He stands as the pioneer behind Mexico’s first cocktail bar, revolutionizing the country’s bar culture. His Limantour has been among the top fifty bars worldwide for eleven years now. How did someone who spent years as a marketing manager achieve such success, and what advice does he have for young bartenders? We spoke with the most prominent bar personality in Mexico, Benjamín Padrón Novoa.
How did you enter the bar industry?
I studied marketing and later utilized it working for major international brands like Nestlé Ice Cream, Calvin Klein, and Bacardí. While at Calvin Klein, during my frequent visits to New York, I began buying books on cocktails. I found numerous drinks we didn’t have in Mexico, and that topic started intriguing me.
Then, I moved to Bacardí, handling marketing responsibilities, organizing events, extensive travel, and, of course, visiting bars. I was responsible for selecting bars and organizing events for up to two thousand people. The world of bars completely absorbed me. When I stopped working for Bacardí, I started attending courses in London – I attended the same school as Marian Beke. That was in 2009, and that’s where it all began. In 2010, I attended the London Cocktail Week, and I’ve been going almost every year since. London, for me, is an innovative place that truly inspires me.
How did you conceptualize your bar?
Mexican food is well-known worldwide, and I wanted to create drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, that complement and conclude a meal. In Mexico, we know how to craft drinks and savor them. Our gastronomic scene is vast. When we opened Limantour in 2011, we started working with lemons, and finding lemons in Mexico was really difficult; sometimes, we had to travel to the States to get them. We began with basic recipes, following the ones in the book I had. While in London, I visited many bars like the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, seeing how drinks were made, and I began educating my colleagues. We aimed to reach the same level as in London.
Last time we met, you were on an internship. What motivates you to travel, attend courses, and learn?
I enjoy traveling and meeting people in bars worldwide. When you understand the customer, then you know how to do business. You can’t have the best bar in town if you don’t have customers. You must observe and explore your guests. We bartenders keep an eye on the latest trends, but guests might not always be on the same page, and sometimes it doesn’t work. You have to connect and communicate face-to-face with the guest. The youth have many ideas; you must always keep learning and sometimes reevaluate what you’ve learned. Sometimes, you realize you need to “update your software.”
How do you manage to be invited to seminars, various bar shows, and events worldwide? And what’s your trick to handling it all?
Firstly, Mexico is a huge market with around 130 million inhabitants. When we opened Limantour, our primary aim was to uplift drinking culture. We had to communicate differently with many brands than other bars did. The challenge wasn’t just breaking into the Mexican market but throughout Latin America. Now, we’re sixth on the list of the world’s 50 best bars. You have to constantly present yourself on other markets and talk about what you’re doing. Being invited to various guest bartending events benefits their guests by offering something new. We receive many invitations to different bar events, but of course, you can’t go everywhere. In any business, relationships are necessary. When you open a bar, you invest in designers, logos, the bar itself, alcohol, but you also need to invest in travel, networking, to make yourself known everywhere.
Is there a place you haven’t been to that you’d like to visit?
I’d like to visit a few places in Africa; I’ve never been there. Twelve years ago, I was in Australia, and I’d like to go back there too.
What’s the concept behind Limantour?
Limantour was the first cocktail bar in Mexico. We were the first to have real mixing glasses, real bar tools that we brought from the Bar Convent in Berlin. Now it’s all standard, but back then, it was something entirely new in Mexico City. We love our guests, love the atmosphere in our bar, and even though we take it seriously, there’s a very pleasant and relaxed atmosphere there.
Tell me more about your other project, Baltra Bar?
We opened Baltra seven years ago, and concerning drink concepts, it’s similar to Limantour – Martinis, Old Fashioneds, etc., but at that time, guests weren’t ready for that concept. So, we have refreshing drinks that are easy to drink. The difference lies in the capacity – at Limantour, we have five workstations, at Baltra, two.
Limantour has been among the top 50 bars worldwide for eleven years. That’s truly admirable. In your opinion, what’s the secret to its success? Because there’s always something new, something progressive.
Take care of your guests; the most important thing is a human approach. You can have the best cocktails in a bar, but if the bartenders treat guests coldly and aren’t on the same wavelength, it doesn’t make sense. Human relationships are truly crucial. That’s precisely what we missed the most during the pandemic. And that’s exactly what we try to offer to guests when they come to us.
You’re a member of the Tales of the Cocktail committee. What’s your role?
During Tales of the Cocktail in July, I attend their seminars from morning to evening. In December, Tales of the Cocktail sends invitations to bar communities. They have to send some structure of what they want to talk about or present. This year, I was on the committee for culture, and there were many applications. We had to select speakers who are most relevant. It’s about having people from different countries represented, each bringing something from their culture.
What should a world inspired by Mexico be like in the hospitality industry?
We always open our arms to people, that’s why we say, “my home is your home.”
When you travel around the world, talk about yourself, your bar, and sometimes Mexican culture, what opinions do you encounter?
I think everyone knows Mexico, and most people say they love Mexican music or Mexican football. Some come because of Frida Kahlo. Many people now go to Mexico City because of food; the gastronomic scene is amazing, and there are restaurants among the top fifty in the world. Sometimes, someone abroad mentions Limantour, even though they’re not into the bar scene at home. It always pleases me when I hear something like that.
I’m a bartender. If I were to visit Mexico, what place should I not miss?
There are many bartenders, and Mexico City is full of cocktail bars. I definitely recommend visiting Oaxaca – it’s a beautiful cultural place, and they produce great mezcals there. There are many places to visit – for instance, Guadalajara, which is a beautiful and important Mexican city.
When you talk about local ingredients in Mexico, what do you recommend trying?
Certainly agave, of course. Mexico is a huge country, and there are many different ingredients and flavors.
You mentioned agave, and currently, we’re aware of an “agave crisis.” How do you view this issue?
Every year, we break another record in agave exports. Everyone is missing agave distillate, and it’s genuinely hard to meet everyone’s needs. When you don’t have enough resources, you simply have to do something. Plant, find suitable places. It requires a lot of money.
Is there any advice you’d give to young bartenders?
I have several pieces of advice. You must be original. When I travel, I often see many imitations of other bars. Those are the ones that forget their personality, their character. Furthermore, you must be bold to step into the ring with the best but also be humble.
Is there any other goal you’d like to achieve in the future?
I’m currently working on another level in my master’s studies. I’m 52 years old, my classmates are aged from 23 to 26. I have a bachelor’s in marketing; I’ve been in the industry for eleven years. I feel I need further education in this area.
