Rising star: how Mathilde Rougé became Bartender of the Year
Newly crowned The Spirits Business Awards Bartender of the Year Mathilde Rougé tells Rupert Hohwieler about her rise though the ranks at NoMad London.
*This feature was first published in the January issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
From kitchen server to bar supervisor at the NoMad London, and many other roles at the hotel in between, Mathilde Rougé has worked at every level of the bar since her move to England’s capital more than five years ago – no stone of hospitality has been left unturned. Now a leading light in London’s bar scene, Rougé was named Bartender of the Year at The Spirits Business Awards in November. Whether creating drinks, charming guests or turning her own staff into bar stars, she does it all with the same impetus. “I’m consistent in what I do,” she observes of her bartending style. “I like to deliver the same service for everyone, and the same drinks as well. I tend to be quite organised, picky on the station, fun and calm. That’s what I’m striving for.”
Her journey didn’t begin immediately with bartending, though. Just 19 at the time, and freshly arrived in London from France, her first job at the NoMad was as a kitchen server. “I didn’t have a lot of experience, and I didn’t speak the language,” she says.
Proud and passionate
During her earliest shifts – day two to be exact – Rougé would look over at the bar team in admiration and think to herself: “I want to be a part of that.” She recalls: “They were so proud and passionate about what they were doing, and they were almost shining in their area.”
Rougé studied catering at school in France for four years but doesn’t have a formal bar education. She instead learned her craft through the NoMad’s training programme. “They taught me everything,” she says. “It’s a very strong programme where everyone starts as a barback, and you learn every step and detail. They also took the time to teach me everything as well – and I definitely took that.” She is now bar supervisor, overseeing the hotel’s Side Hustle and Twenty8 venues, having made the step up from head bartender in July 2025.
The language barrier was an early challenge, but Rougé says it wasn’t the only one. The first week was tough, but she had to figure out a way to simply relax. “I thought ‘at some point you’re just gonna get it, right? Your brain will make it work at some point’.”
When she started as a barback, Rougé found herself among many experienced heads in the industry – people who had come from bars like Artesian at The Langham, The Ritz, and NoMad’s outposts in Los Angeles and New York. “There were some big people there,” she says. “I had to show what I was able to do and not disappoint anyone because when you see this little French girl, like 19 years old, never done bar work, and coming into such a big organisation… you need to be ready.”
The other challenge she’s faced, and is still facing, is pinning down the all-important work-life balance. Of bar work she says: “It’s a good challenge, but it’s high pressure, with long service, late nights, and a very intense day. This is the thing with hospitality, it’s heavy on your body, and on your mental health as well, as you’re always around alcohol.”
While the job looks fun on paper, and it definitely is in real time for the most part, Rougé notes one has to be careful. “It can weigh you down fast, so that’s why it’s important to have a little routine and just to take care of yourself. No one wants 24 hours of work, work, work. There has to be balance.”
A willingness to learn
Some advice she has for others looking to get into bartending is starting with humility. “Be ready to absorb everything,” she says. “You don’t need to know everything, because it’s impossible, and you also need to start somewhere. Have a willingness to learn, ask as many questions as you can, and listen to people when they speak to you.” She also shares a phrase she took onboard from her bar teacher, who would remind her ‘we are not saving lives’. Bartending can be stressful and very chaotic, no doubt, but Rougé always reels it back to where she’s just serving drinks and food. “It’s the best piece of advice I’ve been given,” she adds. “Just keep calm, breathe, and remember to have fun because we do have a fun job.” Rougé herself takes on mentorship work, which she believes is perhaps the most important part of hospitality. “I had mentors in NoMad and now I’m one for the new generation. No one grows on their own, or grows alone. Yes, it’s about teaching and challenging people, but it’s also important to believe in people.”
She holds many memories close to her heart, citing promotions, both her own and those of the team around her, in particular. Bartender promotions at NoMad are truly celebrated, and with plenty of Champagne, Rougé says. “Everyone here starts as a barback; it doesn’t matter your background. We all start on the same page, and when you get a promotion, everyone is super happy. They are all beautiful and precious memories that I will always keep with me.”
Another memory she recalls fondly is a 2022 International Women’s Day event held at the hotel. “It was just such a fun shift, on top of it being a special day.”
When it comes to inclusivity, Rougé feels it’s definitely going in a good direction, but there’s still room for improvement. “We have a much safer workplace, and we are talking a lot about mental health as well. The improvement is that we need everyone putting attention on those things. We still hear stories about ‘this place treated me so poorly’, ‘I’m not being paid’, and ‘the management is bad’; we want these stories to happen less and less.”
Rougé has created many cocktails in her time at the NoMad, which involves plenty of trial and error. “It’s nearly impossible to just have an idea, make it once, then it’s perfect,” she attests. “I mean maybe, but it would be a bit crazy.” Naming her favourite cocktails is hard because it depends on the mood, season, time of day – there are lots of different variables, but she is a fan of low-ABV cocktails, especially with Sherry. “I love the Adonis cocktail,” she says of the serve made with equal parts Sherry and sweet vermouth, “and maybe something more basic like a Rebujito, which is like a Mojito, but with fino Sherry instead of rum.” Looking forward, Rougé reveals she’s learning about management. Could a bar of her own be on the cards? “I’m working on it right now, in terms of just having ideas,” she says. “Hopefully one day it will come true, but there is still a lot to learn.”
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