Stefano Zampieri

As a child, I remember travelling from Padova to Asti with my family, visiting the beautiful hills and vineyards. While I was mostly drawn to the animals and the vines, my father and uncles would be tasting wine from local farmers and buying a few damigiane, which they'd bring back home to bottle — always under my attentive eye.

My professional journey into bartending began in a small coffee shop in Padova when I was 14. At the time, I was just looking for some pocket money while studying, but even then, I felt a fascination for the bar.

Later, during a visit to a local club, I was bewitched by the playful style and savoir-faire of the flair bartenders. After four visits — each time insisting to the bar manager that I’d work for free — I finally landed a job there, which gave me the chance to learn and attend my first cocktail courses.

After a couple of years absorbing as much as I could in Italy, I moved to Spain, Brazil, and eventually London to keep growing. Learning from talented colleagues and meeting a huge variety of guests has always been the most inspiring part of this journey.

My time as Head Bartender in some of London’s finest bars — including the Blue Bar at The Berkeley and the Bassoon Bar at the Corinthia — taught me how to lead teams to the highest standards of service while always striving to create innovative and memorable experiences for every guest.

The final step in my London chapter was starting my own business: mr BAR. For five years, it offered consultancy and events while also developing and supplying bespoke ingredients in collaboration with some of the city’s most respected venues — including Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood, the Lobby Bar at One Aldwych, and the Arts Club, among many others.