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THE BOMBAY SAPPHIRE BLUE ROOMS OPENS AT ZENNA BAR IN HONOR OF WORLD GIN DAY

The Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna Bar in Soho offers an imaginative retreat during the summer

In celebration of World Gin Day, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE®, the world’s number one premium gin by value for a third consecutive year, today opens its Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms in Soho, London and begins its guest residency at luxury Indian cocktail bar ZENNA Bar (zenna-bar.co.uk), 77 Dean Street,  London, W1D 3SH.

Launching on World Gin Day, Londoners and visitors alike are welcome to experience the imaginative world of Bombay Sapphire and escape the energy of central London by retreating to the Zenna Bar throughout the summer until 9^th September.

Bombay Sapphire UK Brand Ambassador Sam Carter says: “London is such a busy city and with the dynamic summer ahead, the Bombay Sapphire team wanted to offer everyone a space to escape from it all, even for just one afternoon or evening. The Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna Bar is the perfect retreat to pause, reflect and rejuvenate with a refreshing, imaginative cocktail.”

Visitors to the Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna Bar can choose from a menu of exclusive cocktails available, a few of which include the Summer Sapphire Sour, a floral flavored cocktail with a a lovely luxurious creamy texture which tickles the senses, the sophisticated Sambra Sapphire, a twist on the classic ‘Bucks Fizz’ and the legendary Bombay Sapphire Aviation.

Partnering with award winning mixologist Dan Thomson, who heads up Zenna Bar, the Bombay Sapphire team also worked with two ‘imagineers’ to bring the Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna Bar to life. Designer Ross Hancock, Esquire Magazine’s ‘Best Dressed Man 2010’ and ‘Project Catwalk’ Season 3 Finalist, was brought on board to dress the space and create custom made shirts for the bar staff. Artist Jari Kutasi was commissioned to design an imaginative video collage piece that provides a focal point in the venue.

Ross Hancock comments: “Keeping in line with Bombay Sapphire gin’s clean understated elegance of Bombay Sapphire and Zenna Bar’s relaxed cool attire, we’ve worked to bring the two together, creating something cool and sophisticated that is also rich, colourful and stylish. The shirts we’ve designed are simply an extension of this, which adds to the overall look and feel. Expect an Eastern influence and a touch of east London when you step into the Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms this month.”

Jari Kutasi comments: “The story of my inspiration for the piece starts in the heart of India, Bombay. Adopting a new art form, ‘collage-borrowing,’ I collected footage from across the Internet, referencing images and locations that best represented Bombay Sapphire and the imaginative journey.”

Throughout the summer, the pop-up bar will also be used as a venue to host UK and international trade media and consumers, with monthly master classes featuring the “Bombay Sapphire Imaginarium and Flavour Experience,” as well as brand inductions and cocktail competitions.

“The Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna serves the spiritual home of Bombay Sapphire and showcases the imaginative quality of the brand in a tangible way. We look forward to welcoming the public this summer – from locals to visitors from afar – and hope that everyone who visits can unwind in the inspired atmosphere we’ve created,” says Emma Johansson, Bombay Sapphire Global Marketing Manager.

Drop by the Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna, located at 77 Dean Street, London, W1D 3SH. For information, please visit www.bombaysapphire.com or zenna-bar.co.uk

About Bombay Sapphire

Bombay Sapphire is the world’s fastest growing premium gin and number one premium gin by value. Based on a secret 1761 recipe, Bombay Sapphire gin is created by perfectly balancing a unique combination of 10 hand-selected exotic botanicals from around the world. The natural flavours of the botanicals are captured through a delicate distillation process called Vapour Infusion which results in the tantalising, smooth and complex taste that is Bombay Sapphire.
Enjoy Bombay Sapphire responsibly. Bombay Sapphire, the Bombay Sapphire bottle design and device are trademarks and/or registered trademarks.

