Hiring professional bartenders to add that extra punch to small house parties is fast becoming popular in the Capital. With their ability to concoct a range of fancy cocktails, procure any requisite licenses, keep liquor inventory and even do cool jugglery behind the bar, the bartenders relieve the host from the task of keeping their guests in high spirits.
“At small parties, the need for a quality beverage experience is far more important than at large scale ones,” says Vikram Achanta, founder, Tulleeho. Achanta introduced the ‘Rent-A-Bartender’ service a month-and-a-half back to cater to this “latent need”. At Rs 3,000 per bartender (in addition to the cost of setting up a well-stocked bar), they draw up a beverage menu, source the liquor and ensure that the ‘booze never runs out’. The latest request (their 9th so far) they are working on? Making arrangements for an Oktoberfest-theme party where the host wants draught beer sourced from Germany.
Yangdup Lama of Cocktail and Dreams, a freelance bartending company, says, “We get at least 3 queries for small parties every day. The clients are mostly middle class professionals who want a premium experience without paying a premium price.” And it is to cater to this growing demand that 2-3 big international liquor companies are now looking at setting up bartender renting services on a large scale.