Behind the bar and in life, clarity and originality are often the key to success, as Yangdup Lama tells us
Words by Karan Karayi
He is known as a titan of tipple, but his home-brewed brand of success is not one that came to be overnight. Decades in the making, Yangdup Lama has risen to the top and gained fame and cult status, much as his bar ‘Sidecar’ has in India.
Craft, skill, some original thinking, and garnishing each interaction with a warm dose of hospitality have been Lama’s recipe for success, and we caught up with him not long after he became the first Indian to be acclaimed as an Icon of Industry at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024. Here are some edited excerpts of that conversation.
As a champion of the Indian bartending scene, how do see India’s role evolving in the Asian and Global bar scene?
In the last 5 to 6 years, I think India as a country in terms of the whole bar and cocktail culture, we moved very fast. We are yet to make a very strong global kind of impact. But otherwise, in terms of the industry as well as the consumer, I think we are moving at a very fast pace and there is great amount of excitement within the rest of industry. Overall, we are making the right moves, making the right noise, and being very innovative.
Understood. Let’s switch gears a bit to you, and Sidecar. You opened up Sidecar way back when, at a time when the bar culture in India was nowhere near what it is today. What have been the key drivers of that success, and what’s the plan to sustain it?
There are a few elements. First and foremost, when we started off this place, we were very clear in terms of what we wanted to make. So, there was no confusion, and there was no copy paste. Right from the time we conceptualised the whole place, there was great clarity in terms of who we wanted to be, and who we wanted to cater to. It’s important to have clarity in whatever you do. Whether it is opening up a bar, whether it is doing any form of business start-up. Once you have that clarity, there’s always a market for you.
And then, of course, the drinks program, the training that went on. It’s wonderful to see a lot of our regulars walking in, and they are known to the employees, they’re getting comfortable. Sometimes, I come around, and ask the guest if they need help. And they tell me, don’t worry. I know your people really well, so don’t worry, it’s my place. And that’s a great thing to hear.
I think that is where we got it right, in terms of getting the concept in place, imparting the right training to employees, inculcating the right habits, the right character. And, of course, we wanted to make sure that it is a bar that is led by people from the industry. So the service quality, standard of drinks, all of that has to be of a very good standard, with no compromises. Over a period of time, I think that is what has given Sidecar its identity and definition.
We’re going to ask you to put on your bartending hat. Are there any bar trends or innovations that catch your eye particularly?
In terms of trends, there are modern techniques and things that keep coming and going. Now suddenly, what’s happened is that things are not a fad anymore.
There was a time when everybody wanted to do molecular mixology. And then it kind of faded away because at the end of the day, the consumers are more concerned about quality, balance, and taste. So, while technique is very much there, I think the trend is towards being as original as possible. Because when you’re original, you don’t have to worry about how to narrate the story. Your understanding of everything is very clear right from the word go.
To give you an example, we are a rich and diverse country. And there are bartenders coming from different walks of life, from different cultures, from different regions of India. And all of them bring something with them, which is unique.
Similarly, a Japanese or Indonesian bartender would like to bring in something which is more authentically Japanese or Indonesian. So, I think that is where the trend is leading towards, and it is getting deeper with each passing day.