Bombay Sapphire – Infused with imagination

Bombay Sapphire aims to inspire people into expanding their minds, thinking differently to reveal more about themselves and their Imaginations. The team at Bombay Sapphire believes everyone has imagination and therefore aims to give everyone the opportunity to be inspired, and to infuse their imagination with Bombay Sapphire.

www.bombaysapphire.com
www.facebook.com/BombaySapphire

About Jari Kutasi

Jari Kutasi is an Australian artist living and working in London.  Through the use of video and drawing Kutasi challenges traditional conceptions of sculpture, deconstructing the historical position of the 3D object. Adopting a new form of collage-borrowing footage from across the Internet – Kutasi is addressing aspects of contemporary information culture. Jari Kutasi regularly exhibits throughout London and Europe; he has also created videos used as set designs for theatre shows, touring throughout the UK and America. Kutasi is a member of BIID Group, an ongoing collaborative art project. www.biidgroup.co.uk / www.jarikutasi.com/

About Ross Hancock

London-based Ross has more than 15 years experience in the fashion and creative industries. A true man about town, he cuts a recognisable figure in his colourful array of suits, hats and accessories. Never one to constrain himself to working in just one area of the business; Ross is a skilled designer, tailor, couturier, pattern cutter, stylist, creative consultant and general source of artistic ideas. From Coca Cola to Burberry, Ross has done everything from directing fashion shows to teaching styling at university to creating bespoke dresses for well-known celebrities. His creative vision and talent have seen him compete as a design contestant on a TV show, present a slot on BBC news and even grace the cover of Esquire magazine after winning their first ever Britain’s Best Dressed Man competition. With an already impressive list of commercial brands and esteemed fashion houses on his CV, Ross’ next move will be a debut womenswear collection under his own name – launching later this year.

About ZENNA cocktail bar

ZENNA was London’s first luxury Indian cocktail bar, hidden under the streets of Soho, which launched last year bringing spice-infused cocktails to the forefront of mixology. Opened by renowned mixologist Dan Thomson backed by an energetic and professional team of bartenders and located under the iconic Red Fort restaurant, ZENNA is fast becoming one of London’s most sought after destinations. Descend the stairs behind the subtle entrance lined with ornate brass tanks filled with flowers and floating candles and enter a cocktail underworld designed to excite the senses.

zenna-bar.co.uk

 

Join us every Thursday for our exclusive Bollywood Parties with special guest Bollywood DJs and themed cocktails and snacks.

ZENNA is London’s only Indian themed cocktail bar and the new Bollywood nights every week will showcase some of the best collaboration of Indian culture from the food & cocktails to fantastic music to suit all.

But the whole evening will not be Bollywood music. Our fantastic DJs will also be playing some of their normal mix of house and R&B from the 80s, 90s and contemporary tracks.

Groups dressed in theme will receive a complimentary bottle of bubbly. 1 bottle for every 5 guests in the group!

 

The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages.

 

A vodka martini (vodkatini or Kangaroo) is a cocktail made with vodka and vermouth, a variation of a Martini.

Preparation

Pouring all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes, the ingredients are mixed then strained and served “straight up” (without ice) in a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with either a green olive or a twist of lemon (a strip of the peel, usually squeezed or twisted to express volatile oils onto the surface of the drink).

Although there are many variations, in modern practice the standard martini is a mix of gin coupled with dry vermouth (fortified wine flavored with various dry ingredients) usually in a five-to-one ratio. Shaker mixing is common due to influences of popular culture, notably the fictional spy James Bond, who sometimes asked for his vodka martini to be “shaken, not stirred”. Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) prescribes stirring for all its martini recipes.

The martini was originally made with sweet vermouth. A person who wanted a ‘dry martini’ asked for one made with white vermouth. Until World War II the standard proportion was 1 part vermouth to 3 to 3 1/2 parts gin. These days the dryness of a martini refers to the amount of vermouth used in the drink, with a very dry martini having little or no Vermouth. Conversely, a wet martini has a significant amount of vermouth added.

