Panos Ntalianis

HEAD MIXOLOGIST AT GŎNG BAR, THE SHARD, LONDON – PANOS NTALIANIS, SHARES SOME INSIGHT ABOUT HIS TIME AS AN EXPERIENCED BARTENDER, AND DELIGHTS US WITH AN EXCEPTIONALLY POETIC SERVE – THE LUMINOUS HIGHBALL.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR TIME AS A BARTENDER.

Coming from a family with a background in the hospitality sector, I’ve always had an affinity for the industry. However, growing up, I was more inclined towards the arts, which led me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, with a focus on hospitality interior design projects. While I was studying, I kept an eye on the cocktail industry and how artisans approached their final products with creativity and a focus on creating a complete experience, rather than just a beverage.

I started my bartending career in the UK at Dishoom, where I worked as a Cocktail Bartender. After four years of experience in London, I had the opportunity to join GŎNG Bar at Shangri-La, The Shard, London as Head Mixologist. This year, with our Hues of Culture cocktail menu, we drew inspiration from colours, arts, and culture, exploring their impact on human psychology and mood.

PLEASE SHARE ONE OF YOUR EXCEPTIONAL COCKTAIL CREATIONS.

The Luminous Highball, one of our drinks which we created for our Hues of Culture menu, is a vibrant celebration of colour’s role in history and culture.

To craft the Luminous Highball, we start by drying red cabbage and infusing it with mescal. This infusion allows us to extract the earthy and vegetal flavours from the cabbage, as well as its natural colour. Additionally, we cook another portion of mezcal with blue stilton cheese. The cheese complements the savoury notes of the drink, while the presence of a dairy product gives a smooth texture to the spirit. After cooking, we freeze the mixture for twentyfour hours and then clarify it through filters.

Another key ingredient is our homemade purple shiso soda, which is made from combining fresh purple shiso leaves cordial and balancing it with a blend of citric and tartaric acid. This combination of flavours provides a unique taste profile of earthy, cumin and mint-like notes; we then add the appropriate dilution and use force carbonation to give the drink its effervescence. www.gong-shangri-la.com

To introduce some complexity, we add tannins, and for extra acidity, we incorporate a touch of red verjus into the drink, adding depth and balance to the overall flavour profile. Finally, as a finishing touch, we coat the rim of the glass with salted beetroot flavour, enhancing the visual presentation and intensifying the flavour.

In addition to its unique flavour profile, we designed this drink to push the boundaries and offer our guests something new and unexpected, much like modern art does. By guiding our guests out of their comfort zones and introducing them to our GŎNG Bar culture, which is built on trust and memorable experiences, we aim to create a truly engaging and enjoyable drinking experience.