- Name: Aman Dua
- Instagram: @beverageprogrammer
- Industry Experience: More than 19 years
- Favourite Drink: Old Fashioned
- Favourite Non-Alcoholic Drink: Coconut water
Don’t let Aman’s small-town roots fool you – he has a thirst for hard work and a hunger for being successful like few in this industry. Hailing from Karnal, Haryana, Aman learned early on that, to be successful in any venture, one must have a healthy blend of business acumen and flourishing creativity.
At a young age Aman was imbued with creativity from his mother, a fantastic cook, who taught him his first lesson in mixology by brewing local drinks like Kanji and Shikhaji. From his father, Aman learned how to do business by helping his dad sell goods during his summer holidays in 8th standard. While most kids were busy taking trips, Aman was helping his father earn a quick buck.
From his one-bedroom space that he shared with his family, young Aman had big dreams. After a brief stint at Costa Coffee in Karnal where he learned how to concoct various coffee beverages, he came to Delhi to pursue bartending. Things were rocky at first, but with the help of a beloved mentor, he saw that bartending can be a prosperous career and not just a paycheck.
Aman is constant finding ways to spark his creativity by meeting people, sampling local cuisine or simply being aware of what he’s drinking. He is now the owner of CBD, a relatively economically priced bar and restaurant in Bangalore. Inspired by the acronym of its location, Central Bangalore District — CBD — Aman and his business partner came up with the name the Central Bar District (CBD) to create a space which offers high quality cocktails and dishes.
The ever-ambitious Aman is now planning to open two more CBDs in Bangalore driven by his passion for feeding people and making appetizing drinks for them to sip at. He plans to run 50-55 bars.
Aman also chatted with us about how, while bartending is still new in India, mixology has always been a part of Indian culture. He highlights the importance of putting local flavors and ingredients in cocktails rather than simply imitating the West.
“Bartending is not just making a drink, right?” answers Aman, when asked about his advice to future bartenders, “There is much more things you should learn about like doing social media, how to make connections and knowing your ingredients.” He also advises young bartenders to reach out to more experienced ones to tap into their wisdom. Having a mentor early on can make a difference to your bartending career, he opines.
For budding restauranters, Aman recommends being focused on knowing your numbers, understanding your target audience and location.
– Written by Nemisha Sharma
