From bartending in Canada to leading beverage innovation in Dubai, Nana Sechere has spent over 20 years shaping the global hospitality industry. As Monin’s Regional Beverage Expert and co-founder of The Host Masters, he’s redefining what it means to lead with purpose, elevate standards, and stay ahead of emerging trends—from functional drinks to clarified cocktails. In this exclusive interview, Nana opens up about the turning point at Tales of the Cocktail that changed his career, the importance of mentorship, and what’s next for the Middle East’s ever-evolving bar scene.
You’ve spent over two decades in hospitality—from Canada to Dubai, from behind the bar to brand leadership. What was the defining moment that made you realize bartending could be a lifelong career?
That’s a great and easy question for me to answer because it really felt like a “movie” moment for me. It was my first visit to New Orleans and Tales of the Cocktail in 2015. At the time, I was ready to hang up the shakers because I really wasn’t convinced that there was much more of a future in bartending. However, when I got to Tales, I saw people like Colin Appiah from Bacardi—a literal avatar for me and people like me who had done such great things. I also had the chance to meet my current co-chair at Tales, Lauren Mote, and saw how cool, confident, and amazing she was. I really got inspired there and allowed a possible future to seep into my mind. When I saw Colin on the program, a man with a Ghanaian name, I began to believe that there was more available to me.
As Monin’s Regional Beverage Expert for the Middle East, what are some key flavor trends or guest expectations you see emerging in this region?
Well, globally everyone is thinking a lot about their health, and what you’re witnessing in the Middle East overall is a lot more thought toward longevity. In the UAE, which is a more advanced cocktail palate than the other middle eastern countries, more people are consuming functional drinks with ingredients that provide health benefits. When it comes to alcohol—it’s very much about the clarified cocktails and many of the international trends you’d find in London and Singapore, including low ABV. You would think that low or no has been the thing in Dubai forever, but I would say when I first arrived nine years back, there were a lot of high ABV cocktails and very high consumption.
In the rest of the Middle East, alcohol really isn’t a factor unless you’re in Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain, or Oman, so the market is more focused on coffee, tea, and of course, zero beverages. The palate in these markets has traditionally trended toward sweet, but staying in line with the global health trends, you’d find that these days, the palate is definitely adjusting toward dry. As someone who is very into the health and wellness spectrum as a coach and enthusiast, I have first hand experience.
Your consulting firm, The Host Masters, emphasizes “elevating the standard.” What does that mean to you in practical terms, and how do you help venues achieve it?
In this market, I realized that the same names keep popping up on all of these awards lists, when there are actually hundreds of thousands of restaurants and venues in the UAE alone. Unless you’re lucky enough to land one of the top bar managers, the beverage programs and quality of staff would lack. So my mission was to provide these venues with the tools to raise the standard of their business using their beverage programs as the North Star.
A lot of these places would hire an international superstar bartender to make the menu, which is great—but what about the training aspect? What about their communication? Sequence of service? Marketing? If you don’t nail these parts, your business doesn’t stand much of a chance in the long run, no matter who made your menu. One might argue that it would be the job of the GM and restaurant managers to take care of this part, but I also found that these positions needed support navigating all of this because of the fast-paced and competitive nature of the industry. So I design the beverage menu—but also work with the teams to curate the right training support, marketing activations, and operational standards for the venue as a whole. Thankfully, my experience in the industry has afforded me the opportunity to provide this kind of insight to any new or existing business.
You co-host the Host Masters podcast, spotlighting voices from across the industry. What has surprised you the most in those conversations?
I’m always surprised with how versatile these ladies and gents are. There are so many hidden talents! I’ve been lucky to see how creative and down-to-earth they all are. They all start out with such great intentions, without a thought that they would become stars in our industry—but through consistency and hard work, they land amongst the best. We are all more alike than we think we are. They share the same imposter syndrome, despite their outgoing nature.
You’ve been involved with Tales of the Cocktail’s educational programming and currently serve as co-chair of the Business Committee. What do you think the global bartending community needs more of right now?
Authentic connections. You can see it happening with a lot of the people in the Top 100 list and all of these global guest shifts, but we need to keep opening it up and talking to one another. On the same note, we need much more mentorship. There are a lot of leaders at the moment, but who’s next? It’s important for all leaders to keep opening pathways of connection so we can inspire the next generation of bartenders.
Dubai is one of the world’s fastest-evolving hospitality scenes. What opportunities and challenges come with that kind of momentum?
A lot on both sides of the spectrum. The opportunity lies in the fact that the city is a blank canvas that welcomes new ideas and innovations. I believe it is the most international city in the world. It’s the only place that says “come as you are, just respect the rules” without forcing assimilation. So you are free to bring your ideas and experience to enhance the market.
The challenges lie with the competition, the costs of operating, and the ability to lay a solid foundation for your business in a manageable timeline. Because of the need to keep up with the pace, openings are often rushed, which means they aren’t always able to secure the best staff and operational procedures. Operational expenses—the cost of rent, product, and alcohol tax, etc.—are high and this always creates questions about pricing strategies, marketing, and customer retention. So there are a ton of opportunities, but there’s always a lot of work to be done.
How has your Canadian upbringing influenced your leadership style or guest experience philosophy in the Middle East?
I have to thank my parents for the chance I had to grow up in Canada. My communication style and openness were enhanced because of it—and are perhaps my biggest strengths. Working in Canadian hospitality gave me such a good foundation in the way I approach business as well. A lot of the venues I see here would be enhanced just by adding one or two of the standards that you find in Canadian hospitality, and that’s what I try to implement whenever I have worked with any of my partners with The Host Masters. We have a way of making you feel at home or like you’ve got a new best friend. It’s this authentic hospitality that the Middle East venues—and perhaps all venues—need.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for the next chapter—whether in education, innovation, or inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals?
I’ll always try and inspire. I always like to see what’s possible and encourage people to aim for the same. I just want to give something meaningful to anyone who has supported me in my career. As for what’s next? My wellness journey is taking a lot of bandwidth in my mind, and there’s a natural progression toward it, but at the moment—I really need to double down on more of my creative pursuits and fuse it to my hospitality journey. There’s a lot more to my skill set than I have let on, and I’d love the chance to show more of what I can do.
