After honing her skills in some of the finest cocktail establishments in the capital, Céline Lopes took over the bar at Le Fridge, a comedy club opened by Kev Adams in the purest tradition of American stand-up... but French-style. A bold and unconventional choice, but one she brilliantly managed to place on the Parisian cocktail scene three years later.
Céline, what terminology do you prefer we use to call your profession?
Barmaid, quite simply. Whether it's barman, bartender, or barmaid, I like simplicity.
I'm not a big fan of the term "mixologist", it's a bit of a grand word to define our profession. We are, in a way, druids who experiment from time to time.
When did you want to become a barmaid?
It wasn't the profession I initially wanted to pursue: I would have liked to become a pastry chef. Unfortunately, I developed food allergies and doctors advised me to orient myself towards other professions. At that time, I was with someone who was doing an apprenticeship as a bartender, and they passed on their passion to me. Ultimately, pastry and bar are almost the same: precision, a blend of flavors and textures.
I started at the Grand Hotel in Cannes for two years before moving to the Pullman in Mandelieu for over a year. I realized that the bar scene in the south was nonexistent, especially in palaces and hotel bars (and I'm talking about this over 10 years ago, because today we can mention names like Emanuele Balestra, bar manager at the Majestic, or David Palanque from Harry's New York Bar in Cannes, who have clearly raised the bar). I absolutely had to go up to the capital to see what was happening.
My first experience in a Parisian establishment was at Le Pas de Loup, 6 months after they opened, with Amanda Boucher who taught me almost everything. I sincerely thought I knew how to work when I arrived in Paris; I had good technical foundations and service reflexes, but nothing comparable to the Parisian standard. Amanda took me under her wing and taught me many things: I started relearning the classics, but not just those you learn at the Scott bar. It was much broader. I remember the first time I was ordered a "Corpse Reviver n°2, I had to ask the customer to repeat it several times to try and understand what he was saying. I stayed for two and a half years.
After that, I went back for a season in Cannes six months before, finally (the "finally" is very important) returning to do some extra work at Monsieur Antoine's, then Istr, before joining Le Tiger where I stayed for three years, first as a barmaid before becoming bar manager when I was only 25-26 years old. I was still very young at the time, but it was a very good opportunity. It's the place that most propelled my career and that I particularly love. I'm very nostalgic for this place because we were a great team.
When you arrive at The Tiger (a bar specializing in gins), are you already a specialist in this alcohol?
At Le Pas De Loup, I had training that was more oriented towards whiskies. But there was always something about gin that appealed to me. It's not like other alcohols: even if you think you don't like it, you can find a gin that you will like. There are so many differences between aromatic plants and botanicals that there's something for everyone. At the time, I didn't like Gin and Tonic at all, I found it too bitter. One of the very first ginto I drank was probably at The Tiger (with the famous homemade tonic, which was sweeter and milder than a classic tonic).
Did you also have a stint in event management?
It was a great experience, it allowed me to see another aspect of the profession that I didn't know, but I had to get back behind a bar because I loved it too much. So, I started my experience at Le Fridge 3 years ago now.
Do you have any mentors in the profession?
You made an unusual choice to go to Le Fridge, a comedy club. What motivated you to go there?
I knew Coline Carteau, who previously worked in the industry and is now the artistic director of Le Fridge. It was a brand new establishment, and I do enjoy challenges: starting from scratch and making the project evolve more and more. That's how I find fulfillment and enjoy working. It's true that it's a comedy club, and many wondered why I would bury myself in something like that (because, let's be honest, at the time, opening a cocktail bar in a comedy club was unconventional in our field). There weren't many, if any. But I had reached a point in my life where I was starting to get tired of the intense pace. I had made my own way, I was very happy, and I wanted something a bit calmer and less festive that would allow me to stop finishing at 4 AM.
Here at Le Fridge, I have a clientele that isn't used to drinking cocktails because, naturally, people come primarily for the comedy club. But after 3 years, we have finally managed to build loyalty with our customers and be a standalone cocktail bar. As soon as we have them in front of us, we're thrilled to be able to talk to them, explain things. It's truly an exchange!
How do you create your menus for this clientele?
