Interview with: Georgi “Mahiki” Radev
Georgi “Mahiki” Radev
Tiki Bartender of the year / Mahiki bar manager.
1) 5 Bucket List items for this year.
There are few projects that I am working on this year, but the most important for my bucket list are:
- Opening Mahiki Miami! Miami is such a tiki and rum city. I can’t wait to spread the tiki love and Mahiki happy madness out there and work with rum legends like Rob Burr.
- Get in the Guinness record book, by doing the biggest Pina Colada in the world. I am talking about thousands of litres and big party.
- Helping with the developing of new rum. I can’t talk much about it ,because is not on the market yet. When is ready we can revile the secret. It will be great quality rum!
- Travel around the rum producing countries. The best way to understand rum is been where is made, be part of its culture, taste it and love it.
- Organise a massive Tiki party inviting all the world known tiki and rum gurus. Get hundreds of tiki and rum lover to dance the night away and see the sunrise on the beach.
2) Biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry.
I have quite a few personal achievements like been a Tiki Bartender of the year 2012 sponsored by Don Q.
For me the biggest achievement is been able to work for a great tiki and rum company like Mahiki.
We have Mahiki in London ,Dubai and we are opening in Miami. We want to get the tiki and rum love all over the world. Working with lot of rum brands and traveling all over the world, meeting lovely people and spread the rum love must be my biggest achievement.
3) Favorite Drink + Recipe
I love Missionary Downfall!
It’s such a refreshing typical tiki cocktail.
I have my own twist on it which we offer in Mahiki.
Ingredients:
Light Gold Gold Rum – 50
Re’al Peach syrup – 20
Honey Water ( 1 part water 1part honey) – 20
Mint – 4 leafs
Lime – 20
Pineapple juice – 20
Fresh pineapple – 1 ring
Method
Method- fine blend
Ice – crushed
Glass – hurricane
Garnish- two peaces of pineapple and cherry squared on umbrella and mint spring.
4) Where do you see the rum industry today?
The variety of different rums on the market is huge.
When we open mahiki 8 years ago rum wasn’t so popular.
It was so strange to everyone that we opened Tiki Rum bar in Mayfair and the menu is 90% made with rum.
If you asked customer the question would you like rum, vodka ,gin ,tequila or whiskey based cocktail, the answer very rarely was rum.
Now 90% of the guests are asking for rum cocktails. People choose different rums by names for rum and coce or for the cocktails. Very often guests are asking for rum neat, to taste some of the rums, rum old fashioned or Manhattan.
5) Where do you see the rum industry in 5 years?
Rum is the most versatile spirit in the world.
The variety of different style rums is enormous.
I believe that people in the next 5 years will get to know rum better. Find out which rums are they favourite. Start making difference between the different styles and now how to drink them and enjoy them.
Get to know it to love it. Ps. We will help them with that!
6) Share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have helped you.
I got introduced to the love of rum from Richard Wood in Floridita.
Hi passed his passion for rum to me.
Very often we were staying after work and taste different rums. Sometime he was opening some very rare bottles. There are so many inspiring rum people, but if I have to chose 2 will be Papa Jules and Ian Burrell!
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