With his innovative approach and unparalleled expertise, Pankaj Balachandran, the dynamic spirit behind Countertop India and the visionary Brand Director of Short Story Spirits, continues to revolutionize the beverage industry. Known for his roles as a sommelier, hotelier, restaurateur and businessman, Pankaj has traveled far and wide to fulfill his dream of changing the hospitality industry by providing guests with extraordinary service and innovative cocktail creations. The Savour Series, which highlights the best bartenders and mixologists, was recently introduced by Marriott International’s Marriott Bonvoy program. Pankaj was the featured artist for the event, which took place at Koishii, The St. Regis Mumbai. His creative recipes for the Savour Series, which he presents with great enthusiasm, have raised the bar for high-end beverage experiences.
Pankaj talks about his collaboration with Marriott Bonvoy, the special cocktails created for the Savour series and the shift in consumer drinking habits towards conscious consumption in this exclusive conversation with News18.com. Apart from his insights on the future of cocktails, he also offers his take on the latest developments in the alcohol and beverage sector and bar trends. Pankaj’s story goes beyond just mixing cocktails to include creating unique experiences that raise the bar for cocktail culture in India.
Excerpts from the interview:
What inspired you to collaborate with Marriott Bonvoy for its Savour Series and how do you envision this partnership will enhance the drinking culture in India?
When Marriott Bonvoy introduced the Savor Series, we realized that there was a shift in consumer trends toward high-volume beverages and a focus on the quality and craftsmanship behind cocktails. People are now more interested in the ingredients, presentation, and story behind each drink. This growing appreciation for quality drinks made this collaboration particularly appealing to me. Being part of the first event they hosted was a phenomenal experience.
Can you share some of the unique cocktails you created for the Savour series at Koishii at The St. Regis Mumbai? What was the inspiration behind these concoctions?
There are two distinctive menus curated for tonight at Koishii, a Japanese and Peruvian-style restaurant at The St. Regis Mumbai. To stay true to the concept, the first four courses were inspired by Japan and Peru. We had drinks that pay homage to these regions, including a pisco sour with Japanese ingredients, a miso old fashioned, and a melon highball, all specific to Japan.
The second part of the Savor Series experience was about transforming popular dishes into cocktails. For example, we created a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cocktail called the Midnight Brekkie, a cucumber salad appetizer, a tomato and mushroom pasta, and a fig and cheese plate, all of which were turned into unique cocktails. The idea was to have people choose drinks based on these dishes, essentially “drinking the dishes” instead of traditional cocktails. We were able to extract and distill the flavors into the cocktails, leading to interactive conversations with attendees about the tasting experience.
How have you observed the evolution of alcohol consumption patterns in recent years, particularly with the shift towards conscious consumption and a preference for quality over quantity?
Over the past five years, drinking patterns have changed significantly, driven by the new audience who would earlier spend money on going to a bar and ordering a bottle. Today, they prefer to go out and visit other countries. Increased travel to places like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Dubai and London has impacted the consumer psyche. They come back with unique cocktail experiences and expect the same at home. The Indian bar community has been resilient in meeting these changing consumer expectations. Over my 15 years in the industry, I have seen a shift from consumers ordering LITs and bottles of vodka to preferring craft cocktails, sipping cocktails and savoury style drinks. The Indian market is growing and consumers are now prioritising quality over quantity, willing to spend more on fewer iconic and craft drinks.
Your career spans a variety of roles, from sommelier to entrepreneur. How have these diverse experiences influenced your approach to cocktail making and the drinks industry in general?
I have been fortunate to have had a very diverse background and have spent enough time in each field to understand the business thoroughly. From working with wines as a sommelier to collaborating with brands like Monkey Shoulder and Diplomatico during their launch in India and now running a consultancy company, my roles have been varied and rewarding.
These experiences have given me a deep understanding of both internal systems and consumer perspectives, allowing me to effectively target and achieve goals. My experience helps me create innovative spaces, brands and bars, influencing where and how people enjoy their drinks.
At my consulting firm, we have worked on projects like Bombay Canteen, Papa Pedro's and Bandra Born in Mumbai. We are also revamping Taj's beverage programs across the country. Our aim is to create new benchmarks for India, bridging the gap between Indian and global drinking cultures. With Countertop, we have significantly minimized this gap through our curated spaces, brands and events.
How important is sustainability in your work and what steps do you take to ensure that your cocktails are environmentally friendly?
Of course. Sustainability is one of our core beliefs. In every batch we brew and in every program we launch, we prioritize it. However, I don’t think any bar can be 100% sustainable. Very few places in the world achieve complete sustainability, and in India, it’s even rarer. For example, if plastic is used, sustainability efforts are compromised. We practice awareness for sustainability, but we are not there yet. I don’t think anyone has really achieved it, even if they claim to be. The term is often used informally. We focus on reducing waste, and despite our efforts, we consider ourselves 80% sustainable.
What exciting projects or initiatives are you currently working on and what can we expect from Pankaj Balachandran in the near future?
I hope to do more of the Saver series because it's fun and involves interacting with a lot of people, watching them go crazy, which is a beautiful sight. It really affects people's psyche regarding drinking and tasting cocktails in a different format. Apart from that, the Countertop Lab will be a big project this year. Also, we are slowly opening our own space after Tesouro by Firefly.