For the very first menu here, I thought we had to start simple and basic (I didn't yet know the type of clientele I would have), so we needed an element, a product, or a slightly original technique that would spark curiosity. And step by step, we increased the level of the menu a bit, but always adapting to the clientele. I wanted people reading my menu to be able to understand what ingredients, what spirits they were going to drink. It still happens to me today to go to bars, and even as a professional, I don't understand what's on the menu. The essential part of the work was really on the relational aspect: being friendly with people, explaining to them that in addition to being a comedy club, we were also a cocktail bar, letting them taste things. It was really in a friendly, buddy-buddy mode.
Compared to wine and beer, is it easy to get people to switch to cocktails?
It was a year of hard work when I arrived. I only sold wines, beers, and soft drinks. It was frustrating, but I had to stick with it. Today, we can clearly say that it was a successful bet because cocktails are the establishment's major asset; they complement the comedy club.
Do you have busier days than others?
Sometimes, a Tuesday can be more intense than a Friday. What I like about a comedy club is the atmosphere and the very changing dynamics. We have a rush period about every 1 hour/1 hour 15 minutes: 70 people sent at once + the bar + the restaurant, we don't have time to get bored. But I like the small rushes: it boosts and it motivates.
How many menus do you offer per year?
I do two: a spring/summer menu and an autumn/winter menu. We mainly work with seasonality. I involve my team a lot: I want them to be able to express themselves too. I find inspiration everywhere.
I don't have a particular theme, not for the moment anyway (well, our menu is still in the image of American stand-uppers) but I am someone who functions a lot on instinct, on feeling, so it can range from a simple walk in the market (or even in the countryside, in peace), a visit to another bar, a piece of music, or sometimes even a simple conversation with the artists at The Fridge can guide me. It should be known that before, the artists at The Fridge did not drink cocktails, whereas today, they do. For me, it's a real victory! But let's say that today it's no longer me who offers them a cocktail, it's them who ask me for a creation (laughs)!
Many bartenders tend to leave the industry, have you been impacted?
A year and a half ago, two of my bartenders left almost at the same time. I had to step back behind the bar (more intensely), there were only three of us, and it was a pretty difficult period where you could do 40 to 50 extra hours per month. You take it upon yourself even if it's not easy. We all know what it's like to have to grind when you're short-staffed; it's a real scourge in our profession.
I don't know if it's because I'm old-school, but I feel like there aren't as many passionate people as there used to be.
I've noticed that the "new generation" is more particular about salary and labor laws than they were back then.
And I'm speaking from experience, having had this happen several times, I have many 20-year-olds asking for a salary of €2000, without the constraints of the profession (overtime and so on). More than 10 years ago, it wasn't like that at all.
Has your profession also evolved?
Absolutely, both in terms of cocktails and mentalities. When I arrived in Paris, it was the era of very complex creations: I cite an example that marked me, "fat wash cognac foie gras" with all sorts of syrups. I think everyone wanted to explore the complexity of the profession, surprising and quite crazy combinations. Today, we have returned to simpler and more minimalist cocktails, and that's good, even if you have to occasionally think outside the box. Today, there is also a growing awareness in the industry regarding ecology.
Precisely, where do you draw the line on ecology in your establishment?
It's a bit difficult because we can't be 100% eco-friendly: for us, it's about small things, but we're not developed enough at that level yet. We've already done some work on simple things: straws, water mixers to consume less, on the reuse of all the "leftovers" (peels, zest, or other) that we use to make other preparations or garnishes. For the winter menu, we will also implement an Eco Spirits system so as not to buy glass bottles each time.
But I would like to do even more.
Moreover, some bars are already very sensitive and active at this level.
I would like to mention The Cambridge Public House, with whom Nicolas Goradesky highlighted about ten bartenders for a Clean up walk. An event to raise awareness among people in the profession about ecology, waste, and what it entails.
How do you judge the French bar scene at the moment?
We feel that there has been a real effort for years to make our profession recognized: pastry chefs, bakers, and cooks are highlighted, but the bartender was lagging behind, even though, in reality, we do a similar job! We even have people from the industry working in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs, and I think that's great! Our profession is growing.
Today, the bartender is more recognized than before: we have really focused on what we represent and what we want to share and evoke for people.
The bar scene remains a small family where you see people quite often at events, trade shows, and trips.
What is your relationship with bartender competitions?
