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Bharati quit a well-paying corporate career in Pune and shifted to Bengaluru to take it up. Ami Shroff, an 11-year veteran in this field, took it up for the sheer love of making cocktails. And Amrita Puri opted for it because she hated the traditional 9-to-5 grind.
Welcome to the brave new world of female bartending.
New line of work Increasing prosperity, particularly in urban areas, has led to the opening of trendy bars, prompting some women to look at bartending as a career option. It helped that the Supreme Court overturned a 1914 British era law that prohibited it, in 2007.
It’s a fairly lucrative profession — a female bartender earns three times more than a call centre worker.
Shatbhi Basu got involved with the bartending long before the law was abrogated. With over three decades of experience, she is known as India’s first female bartender. Basu runs a bartending academy in Mumbai and has also authored a book on mixology.
She learnt the fine art of mixing liquor in Goa. Basu is the manager of a bar and also does freelance work.
“My job is very exciting. After initial hesitation, my friends and family are now happy with my job. They understand.”
Welcoming women The industry, particularly in metros, has become more open to women working behind the bar and has started to hire female bartenders.
Ami Shroff has been freelancing at various private functions in Mumbai.
“I know four or five other female bartenders. There are more in the mega-city.” She is quite comfortable and confident about her career. “My family is also fine with it and wants me to succeed. And late working hours are no longer a matter of concern for us.”
A few months ago, French alcohol firm Rémy Cointreau made waves in Mumbai with a competition for female bartending, which received a tremendous response.
Amrita Puri turned a professional bartender as she loved the job and felt she was not cut out for a 9-to-5 routine. All she wanted was a job that paid well and had flexible working hours.
She loved mixing cocktails in the comfort of her home and liked to host parties, creating something out of the ordinary. This led her to professional bartending.
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