INTERVIEW WITH GUILLERMO PITTALUGA IWCC 2022 Winner

We are interviewing Guillermo Pittaluga, the winner of IWCC 2022, the largest bartending competition in Europe organized by Mario Hofferer, Cocktail World Champion 2017/2018.

Originally from Uruguay, Guillermo has achieved success and currently works at the renowned Majestic Cannes Barrière in Cannes. Here, innovation in the world of cocktails is an integral part of their daily routine. THRILL couldn't be missing to further enhance their customers' experience!

 

Hi Guillermo, where do you work and what's your job?

 

Le Majestic Cannes Barrière is a five-star luxury hotel located in the heart of the city of Cannes, on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette. The hotel offers spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea and the bay of Cannes.

 

Famous for its refined elegance and impeccable service provided to its guests, the hotel offers a wide range of luxury amenities, including a wellness center, an outdoor swimming pool, and several restaurants and bars.

I work as a Bar manager at Le Fouquet's Cannes, led by the renowned bartender Emanuele Balestra, known for his mixology art and for creating unique and unforgettable cocktails.

 

What's the characteristic of the signature cocktails at Majestic Cannes Barrière?

 

Emanuele Balestra is much more than just a bartender: he's a flavor alchemist. His art is based on the subtle combination of alcohol and plants, which he grows himself in the hotel's two botanical gardens. Thanks to his passion, Balestra is able to create incredible signature cocktails with unique flavors and aromas, such as La Grande Dame ( Aroma alla verbena del giardino aromatico, Gin 44 Paradiso (batch per l’hotel), Champagne et profumo arancia amara et verbena).

Each cocktail created by Balestra is the result of careful research and a perfect combination of the plants grown in the hotel and the finest spirits. Thanks to his creativity and mixology knowledge, every drink is a unique and unrepeatable sensory experience.

 

Balestra's attention to nature and the quality of ingredients is also reflected in his choice to use local and seasonal products, guaranteeing freshness and sustainability.

 

He has brought mixology to a new level through the innovative concept of "Bar à Parfums". These special finishes are added to his cocktails and aperitifs to create a unique and unforgettable sensory experience. Balestra creates his "Bar à Parfums" within the hotel, using the same plants grown in the hotel's botanical gardens. Thanks to his knowledge of herbalism, he carefully selects ingredients to create these special finishes: each "Bar à Parfums" is designed to enhance the cocktail or aperitif, creating an intense and unforgettable sensory experience. Thanks to his attention to detail and the use of high-quality ingredients, Balestra's cocktails are among the most appreciated and refined in the world of mixology.

 

Furthermore, creating "Bar à Parfums" within the hotel ensures maximum freshness and sustainability, minimizing environmental impact.

 

The philosophy of the "zero-kilometer" approach is an important choice for the Hotel Majestic Cannes. Even the glasses used are produced locally, near Cannes, by Verriere de Biot, an artisanal glassworks famous for its high quality.

 

For Emanuele Balestra, the choice of the right glass is fundamental to enhance the flavors and aromas of the cocktails. Therefore, each glass is personally designed by him to achieve the perfect shape. That's why glasses often have very unusual and particular shapes!

 

What do you think is the added value that THRILL brings to the customer experience in this hotel?

 

First of all, thanks to its ability to sanitize glasses and remove any odor residue, with THRILL the glass does not alter the original taste that Emanuele has designed for each drink. This is extremely important to ensure a unique and authentic tasting experience.

 

Another thing that I really like about THRILL is that it allows us to easily chill even the most particular glasses, which are often difficult to keep in the fridge. Thanks to this tool, we can guarantee that every glass is always at the perfect temperature.

 

Lastly, let's not forget the wow effect on customers! THRILL is able to amaze them and make the experience even more unique and memorable.