Simone di Serio
Known for its exquisite concoctions, Julep Herbal & Vermouth Bar is like taking a step back in time. Sip tailor-made cocktails in opulent surroundings to the sultry sounds of live music, perfectly enhancing the wonder of the libation experience.
Julep’s drinks list is as creative, characterful, and fun as we’d expect from Hotel de la Ville’s inimitable winter bar. The mischievously named Scoundrels, Swing, and Cockney menu pays tribute to 19th-century London’s East End, where rhyming slang made its way into working-class vernacular.
We shared a cocktail with Julep’s Bar Manager Simone di Serio to ask for his insider knowledge on ‘Cockney’, the drink everyone is talking about…
Cockney rhyming slang is an intriguing inspiration for Julep's newest drink. Can you tell us why your team chose this theme?
"We wanted to play with our guests, creating an environment inspired by nineteenth-century London. Cockney has a rich cultural history. It’s a dialect of the English language, spoken in and around London, particularly by those with working-class and lower-middle-class roots.
It was first used by rogue ‘scoundrels’, who spoke in rhyme so as not to be understood in their conversations. We take this as inspiration for our playful cocktail names, for example, the Sky Rocket (Cockney rhyming slang for pocket), the China Plate (mate), and the popular Vera Lynn (gin)."
How do different music genres set the mood for an immersive evening?
"I am a lover of good music. The right atmosphere can help guests have an unforgettable experience and live music, from jazz to piano, is always greatly appreciated, it enhances the essence of the evening."
How does storytelling inform specific drinks to engage and delight guests?
"Storytelling engages guests, helping them understand and interact with our work. For example, the European Grand Tour with the routes of spices and recipes with a Mediterranean influence was a winning trend as we had a lot of material to work with. We used a sensorial menu to help people choose the cocktails and it was a lot of fun."
How might someone's personality or background inspire you to craft them a bespoke cocktail?
"I believe that experience is fundamental to being creative, we can take inspiration from everything, and then tell it in a cocktail. It could be a trip, a job abroad that left a particular mark on us, or a piece of cake from when you were a child that you still carry with you today."
Your job is wonderfully creative. What do you love most about what you do?
"I love being behind the counter of an American cocktail bar, the noise of the shakers, the counter full of people having fun even if not everyone knows each other, creating a tailor-made cocktail for those who approach the counter, a gentleman telling you he is drinking the best martini of his life (when he probably says it every time to all the bartenders)… the unmatched atmosphere that is created in a bar crowded with people."
What surprising things inspire you to explore and innovate in mixology?
"The world of drinking is constantly evolving, which is very stimulating. Seasonality is as important as the processing of raw materials. There are many interesting techniques we like to experiment with, such as milk clarification, cryoconcentration, cooking liqueurs in sous vide, and much more."
A vibrant, modern-day icon atop the Spanish Steps.
Phone Number*
Address
Via Sistina 69
00187, Rome
Rome
00187, Rome
Rome
A vibrant, modern-day icon atop the Spanish Steps.
Phone Number*
Address
Via Sistina 69
00187, Rome
Rome
00187, Rome
Rome
A vibrant, modern-day icon atop the Spanish Steps.
Phone Number*
Address
Via Sistina 69
00187, Rome
Rome
00187, Rome
Rome