This time we offer an exclusive interview with Nathalie Durrieu, the bar manager of the Dom Pérignon bar at the Sezz Saint-Tropez.
What has been your career path?
The world of bars and bartending have always fascinated me. There is the theatrical side, the requirement for creativity, and most of all the close contact that we share with customers. All of this attracted me to the bar management business.
Of course, any career has to have a beginning, and I started out as a clerk in a brasserie in Annecy. Occasionally, I had the opportunity to go behind the bar and it all clicked back into place.
I then moved on from the world of restaurants to the one of nightclubs, from Geneva to Paris, to finish in cocktail bars between Biarritz and La Clusaz. I would readily admit that this profession has become a passion.
How would you describe the Bar by Dom Perignon?
At Sezz, the Bar is a place of escape for our clients. A great amount of research has been done on products and associations of taste and also at the visual level. We seek to impress all our guests, no matter who they might be. The atmosphere is inviting and cosy and our guests can enjoy DJ evenings all summer, and on weekends in May, June and September.
In your opinion, what is the difference between the Bar of the Hotel Sezz and the other bars in Saint Tropez?
First is its privileged location. It’s especially pleasant to sip a cocktail by one of the most beautiful pools in Saint Tropez. The Bar is also distinguished by its quality, both in regard to the products we offer and in the level of the techniques used. In addition, our cocktail menu is original and popular.
What is the best time to enjoy a cocktail at the Bar?
We offer a special atmosphere at all times of the day that is perfectly suited to enjoying cocktails around the pool. However, it’s especially pleasant to enjoy an aperitif in the evening before a gourmet dinner at the Restaurant Colette.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Obviously, the Mediterranean; the sun and the heat. And the spirit of the hotel; the sense of relaxation and enjoyment.
The criteria for a bar manager?
Generally, the secret recipe for a bar manager is ... overall we have to be very rigorous and organised, have a good deal of character and, above all, be accessible.
Signature cocktail?
For this summer, which looks like it’ll be very hot, I created a whole new signature cocktail with gin, fresh mint, lemon and a hint of ginger and called it ‘From Singapore With Love.’ Enjoy it at any time of the day to cool off by the pool, or as an aperitif. It’s irresistible!
In a Julep glass
- 5 cl Star of Bombay Gin
- 2 cl house ginger syrup
- 2 cl lemon juice
- 7 mint leaves
- Top up with Ginger Beer
~oOo~
Restaurant Colette, the somptuous restaurant of Sezz Saint-Tropez
