Jamie Oliver keen to explore cocktail industry

Famed chef Jamie Oliver has claimed he is “not a mixologist” but is seeking to “democratise” cocktail-making through his new Drinks Tube channel.

Jamie Oliver and Simone Caporale, bartender at The Artesian, at the launch of Oliver’s new YouTube channel Drinks Tube, created in partnership with Bacardi

Speaking to The Spirits Business at his HQ in London, Oliver said that although he will be the face of new YouTube channel Drinks Tube – launched in partnership with Bacardi – he is “not claiming to be a drinks expert”.

“I’m a bit of a late-comer to drinks but, at best, I would describe myself as a rustic mixologist,” he said. “If I was making drinks at a bar, it wouldn’t be the fastest service in the world.”

It was announced this month that Oliver would be partnering with Bermuda-based Bacardi to launch the online channel dedicated to drinks.

Bacardi and Oliver have enlisted the expertise of The Artesian’s Simone Caporale to host a series of “how-to” cocktail videos, craft beer and food and drink pairings using Bacardi’s entire portfolio drinks.

“Sometimes I make the cocktail recipes up but of course I’m not an expert,” Oliver added. “The fundamentals of cooking and creating cocktails are the same.”

Oliver, who owns the Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain and fronts the popular Food Tube channel – which has 749,000 subscribers on YouTube – will lead a cast of other familiar faces introducing each video.

Bacardi tie-up

Of his three-year partnership with Bacardi, he said: “When I was approached by Bacardi, I asked myself, can I work with them and can I put up with them? But I couldn’t just work with anyone.

“I’m going at 150 miles an hour and I can’t just stop. Who I work with needs to fit in to that.”

He added: “My job is to keep it really pure and fun, and also push them. Bacardi have bars, I have restaurants, so we have things in common.

“Also, it’s a family business, which makes things much easier. They are not destroyed by a corporate mentality.”

At a press meeting at his London HQ, Oliver introduced the project and made a number of cocktails for guests along with Caporale.

Bacardi cocktails created on the channel will feature on new cocktail menus in Jamie’s Italian restaurants in the UK and five other international locations.

Of his drinks knowledge, Oliver said: “As a kid I grew up around good quality food and the big brands across the whole spirits category, but I wanted to take this to the next level.

“In this day and age, it’s all about having variety. But I am still in the middle market – the drinks on Drinks Tube do not take 20 minutes to make in a lab somewhere.

Drinks Tube launched on 4 April and will feature a new cocktail segment each Friday.