Just fve years after embarking a bartending career and ditching his medical studies Dmitry decided to launch his frst own bar “Help” in Moscow. Since 2003 he added several other bars to his portfolio which all run very successully. 

Dimitry, would you please introduce yourself and your work to our readers?

My name is Dmitry Sokolov, I am chief bartender and co-owner of few cocktail bars in Moscow ( Helpbar, Freebar, Temabar, All-time bar, Dreambar, Aloha bar), and hold different master classes all over Russia. Together with other leaders of the Russian bar industry we organize the “Bartenders Brothers” group – our main idea to bring a high level of bar to Russian bartenders and of course to our guests all over the country.

As far as we know you are a trained physician. How did it happen that you are now own several bars in Moscow?

I graduated at Medical University as a traumatical surgeon. I started to work as a bartender in 1998, when I was a student (payment was very small for doctor students, and I decided to find something else) then I fell in love with bartending and it became my way of life. My final decision to link my life with cocktails and bartending was made when I became Bacardi Martini Grand Prix World Champion in 2003 in Torino. I returned back to Moscow and my boss fired me. And I decided to open my own bar.

You will provide insights into the Russian bar scene at Bar Convent Berlin. What do you think of a small appertizer for our readers?

I am going to tell the BCB visitors about the history of cocktail culture in the Soviet Union, from 1940s till our days. Yes, in USSR there was a very unusual cocktail culture! And I will make a few cocktails based on native Russian ingrdients: birch juice, sea-buckthorn berry,  kvas ( a special bread drink) and the forefather of vodka – Polugar.

You seem to be very well connected on an international level. What do you think of the use of social media channels by bartenders?

I participated in a lot of international competitions since 2000, that’s why I have a lot of friends all over the world and of course with the development of social networks it became easier to connect with people all over the world. Facebook, Twitter and G+ help all bartenders to enrich their horizon of knowledge.

As part of Diageo's World Class 2011 a part of the Russian bar scene publicly stood up against the procedure of this competition in Russia. The news travelled fast to Germany and other countries. What precisely happened? 

We just wanted to show the organizers of the Russian part of World Class that you need to listen to the bartender society when you organize it. All bartender competitions organized in the world, are made for bartenders to populize drinks among bartenders! Its impossible to organize a prestigious competition in the country without the recognition of bartenders. We were very surprised, when we heard that this situation did not only occur in Russia, but also in other counties around the world

In a couple of days you will attend Bar Convent Berlin. Are you looking forward to something special?

I’m looking forward to meeting my good friends and of course to showing something interesting about Russian bar scene to all the guests. And of course to also learn more myself at BCB.

Which spirits from Germany are known in Russia?

Of course (German) beer is popular here. And a lot of people like the different schnapps varieties, the most popular is probably Kirschwasser. I personally prefer Apfelschnaps.