What role does tequila play in the spirits market?
It's a big category in its own right. There are a lot more tequilas than people think, and it's a case for bartenders of getting to know them. These products can be as good as any cognac.
You have three basic varieties: blanco, which is white and un-aged; reposado, which means rested; and añejo, which means aged.
Tequila seems to be increasingly perceived as a long drink, rather than a shot. What has led to this?
The more you age tequila in oak, the more mellow it becomes, and the better it is for sipping. The younger ones are the ones best used in cocktails, though.
Tequila is almost better drunk as a long drink. Tequila and coke is a good, simple long drink, and has been heavily promoted by Diageo. Tequila Sunrise is another easy-to-make classic - just a dash of grenadine with orange juice.
Did tequila deserve the negative image it picked up of harsh, hangover-inducing shots?
We are climbing out of this. It's still there but is nowhere near as bad as it was 10 years ago, when it had a really bad image that it probably did deserve.
At that point, there was no control over how it was made. Tequila is made from a desert lily called the agave. Now, by law, it has to be at least 51 per cent agave to be called a tequila, and it has to come from Mexico.
When we first opened, we saw the bottom end coming in. People were drinking a not very good product to excess because they saw it simply as a strong drink, then being put off and not coming back to it.
Everyone thinks tequila is really strong, but most are only around 40 per cent - that's the same as vodka.
What advice would you have for pubs on offering more tequilas and encouraging customers to trade up?
I would suggest if you are introducing a good tequila that it is 100 per cent agave. It is cleaner and your customers won't get the hangover that used to be associated with tequila.
If you are serious about introducing more tequilas, you need the more serious stuff. Most pubs have the big brands in, but the key to making more money from it is getting customers to sip and taste it.
At La Perla, we don't serve straight tequila in shot glasses, we serve it in bigger tasting tumblers. You can get some lower-priced brands that are 100 per cent agave, such as Cuervo Gran Centenario.
It's all about education. If a pub is going to introduce tequila, it has to get the staff behind it, get regulars to taste it.
And, of course, you have to advertise it. Customers will come back to somewhere that can say 'we stock good tequila'.
You have worked as a bartender in countries as far flung as India, Thailand and Australia. Are there lessons you can take from the experience that apply over here?
I saw some incredibly organised places and some that shouldn't even have been open. I was working in Tel Aviv once, speaking just a little of the language. The bar was filthy but it was always heaving because the owner was such a character. I have spanned the highs and the lows of the trade. Everything I do now is based on what I have done in the past, from how to set up a bar to how to treat your staff.
CV:
1998
General manager, La Perla,
Covent Garden
1996
La Perla opened in Covent Garden. Employed as barman
1985 to 1995
Travelled the world, working as a bartender and waiter
1984
Attended TGI Friday training course