Iryna Mashykhina

I am 39 years old, I was born on March, 22nd 1974 in Smela town, Cherkassy district, Ukraine.

At school wanted to be an actress, a stuardess, a pilot… I ended up as the student of Kiev’s Hotel management College in 1991, Public Catering Department. I got my first job as waitress in 1993 in Casino Club First (Intourist Hotel – these days – President Hotel Kievskiy). From that time I understood for myself – I like serving people. To serve people! Not to be their servant! Any way I do prefer the verb – “to take care of guest”. It was bar there, I had started to help bartenders, and fell in love with it. I had great teacher mentors like John Siao, Peter Norton, Steve Kelly who inspired me to become a bartender at first place.

Than I had a professional break – I studied at Westminster College in States, I tried myself in advertisement business. But I have always missed bar, so in 1999, I went back to bar – and since then — I am “naturally born bartender” and I am proud of it!. Or someone can call me barista. Which is also right – “barista” is a bartender in Italian.

I just love being bartender, or barmen, or barista! I feel like a fish in the water when I am in bar.
I feel very privileged to do my job, because it is probably one of the greatest professions in the world! I didn’t have a proper plan to become the greatest bartender ever, I just did and still do what I can do best and what I love to do best. I believe when you have such attitude for what you do – you will get some achievements or a lot of them.

Since 2008 I am part of Sergey Gusovsky’s team. I am proud of it! Sergey believed in me and gave me the great professional opportunity to create my dream bar with a classic cocktail menu. I wanted to share with our guests the beauty and elegant simplicity of “eternal classics” of cocktails such as Old-fashioned, Ramos Fizz, Sours, Dry Martini, Aviation, Slings, Manhattans, Sazerac, Champaign Classic Cocktail, Americano/Negroni, Irish Coffee, Toddy, Rusty Nail, Collins etc……! And we did it. I know for sure when somebody thinks of a good cocktail to enjoy – he or she thinks of Biancoro!

When I am not at work – I like reading, watching movies, travelling and staying with my family!

Time to time I enjoy cooking! One of the dishes to cook are lasagna and tiramisu. Favorite cuisines are Italian and Japanese. Plus I am big fan of Steaks! Bloody ones!

One of my professional achievements is my signature cocktail — Sapphire Infinity, the cocktail that brought me the World Champion title on Bacardi-Martini Grand Prix in 2007. Despite the title it’s the one of best-selling cocktails in my bar, which I consider the most important, because guests are willing to drink it and to pay for it.

I wish readers lots of life energy and good bartenders to serve them. Everything Tasty and High Quality that comes from bar!

Have I told you I am in love with espresso? Best of luck! Sincerely!