Here, the owner of the place, Péter Morafcsik, told us how it all came about and what it took to get to this point. He started his career as a waiter, later ran a school canteen and then became a mixer. His first big job was to create the cocktail bar at the then-opening cult disco Bedrock. They pointed to an empty corner and said they needed to make something out of it. That’s when he watched Tom Cruise’s film Cocktail, drew inspiration from it and created the beach bar shown in the film.
He had no experience in making cocktails, so much so that he was even taught by guests how to make a Mojito. Unfortunately, this disco burned down, so on a whim he went to the E-Club and asked if they needed a mixer. During his years at the E-Club he improved a lot, completed a mixer course and won competitions. The most important thing for him in his job was to entertain his customers:
“I’m not going to work, I’m going to perform.”
To do this, he bought various accessories, such as a large Zippo lighter, which he used to light his guests’ cigarettes. At first, not many cocktails were consumed, so he was given the task of making something very ugly or very special. The result was the Tricolor cocktail, because at that time, multi-coloured, layered drinks were in fashion. It was red at the bottom, yellow in the middle and blue on top that set the cocktail bar in motion. Petey even added an extra, he got illuminated catch lights that lit up the blue on top of the glass, making it visible from a distance. The guests loved it, dancing in the next room with the glow sticks they’d scored from the cocktails. In 2004 he won a national championship, for which he had spent a lot of time preparing, mixing the drinks on his own money and having them tested with guests. It was this competition that brought him the recognition he needed.
After completing a mixer course, he had the idea of starting his own course. The next day, he put up a notice on the cocktail bar and invited people to apply. Not only the first event, but the second was sold out, and that’s when Bols took notice. To this day, he is very proud of the Summer Fresh drink he created, which has been widely distributed, both to guests and professionals. He was asked by Bols to create this cocktail as a way to break out of the Mojito dominated world.
The next stop in his life is Siofok and Palm Beach. He had only two hours to decide whether he wanted to start building this entertainment venue. It now turns out that he and his wife made the right decision when they said yes to Csaba – who Peti still considers his mentor – because it has become one of the most influential entertainment venues on Lake Balaton.
At the mixer academy, the students asked him where they could get the different tools they needed. At first he ordered them from the internet and put them in an IKEA display case at the course venue. They ran out the next day, and when the third and fourth cabinets weren’t enough, the idea for the store came up. In 2005 he created a webshop, which was unique at the time, and then the Cocktail Shop was born. Perhaps the best thing about this shop is that you can buy everything in one place. Whether you’re a bartender, a waiter, or just looking to host a cocktail party at home, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Peti is always on the lookout for new things, things to point you in the right direction. These days, they’re degradable and recycled materials like PLA straws, due to the plastic-free trend.
He is extremely grateful to have found a partner (other than his wife, of course) in Dedi, with whom he has been working for almost 15 years.
“Every day spent with him is an experience.”
– Peti finishes the sentence. He goes to a lot of events and learns a lot from young bartenders, who he says are really dedicated. He is delighted that his children have followed in his footsteps and are now going to events on their own, where they are doing very well. He hopes to pass the business on to them one day, because, as he says, “A business owner can’t ask for more.”
When I asked him about the most exciting ingredient, he named Blue Curacao. Partly because he likes the colour blue, and partly because of the Jar Jar cocktail. What makes it so special, you might rightly ask. Be forewarned, when you hear this you will want to try it. So it was the success of the Star Wars films that led Petey to create the Jar Jar in 2003. To make it, he skewered a banana cut into rings, drizzled it with rum and sprinkled it with brown sugar, then flambéed it on top of a glass for the guests to see. It must have looked amazing!
Peti was really creative in putting together the apron, much to our delight. Miraculously, he chose a blue fabric, just like the Melon Blue cocktail that won the competition. He asked us to embroider Summer Fresh in hand lettering and to add a touch of leather to the pockets. Since she won’t be using the apron for work, but rather for home grilling, she wasn’t looking for functionality. For him, the most important thing was that it fit his personality. He says that he dresses colourfully and flamboyantly in everyday life, and the apron he has designed reflects this perfectly.
Barside Kft.
1089 Budapest
Orczy út 4.
+36 30 987 0320
info@barsidebp.com