 

The exact origin of the martini is unclear. Numerous cocktails with names and ingredients similar to the modern-day martini were first seen in bartending guides of the late 19th century. One popular theory suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez (sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, Angostura bitters) in the early 1860s, which people frequented before taking an evening ferry to the nearby town of Martinez.

 

 

See Made In Chelsea new girl Kimberly Garner at Zenna Bar here in our video….

Kimberly Garner is one of the new girls on the latest series of the Channel 4 TV show Made in Chelsea. Other MIC stars that have vistited Zenna Bar over the last year have included Rosie, Caggie, and Freddie. See her at 00:37

New series should be quite exciting!

Click Here to book your Party at ZENNA with the stars

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 5pm – Midnight
Wednesday: 5pm – Midnight
Thursday: 5pm – Midnight
Friday: 5pm – 1am
Saturday: 5pm – 1am

See Made In Chelsea new girl Kimberley Garner at Zenna Bar here in our video….

Kimberley Garner is one of the new girls on the latest series of the Channel 4 TV show Made in Chelsea. Other MIC stars that have vistited Zenna Bar over the last year have included Rosie, Caggie, and Freddie. See her at 00:37

New series should be quite exciting!

 

Click Here to book your party at Zenna like the celebrities

From DesignMyNight

London’s bars offer many different types of cocktails; from bargain jugs of blue lagoon to Kir Royale with gold flakes. When you fancy spoiling yourself with some of the higher-end cocktails it’s hard to decide on where to splash your cash. There are tons of reasons to visit a premium cocktail bar in London which makes the prices worth it; from the cocktail mastery, incredible know-how, the best spirits to the chic atomospheres. With the likes of The American Bar in The Savoy hotel, the classic Dukes Bar in Green Park, and Artesian, The Langham’s glamorous cocktail bar, serving up drinks of substantial quality with a price tag to match, you’re spoilt for choice.

 

Zenna Bar in Soho is well known for its impeccable selection of cocktails.

 

The fantastic cocktail bar and restaurant Zenna in Soho (Winner of designmynight cocktail of the year 2011) has recently introduced a breath-taking selection of premium cocktails and is a strong pretender to the crown of luxury libations. The offering boasts the use of the absolute best ingredients including XO cognacs, Anejo tequila, and a Malt Whisky exclusive to Zenna. Starting at £19 and ranging to £27, the six cocktails have been created by manager and award-winning mixologist of Zenna, Dan Thomson, along with his team of talented bartenders. At designmynight we are so excited to get down to Dean Street to sample these tempting delights for ourselves and have a taste of the high life!

 

Zenna is a luxurious Indian themed cocktail bar in the heart of buzzing Soho.

Locate our subtle entrance and descend steps lined with bronze water vessels of floating flowers and twinkling candles into this amazing “cocktail underworld”. Decorated with azure blue walls, soft leather and Oriental rugs, Zenna is perfect for post-work cocktails or late night drinks.

Guests can order from the unique cocktail menu using cardamom, lemongrass and sweet spices among other ingredients.

Gourmet bar snacks are created to complement the drinks menu and are cooked to order from The Red Fort kitchen.

ZENNA is a bar the way a bar should be. Everything is done to enhance our customer’s experience from the way the drinks are served and created, to the interior decoration and Indian influenced music. Late nights and weekends have guests acts and DJs to keep us partying through the night!

 

A bartender, barman, or barmaid, is a person who serves usually alcoholic drinks behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, “tends the bar”. The term barkeeper may suggest that the person is the bar’s owner.Bartenders also usually maintain the supplies and inventory for the bar (though some establishments have barbacks who help with these duties). Where cocktails are served, bartenders are expected to be able to mix hundreds to thousands of different drinks.A mixologist is someone who is skilled in mixing cocktails, however the term has been somewhat misused in recent years. A mixologist is more like a skilled chef with liquids. Just because a bartender can make a couple of cocktails, does not necessarily make him or her a mixologist.

