Redefining Mixology in Kenya

We were having some not so casual drinks and you see… having to turn down the generous shots offered to me by my boss while keeping him happy and me sober enough to not crawl home, well it’s a delicate dance. We were drunkenly trying to decide on people we could feature, people doing unconventional things. When he pointed out Malesi to me, he was sitting at the table across from us with a beautiful girl, my attention was immediately switched. He had the charisma, the handsome face and the most importantly the warmest smile ever. He was a charmer.

Having been raised in a Christian family, they had a few ideas on which paths they would have liked to see Malesi to follow. Bartending however was the last thing on their minds.

However, at the tender age of seventeen, he developed a curiosity and fascination for the craft and found himself at Brew Bistro admiring the long counter and the behind-the-scenes action as the bartenders worked on the cocktails. He went to pursue aviation but due to unforeseeable circumstances was forced to shelve that dream and pursue alternative employment options. Nonetheless, the zeal and passion ignited in 17-year-old Malesi on a cheeky night out never left him. The illegality and condemnation that came with the mention or thought of alcohol in his family could perhaps have played a part in fuelling the thrill and adrenaline that he got from being the “black sheep.” The apparent seeds of rebellion had already been sown and there was no turning back for young Malesi.

His high energy as he works the counter does not fail to catch the attention of his patrons. Malesi is an artist, with how he carefully curates cocktails that offer a perfect balance of sweetness or bitterness, subtleness, or the much-needed kick from the alcohol. As is with every artist, he gives a piece of himself and offers everyone who visits his bar a memorable experience. With years of experience in the industry, Malesi has gone on to work with major brands such as Diageo,and Jagermeister. With his growing success in bartending, he equally faces challenges mostly due to the lack of exposure in Kenya and Africa at large.

He cites that local bars cannot compete internationally, and works on distinguishing himself from the rest by learning new trends and developing courses to teach these skills to others. He tells me that it is hard to see young Kenyans drink warm beer and wishes there was a greater appreciation for his craft, a wish to drink the finest spirits mixed in the smartest ways. Malesi yearns to see Kenya develop a mixology culture and his goal is to grow the recognition of mixology and to inspire other young mixologists around his country.

“YM Life will help improve the standards in the country by giving bartenders a platform and opportunities to grow.”

Malesi has taken part in the 2012 Diageo world class competition. He advises every bartender who hasn’t done it to try, he says “it can be a life changing experience even if you don’t win you get to carry a wealth of knowledge with you to wherever you go”. He is also happy to have collaborated with brands like kenya originals, Jameson and friends, Martel for the “swift one” campaign, Jagermester “save the night” campaign and internationally he has attended Tales of The Cocktails in New Orleans (which is basically the Grammy’s for bartenders) as the prep team for the conference and he was the first bartender from Africa attend The San Antonio cocktail festival in Texas.

As a bartender he is often exposed to a variety of cocktails, however, not all are to his taste. His favourite and signature cocktail is the Negroni, which he swears by for its kick and distinctive, although acquired taste. A negroni is bitter, but the vermouth and orange garnish add enough sweetness to balance it out. Other than the drinks, he emphasises that a good bar is made through great service and ambiance, and HERO in Nairobi fits the bill for him as one of his favourite bars. As someone who is constantly exposed to different flavours, blends, and brews, he defines luxury as “ something that is made for you, and the ambiance that defines what makes anything luxurious for an individual”.