I've participated in a few, including one with Tiger for Skinos in 2018, where we finished first and went to Greece.
And the second, I think it was in 2019, it was the first edition of the "Grand Tasting de Printemps" (Spring Grand Tasting), organized by Maison Villevert. I finished second.
After that, I'm not a big fan of competitions: they stress me out a bit in the sense that having all eyes on you is something that makes me uncomfortable, but strangely, once I've finished a competition, all I want is to do another one. It's a bit like when you go on stage for the first time. This year, I'd like to do one last one perhaps, just to prove things to myself personally again. But I encourage my team to participate, that's important too.
Is being a woman in this bar industry complicated today?
Much less so today than when I started. It was complicated because, already, there were few women, and even fewer who had a reputation. I felt like I had to work twice as hard to prove our legitimacy. Today, all that is over and mindsets have changed enormously. Especially in the relationship between the client and the bartender. I'm a small woman, not very tall, I was quite young and it was hard for me to be credible. The question that bothered me the most was: “is being a bartender your real job, or do you have a real job on the side?” You feel the condescension in people's words and you tell yourself “yes, in fact, the restaurant industry is my real job, it's a real profession that I'm passionate about because of what I do and I love it”. It was hard to explain to people that making cocktails isn't as simple as that. It takes work, research, and tests where you fail dozens of times in a row.
Today, we no longer face this kind of discourse, and I find it much less misogynistic than before too. Of course, it still happens that I have a few cases at the bar where I gently put people back in their place with a bit of irony, diplomacy, and a touch of humor!
The job is very physical. What's your secret to lasting?
I'm over 30, and I think we all have this same conversation: we don't want to do closing shifts anymore. We want a much healthier relationship with our work. When you're young, when you love what you do, you don't count the hours; you're in machine mode. When I started, we often went out, went to bed at 6 AM, and woke up at 3 PM to go to work. All that is over now. I wake up earlier, between 9 AM and 10 AM. It's important for me to have a routine. I've started exercising again; it does me good; it clears my mind. Just going for a walk sometimes, having contact with nature, I enjoy that. I love going back to my parents' place in the countryside, in the quiet; it allows me to disconnect and recharge my batteries. Of course, all this is possible now because I've become a manager. So I'm less behind the bar and can manage my schedule a bit more to my convenience! But I wish that back then, someone had given me advice on how to carry things, how to pace myself and not exhaust myself for nothing. There's a lot of awareness work to be done with young people! You have to listen to your body.
Do you still see yourself in the industry in 5 or 10 years?
I think I will always remain someone who is passionate about this profession. I truly love it, but I've always told myself that if I stopped bartending, I'd like to become a florist because it's a bit like bartending: it's manual, it's creative, and it's relational! In my cocktails, I work a lot with herbs and edible flowers, I often go to the herbalist. So why not create a kind of concept store with my little flower shop and next to it, a speakeasy where you stumble upon a tree-lined courtyard and drink small coffees with pastries. (Ideally, of course).
What is your favorite alcohol right now?
It remains gin: I find it easy to work with! But there's also an alcohol I discovered when I arrived at Fridge: Boukha, a fig eau-de-vie. People ask for it a lot here!
Your favorite cocktail of the season?
I love the basil smash! It's so simple and delicious! I generally like sours. After that, I'm not against a good dirty martini!
An anecdote to share with us?
When I was working at the Pullman Mandelieu, I was behind the bar and a young woman from Cannes, about 20 years old, haughtily asked me for a DBK! I made her repeat it because I thought I heard "decaf" and she asked me again for a DBK: "Well, a banana kiwi soda! Condescension personified! (laughs)
If you had to give one piece of advice to yourself when you started bartending?
Believe in yourself and learn to verbalize things. When you are young you have ideas but no one really listens to you… Today I find that things have changed with a less heavy hierarchy. Back then, it was 'do it and shut up!'
What are your predictions for upcoming trend cocktails?
I find that the Paloma is coming back into vogue. I will be working on Cocktail Street for Whisky Live and I believe we will be 2 or 3 stands offering it.
What can we wish you for the coming year?
A collaboration with a Michelin-starred pastry chef ! I dream of it...
Le Fridge Comedy
164 Rue Saint-Denis,
75002 Paris
