Focus on Roman Zapata, winner of the Zante Flair Open 2021
Roman Zapata was the winner in the 2021 Zante Flair Open in Greece last week and Sharlafied had the great honor to be one of the judges! This week we interview the champion and learn about his journey.
Hi Roman, first, congratulations on the win that I happened to see firsthand! I know you are 30 years old and you are originally from Argentina. Is your family of Italian origin and when did you move to Italy?
Hey Sharla, thank you so much! Yes, I was born and raised In Rosario, Argentina. From my mother’s side my grandparents were Italians, from a small town in the Piedmont region, so Italy has always had a special place in my heart, so after visiting it a couple of times, I decided to move in 2015, when I was 24 years old.
You live in Milan and work for the Flair Academy of Milan, how many years have you been teaching?
I’ve been teaching for the last ten years. I now live in Milan and collaborate with different brands and companies, and for the last 5 years I’ve been also working as flair bartending master trainer at the Flair Academy of Milan.
You have been doing flair bartending since you were 16, what attracted you to flair?
That’s right, it seems it was yesterday when I started but it was actually 13 years ago! (laughs). I started that young because I had some friends of mine who used to do the same thing, and I remember they used to flair also behind the bar so I was very attracted to this world and asked them to take me to the school where they learned it. So they did, and from there I started learning bartending, working behind the bar as a bar back and learning the basics of flair. Some of these guys also used to compete in regional competitions so they also brought me to a show and there I discovered my biggest passion, so I thought to myself: I want to do this! And, a couple of months after I started competing til now, I have been doing it nonstop and here we are, it’s already been 13 years!
You have been in over a hundred competitions, what is the secret to having a good performance?
The first secret is obviously training hard. And also giving it your all on the stage. The feeling you have on stage when flairing is something unique. That’s because of the crowd you have in front of you, you are performing for them and receiving constant feedback, and that’s the reason why I flair. Because I love performing for people. And of course because I also love flair techniques and to get better and better every time. Another very important aspect of having a good performance is planning it beforehand, even months before. Planning and training to your music, creating and choosing your moves wisely and composing your routine is 50% of having success the day of the competition. The best thing about flair is that you can compose your performance as you want, putting your creativity into it, that’s why flair bartending in my opinion is half art, half sport.
How was Zante Flair Open different from other competitions?
Zante is a unique competition, because of the place and the mood of the competition. it’s obviously held in one of the most beautiful places on earth and the hospitality is on a high level. The stage is open air, so conditions are quite different than indoor competitions, more challenging I would say, but so enjoyable, especially for the amazing organization and the breath-taking location where the event is held.
What kind of people come to the academy?
People of all ages, especially young bartenders who want to discover the beautiful world of flair and elevate their bartending techniques. Some of them are interested in working behind the bar, some others on the competition side instead. I always try to give them the best of me and to share the contagious passion for this beautiful and artistic side of bartending.
What are the opportunities a flair bartender has for a career?
The doors open to flair bartending are countless. In my career, I have worked in very exclusive bars and hotels because they knew me from flair competitions. I ended up working in the most important 5 star hotel in Argentina at the age of 21, because they wanted a flair bartender for the season and then decided to keep me for the whole year. Then I worked in a speakeasy bar which was number 36 in the world (50 best bars award) @franks_bar at the age of 23 because the bar manager used to judge the tasting part on flair competitions, and so on. Flair is also attractive for brands; I have performed over 1000 shows, many of them for brands like Renault, AC Milan, Beefeater, Red Bull, etc. and did three TV spots, one of them recently this year for Peroni-- yes, I flaired a beer bottle (laughs). Then there are the competitions, a completely different world in which you share your passion with people from all over the world, allowing you to do what you love while traveling the world. I could say I have at least one friend or colleague in almost every country in the world. We always say that flair bartending is global and bars and schools are like small embassies for bartenders. Another aspect of my career is teaching. Helping others and sharing my passion is one of the most important things in life for me.
Tell us about your Flair Island project in Sardinia in September.
The Flair Island is a unique experience, a mix of camp and holidays for those who love bartending in general. With my partner Ales Pellejero, we are working hard on a big event that lasts 5 days. Here the participants will have the opportunity to meet some of the best bartenders in the world of mixology and flair bartending and to attend their masterclasses, learn their special skills, have fun with flair games on the beach, visit and taste at distilleries and have a lot of fun! This year we have Luca Cinalli in the mixology masterclass. I will be teaching with Deniss Trifanovs and some special guests to make this event something unforgettable. Packages available at this link.
Your friend Deniss Trifanovs, who lives and works near Rome, was the winner in the last edition of Zante Flair Open in 2019, did you compete too?
Deniss is one of the most talented flair bartenders I ever met. And it’s a pleasure to have been competing together for the last eight years! In 2019, Unfortunately I wasn’t able to participate in Zante.
You are both going to be at the Sardinia trip offering master classes and consultation, what does that consist of?
As I mentioned, we will be offering over 10 years of experience competing all around the world and will teach not only how to prepare for competitions but also our personal techniques and point of view on flair bartending.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Hope to still be doing what I love and living my passion to the fullest. I also hope to continue to share my knowledge with others and keep learning too. Regarding business, it would be great to open a school, or a bar, but I’m not sure about that yet.
Five questions for Roman
Rolls or taps?
Both.
White or brown spirit?
Can’t choose--- both!
Your flair idol?
When I started at the age of 16 my flair idol were Dario Doimo and Rodigo Delpech. Now I don’t have idols, I have friends that I respect and support
If you didn’t live in Italy where would you like to live?
Italy.
Your fave song to flair to?
I would say either electronic music or metalcore even if they are super different are the only genres that give me the strength I need to flair.
Photo credit: Giulia De Marinis & Flair Academy Loolapaloosa
Roman’s performin’…
Roman at the 2018 Pyramide Flair Contest in Montpellier, France - First place.
Roman at the 2017 Cambridge Cocktail Weekend, United Kingdom - Second place.
Signature cocktail - The Italian Lady
Ingredients:
30 ml Italian Gin
30 ml Aperol
20 ml fresh lemon juice
20 ml Pink grapefruit syrup
20 ml egg white
dash cardamom
dash tangerine spray
Garnish: dehydrated fruit.
Method: Shake & double strain.