Bartenders represent the bar they tend, contributing to and reflecting the atmosphere of the bar. Where food is the main focus, the bartender is all but invisible. Alternatively, the bartender may be part of the entertainment, expected to engage in flair bartending or other forms of entertainment, as portrayed in the films Cocktail and Coyote Ugly. Where tipping is a local custom, bartenders depend on tips for most of their income. Bartenders are also usually responsible for confirming that customers are old enough to drink before serving them alcohol. In some countries, bartenders are legally required to refuse more alcohol to drunk customers.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, bar work is not generally regarded as a long-term profession, but more often as a second occupation, or transitional work for students to gain customer experience or to save money for university fees. As such, it lacks traditional employment protections and therefore has a high turnover.

The high turnover of staff due to low wages and poor employee benefits results in a shortage of skilled bartenders. Whereas a career bartender would know drink recipes, serving techniques, alcohol contents, correct gas mixes, licensing law and would often have cordial relations with regular customers, short-term staff may lack these skills. Some pubs prefer experienced staff, although pub chains tend to accept inexperienced staff and provide training.

Dan Thomson

Dan Thomson is the manager of Zenna bar and one of London’s top expert mixologists.
Starting his bar career in Starbucks of all places, he found himself constantly creating new and exciting drinks at his outlet. After this, Dan moved onto pubs and worked at the Royal Oak in Buckinghamshire which has been rated the top pub in Bucks for the past four years by the good pub guide.
Dan originally learnt his cocktail skills working in nobu on Park Lane, working with an excellent team of bar tenders.
After Nobu, Dan worked for various bars in different capacities, as well as entering competitions, working with brands on their development and also with event companies and festivals. Dan won a few awards most notably the whiskey cocktail of the year award 2010, and has been nominated for several uk and international best bartender awards.
After all this, he settled as an independent consultant for creating cocktails and training staff at different venues and chains across the uk.
And following a two year break, working in IT, Dan took over the old Akbar at the Red Fort and transformed it into Zenna, a luxurious Indian themed cocktail underworld. Which has had rave reviews from press and customers alike.

 

A bartender, barman, or barmaid, is a person who serves usually alcoholic drinks behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, “tends the bar”. The term barkeeper may suggest that the person is the bar’s owner. Bartenders also usually maintain the supplies and inventory for the bar (though some establishments have barbacks who help with these duties). Where cocktails are served, bartenders are expected to be able to mix hundreds to thousands of different drinks. A mixologist is someone who is skilled in mixing cocktails, however the term has been somewhat misused in recent years. A mixologist is more like a skilled chef with liquids. Just because a bartender can make a couple of cocktails, does not necessarily make him or her a mixologist.

Bartenders represent the bar they tend, contributing to and reflecting the atmosphere of the bar. Where food is the main focus, the bartender is all but invisible. Alternatively, the bartender may be part of the entertainment, expected to engage in flair bartending or other forms of entertainment, as portrayed in the films Cocktail and Coyote Ugly. Where tipping is a local custom, bartenders depend on tips for most of their income. Bartenders are also usually responsible for confirming that customers are old enough to drink before serving them alcohol. In some countries, bartenders are legally required to refuse more alcohol to drunk customers.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, bar work is not generally regarded as a long-term profession, but more often as a second occupation, or transitional work for students to gain customer experience or to save money for university fees. As such, it lacks traditional employment protections and therefore has a high turnover.

The high turnover of staff due to low wages and poor employee benefits results in a shortage of skilled bartenders. Whereas a career bartender would know drink recipes, serving techniques, alcohol contents, correct gas mixes, licensing law and would often have cordial relations with regular customers, short-term staff may lack these skills. Some pubs prefer experienced staff, although pub chains tend to accept inexperienced staff and provide training.