The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
All content for MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up is the property of Chris Maffeo and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
105 | The Bar Under Their Palm: Federico Riezzo on London 90's Cocktail Golden Era and Why Service Beats Technical Skills
MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up
43 minutes
4 months ago
105 | The Bar Under Their Palm: Federico Riezzo on London 90's Cocktail Golden Era and Why Service Beats Technical Skills
In this episode, Chris Maffeo talks to Federico Riezzo, hospitality veteran and founder of Villa Mamo (a Villa in Tuscany), about London's cocktail renaissance and why human connection beats technical skills in bartending. Federico shares his experience at legendary London cocktail bars like The Pharmacy, Lab, Sketch, and Sanderson Hotel during the cocktail revival of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Learn how exceptional bartenders combined technical excellence with infectious energy to create welcoming environments that prioritize guest experience over complex mixology.Chris and Federico explore how service philosophy transforms bartenders into "gatekeepers of sales" through trust-building techniques like spirit sampling and storytelling. Discover practical hospitality strategies that create memorable bar experiences, generate customer loyalty, and drive organic word-of-mouth marketing in the cocktail industry.Perfect for bartenders, bar managers, hospitality professionals, cocktail enthusiasts, and anyone interested in London's cocktail history and modern bar service excellence.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Villa Mamo Overview08:15 London Cocktail Renaissance Era16:30 Service Philosophy vs Technical Skills24:45 Trust-Building Through Sampling32:20 Munich Bar Experience Example37:46 Gatekeepers of Sales Concept
MAFFEO DRINKS: Brands Built Bottom-up
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast is a leading drinks business podcast delivering actionable insights for drinks leadership.
For founders, directors, distributor MDs, and hospitality leaders navigating the tension between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations.
20+ years building brands across 30+ markets. Each episode features drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, sharing how the drinks industry actually works. Not the conference version. Honest conversations.
Insights come from sitting at the bar.
Beyond episodes: advisory for leadership teams, subscription with episode deep dives and principles to navigate your own reality.
Beer, wine, spirits, Low and non-alcoholic.
Bottom-up Insights & Episode Deep Dives at https://maffeodrinks.com
