Shatbhi still loves taking her turn behind the counter and mixing drinks.The journey has been a long one but Shatbhi is nowhere ready to hang up her boots. Her journey began with a Martini. That is the one place that is home,” she says with the same enthusiasm as when she began. My aunts and uncles around the world would mail me information and bring miniatures of everything when they visited. In fact her mind is whirring with plans, “Oh theres so much more to discover.Shatbhi’s career choice was obviously not what a regular woman would have chosen at that point of time but then her family’s stamp of approval stood her in good stead. “Every time I open a new place, I always work with the team. I can see so much more happening in the future. She happens to be India’s first woman bartender, who blazed a trail in the male-dominated industry 36 years ago.
If James Bond were to mouth his famous line ‘Shaken, not stirred’ to Shatbhi Basu, she would not bat an eyelid but would go about mixing the drink that Bond wanted. Her profession gave her rewards, “My career choice has made me evolve in ways I never imagined and I am a better person for it. She states, “Unfortunately, there are still very few women bartenders even now. And do — both with spirits and with food.”Those decades of experiences gave her the wings to fly even higher — Shatbhi now owns a bartending academy STIR and is also an author and teacher.. Though Shatbhi studied hotel management, being a bartender was not a part of her plans — it was an order that had her taking her turn behind the bar in her early twenties. The same applies when I do special events and master classes.”Though her words do not paint a rosy picture, Shatbhi’s journey has been exciting. “Since I wasnt very skilled at it, I quickly taught myself by reading as much as I could out of a bartenders guide that I had. She takes stock of the current scenario regarding the number of women in her field and it is not an encouraging one.” If you think after all these decades, she would be content managing her academy, you are wrong.
It has allowed me the luxury to explore various parts of my personality.” So, armed with her knowledge gleaned from books, Shatbhi set out to blend drinks.” She had to resort to the advice doled out by printed words because as she mentions, “At the time, there were hardly any male bartenders either. For a woman who actually aspired to be a veterinary surgeon and even China acrylic polymer secured admission to a course, it was a case of the dreaded allergies that put an end to her dream and set her on a path that few women would even have dared to think of. “I was lucky I had the complete support of my family — all my books and study material came from them. Maybe Ill find time to write again.”Shatbhi knew how to blend a few cocktails but she did not know the techniques. Women guests were the happiest!” she says before stating, “I had very pleasant experiences while behind the counter. Im not ruling out anything,” she ends. Most of my customers were a little surprised. And out of those, I hardly see anyone with real passion and knowledge.” I was asked by my manager to go mix the drinks so I didnt really have a choice! Thats how it began.
ZHEJIANG RUICO ADVANCED