- Name: Jeet Rana
- Instagram: @jeetrana92
- Industry Experience: 14 years
- Favourite Drink: It depends on the mood and the people he’s drinking with. With a sophisticated crowd, Jeet likes a Gibson. If it’s on a beach, he prefers a Paloma or Daiquiri or Mojito.
- Favourite Non-Alcoholic Drink: In-house Kombucha
A passionate bartender, a natural storyteller and now a rising businessman, Jeet Rana is the co-founder of Barbet and Pals, a bustling bar in the heart of Delhi. Born in the mountainous region of Uttarakhand, the proud Garhwali boy was born with an innate sense of hospitality and warmth. His schooling in Ludhiana, Punjab, helped him acquire an outgoing persona which assisted him in creating unique connections in his bartending career.
Jeet is clear: His priority isn’t just winning awards but creating a neighborhood-friendly cocktail bar that is consumer-driven. Barbet and Pals, which he started with his business partner and friend Chirag, focuses on creating a friendly vibe that keeps guests coming back for more.
Named after a bird that loves to travel, this bartender-led and driven pub celebrates India’s myriad culture, people, stories, and hyper-local ingredients. Their limited-edition menu features drinks from a selected region using hyper-local ingredients for a fixed amount of time before moving on and curating cocktails for another region.
Barbet and Pals’ menu travels the length and breadth of India, giving guests a taste of what their country has to offer.
Curiously, fermentation lies at the heart of Jeet’s bar — he realized that, besides being good for our gut, the healthy bacteria also adds a lot of rich flavor to beverages. They also team up with local farmers to source hyper-local ingredients such as wild berries or pine leaves which may not be easily available from an ordinary vendor.
When asked about the future of brand ambassadorship in India, he predicted that there would be an increasing focus on community-driven workshops, mentoring young bartenders, building small regional communities, and ambassadors creating their own brand IPs (intellectual properties).
Additionally, we quizzed Jeet on what he would tell his 20-year-old self as an up-and-coming bartender in this industry. He answered that he would tell him 1) Not to follow awards and recognition only 2) Build connections in the industry that might become life-long friends and business partners 3) Understand finances and the nuances of running a business and finally, 4) Respect your body and its limitations — eat healthy and workout.
What qualities does he look for an emerging bartender? “The number one priority for me is their attitude towards learning,” he answers. Then he adds, “Another quality that we see is how great a team player that person is.” His bar regularly runs training programs that teaches personality development, communication skills and being a good conversationalist besides learning to make killer cocktails.
He ends our lively conversation with a pearl of wisdom: “We’re not in the business of selling food and drinks. It’s about making connections and connections happen when you become a good storyteller.”
- Written by Nemisha Sharma
