Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Raza delighted to be shaken and stirred
HE’S qualified to be a sports coach and a child-minder but where does his real passion lie?
In a gleaming cocktail shaker. Raza Mollison is Dundee born and bred and is well-known on the local cocktail scene.
He’s never happier than when he’s plying his craft behind the bar of the place he runs with Grant Leslie, Boudoir in Hawkhill.
“I first got into the licensed trade 13 years ago,” explains Raza, 31.
“I’ve worked at a number of pubs and clubs but was always interested in cocktails.
“It’s not just creating something people really like, it’s the showmanship involved, the attention to detail that’s required to do it well.
“I’m actually self-taught. I learned the basic ones as a barman and mastered the more complex ones using internet tutorials and speaking to others in the business.
“Now, we win awards. People come here specifically for our cocktails. People will come up to the bar and ask for a ‘Raza Random’ because they know I’ll put together something they’ll like.”
There’s a common misconception, says Raza, that cocktails are all about potent strength.
“That’s not the case,” he said. “Sometimes people are looking for a ‘mocktail’ which has no alcohol at all, others go for the colours, the flavours, the textures, the after taste.
“It’s a very social phenomenon too. People enjoy cocktails in a fun way with each other, it’s not sitting quietly with your pint and the paper.”
Raza is good at it, and he knows it, as he prepares a cocktail with flair and panache.
“I train staff and it’s important for people to note this isn’t like working away in the kitchens.
“You’re up front, preparing the cocktail right in front of the customer.
“You have to be perfectly presented with immaculately clean hands, you have to create the cocktail quickly and swiftly and everything, from the temperature of the glass to the specific garnish which is required, has to be done just right.
“Not only do I train staff here but also in the industry and I do classes for the public.
“This is a job where you make the success if you’ve got the skills and the determination. Learn all you can, get honest feedback and always help others who are setting out.
“Be the star of your own show.”