Manabu Ohtake Winning competition changed my life

When Japan’s Manabu Ohtake, 35, won the 2011 World Class Bartender of the Year competition in New Delhi, India last year, little did he know what to expect from there on.

Following his win, Ohtake from Tower’s Bar “Bellovisto” at the Cerulean Tower Tokyo Hotel, has travelled the world inspiring new talent and guest bartending at some of the world’s most preeminent bars.

In a one and one interview with Newsday during the 2012 World Class Finals held in Rio de Janeiro earlier this month, Ohtaki, through his interpreter Roberto Cortez said: “My life has changed a lot. After winning, I went to several countries doing training and interviews with a lot of the people from the world media. But it’s been a very good experience.”

Ohtake has indeed been featured in countless media and is the face of the Diageo Reserve World Class advertising campaign, visible in major airports.

At the 2012 Finals too, Ohtake gave many a tutorial on techniques and tools specific to Japanese bartenders and an insight into the trends he gathered while travelling the world.

When asked where does he go from here, now that he has handed over the reins to the 2012 winner, Australian Tim Philips, Ohtake said he is thinking of opening his own bar but he doesn’t yet know where. He then playfully hinted: “In Japan? Trinidad? But that will be a little later because I have one more year to go all over the world for Diageo, and maybe, after a year break I will open my own bar anywhere in the world.”

Pressed further as to where can that be he said: “In Brazil because there is an increasing market here. But it will probably be in Sao Paulo because it is a very big city where a lot of people go out for cocktails while they dine.”

And what about settling down with family?

“I may have a family but I don’t have time to think about that now. I have no time for dating because I have a very busy schedule,” Ohtake said firmly.

Asked if he was going to marry bartending Ohtake stated with a smile: “At the moment I am preparing very delicious cocktails because my pleasure is greater preparing delicious cocktails and seeing people so happy drinking them, and that happiness fulfils me, more than anything else for the moment. After I open my bar I will have more time to look for ‘lady love.’”

“He is smart. He is enjoying life,” chimed in his interpreter, also with a smile.

And what about those cocktail creations?

Ohtake told of a drink he developed for the Chinese while in China called “Shang Hai Lady.” It was a mix of lime juice, Chinese alcohol similar to vodka, plus liquors made from rice, barley and rye.

When asked what is his favourite liquor to use for his cocktail creations, in English he said: “I like gin.”

He reasoned that it was because of its flavour. His face then lit up as he said: It has a spicy smell and I love the smell of it. There is a special smell of gin that I like very much when I put it in my cocktails. It perfumes my cocktails.”

Ohtake then closed by stating with a most charming smile: “Not only is the taste of my cocktails important, but also the smell.”