THE MIX

Introducing ‘The Mix’ – ten leading bartenders from around the UK. All hailing from some of the finest bars in the UK, carefully selected for their commitment to hospitality and limitless passion for their craft.

• Panos Ntalianis – GONG Bar, Shangri-La, at the Shard

Panos Ntalianis started his journey in the hospitality world in 2005. While studying Design, he also worked in a bar, which sparked his interest in the industry. He later joined his family’s restaurant business and worked on interior design projects, combining his love for design and hospitality.

Feeling the need for more education, Panos moved to the UK to get a Master’s degree in Strategic Product Design. After finishing his studies in 2017, he saw the growing opportunity in the bar industry. He was particularly interested in the creative side of cocktail making. This led him to London, one of the world’s most competitive markets for bars and restaurants.

In London, Panos worked as a bartender at various establishments, including some of the city’s best-known cocktail bars. His hard work and creativity paid off in 2021 when he became the Head Mixologist at GONG Bar, Shangri-La, at the Shard – the highest bar in Europe.

At GONG Bar, Panos loves to experiment with different ingredients and challenge common ideas about flavours. His goal is to create holistic drinks concepts and provide memorable experiences and genuine hospitality to every guest, all while they enjoy the amazing view from London’s skyline.

For Panos, London is the perfect place to be in the bar industry. He enjoys the unique experiences London offers and continues to contribute to the city’s vibrant hospitality industry

@ Panos_Ntalianis

• Courtney Francis – Couch in Stirchley

Hello, my name is Courtney Francis and I’m a bartender for Couch in Stirchley (4th Best Bar and Best Bar Team at the Top 50 Cocktail Bars UK 2024)

I have been bartending for 4 years, originally in Bournemouth and now in Birmingham for the last year.

I am an avid bird watcher, a lover of old pub hangouts and I adore my cats. I eat sushi after a responsible night of drinking. I also pronounce satay as SAY-TAY.

More professionally, I was the Winner of Emerging Bartender of the Year at the Class Bar Awards 2023, Winner of IWSC Emerging Bartender 2022, Top 50 for World Class 2023 and Top 10 for Patrón Perfectionist 2023. I have also been a judge for Class Bar, Top 50 Cocktail bars UK and the IWSC. As you can see, it’s been a heck of a ride since entering the industry in 2020.

@_courtney_francis_

• Tom Austin – The Milk Thistle in Bristol

My name is Tom Austin and I am a senior bartender at The Milk Thistle in Bristol.

Being born and raised in Bristol I am very proud to work in one of the City’s best cocktail Bars and with such a great team that has enabled me to really grow as a bartender.

Coming into bartending as a musician has really allowed me to keep that creativity in my work which is something I’ve always looked to do.

@tom_austin

• Chloe Yeung – Panda & Sons in Edinburgh

Hello, I’m Chloe and I work at Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, I am 24 years old and believe it or not I have a degree in Musical Theatre. Throughout uni I worked part time as well as studying and I guess after I graduated that I decided that hospitality is more for me, so here I am.

@ Chloeyeung1

• Davide Leanza – Los Mochis City in London

My name is Davide Leanza and I’m newly appointed Assistant Bar Manager for the new opening of Los Mochis City moving from the Head Bartender role at Mama Funki.

I moved to London in 2014 from north of Italy (although my parents are Sicilian) and after a couple of years of Events and freelancing I’ve joined cocktail bars and moved to Hotel bars for about 6-7 years before joining Mama Funki in June 2023.

@daveleanza

• Reah Owen – Project Halcyon Distillery in Manchester

Hi! I’m Reah Owen, I’m a bartender at Project  Halcyon Distillery in Manchester. I’m a freshly turned 21 year old which will forever make be the baby of the group. I love to travel! It’s a big reason as to why I got into the hospitality industry, I want to see as much of the world as I possibly can! I also love to bake – I love baking anything but cakes are my specialty – I guarantee I can make you the best lemon drizzle cake you’ve ever had!

@drinkwithreah

• Ewan Grieve – Lab22 in Cardiff

Hi, I’m Ewan! I’m a bartender from Lab22 in Cardiff, occasionally I make decisions but I’d rather just talk to people most of the time.

I’ve been at Lab for around 2 and half years now but been in Hospitality since I was 15, so coming up to a decade of it: from nightclubs to restaurants to now here. It’s always made sense to do hospitality for me. Between a nurse for a mum and a dad who worked hospitality his whole life before even getting to family and friends who were chefs or bar managers, it always felt like home. I got to starting a masters before dropping out, not really telling my parents and working full-time in a restaurant instead for it to really begin.

I ended up and Lab and felt like I fell in love with it all again. The vibes, the people, the drinks. It was a place that I could completely get behind without even trying. The big goal is to create a space where you’re completely comfortable with drinks that are create. Basically bringing the pub to a side of an industry that is so special and make that as a centre of a community.

We focus a lot on locality with what we do and it’s amazing to see that become a trend across different parts of the UK. With that you get loads of cool ways to do it too. I absolutely love foraging so that is slowly getting more of a spotlight.

After it all, I just want to go mind off and sit in a slightly grimy pub and drink Guinness. I think that’s the best way to enjoy booze anyway…

@b1g_mel0n

• Kane Gordon – Tabula Rasa in Leeds

Hello, My name is Kane Gordon, I am London born but moved to Leeds to study philosophy in 2015. I worked in several bars during my 4 years at the university of Leeds, but truly fell in love with the industry after a year stint under Filippos Filippopoulos in my final year, from which I made the decision to dedicate my life to all things hospitality!

I have been privileged enough to be part of 3 bar teams whom have placed in the UK top 50 every year for the last 5 years, Jakes bar at #17 & #24, Roland’s at #34 and most recently Tabula Rasa at #48 & #16.

I’m forever grateful to all the important people who have influenced my bar journey and instilled in me a love and passion for creating lasting memories with new guests, and building my own little army of regulars.

Hospitality to me is happiness, and I do smile a lot.

Yamas!

@verdwalen

• Elyse Von Ruinn – Charlie Brown’s in Glasgow

With over 12 years in industry I’ve worked everywhere from gig venues, craft beer joints to old school boozers all over the country but it was getting into cocktails after lockdown which changed the game for me.

I’m currently the creative lead at Charlie Brown’s in Glasgow. Taking care of socials, photography, menus and all sorts at CBs as part of a tiny team of three. I want to focus on not only my future and education within the industry but on nurturing creativity and community in the Glasgow scene and beyond. Expect inclusive hospitality, smashable savoury sips and maybe a few pints of big juicy 😘

@the_champagne_of_queers

• David Stanley – Speak in Code in Manchester

David joined the Speak in Code team as Head Bartender toward the end of 2023, bringing a wealth of experience in both small, family run hospitality venues, to managing at one of the UKs most prestigious and well established venues, and a lot of cocktail driven projects in between.

David has always had great pioneering vision, a can-do attitude, and a willingness to get stuck in and problem solve, with him once finding a dusty old rotovap on a shelf in a previous work place, claiming it, 3D printing the parts at home to fix it, and then doing just that!

Having been a frequenter of Speak in Code since the bar first opened, he fell in love with the rustic, authentic feel inside the venue and knew it to be a perfect fit for his next steps in hospitality. Bringing warm natured hospitality and outstanding technical expertise to the mix, be sure to say hey next time you’re in the venue!

@head_bartender_bobby