Beyond the Bar: How Simone Caporale Redefined Hospitality

There are bartenders who follow trends. Then there are those who create them. Simone Caporale belongs firmly in the second category. If you’ve ever poured a drink with a story, crafted a cocktail with intention, or thought of hospitality as more than just service, chances are you’re walking a path he helped pave.

From the bustling bar stations of London to the refined elegance of Barcelona’s cocktail scene, Caporale has become one of the most influential and admired figures in contemporary mixology.

But behind the awards, the viral serves, and the packed venues is a simple idea: make people feel something.

From Como to the World

Simone Caporale was born in Como, Italy, and began his journey in hospitality at a young age. After studying catering and hospitality, he honed his craft through a series of jobs across Europe. Each role, from hotels to cocktail lounges, added a new layer to his understanding of service, rhythm, and human connection.

But it was London—the global epicenter of cocktail reinvention—that gave him the stage he needed. And it was there that his legend began to take shape.

The Artesian Era: A Bar That Changed Everything

Caporale became a global name during his time as Head Bartender at Artesian, the flagship bar of The Langham Hotel in London. Alongside Alex Kratena, he turned Artesian into a creative powerhouse, merging classic hospitality with avant-garde experimentation.

Between 2012 and 2015, under their leadership, Artesian was named the World’s Best Bar four times in a row by The World’s 50 Best Bars—an achievement that still stands unmatched.

The duo's approach was immersive and theatrical: drinks served in unexpected vessels, clouds of aroma, conceptual menus that sparked curiosity and conversation. Yet it was never gimmick for gimmick’s sake. Everything was rooted in technique, discipline, and empathy for the guest.

A Shelf Full of Awards

Simone Caporale has collected more than just praise—he’s earned some of the industry’s highest honors:

• International Bartender of the Year (Tales of the Cocktail, 2014)

• Bar Personality of the Year (Imbibe Awards)

• Best International Hotel Bar and Best International Cocktail Bar (with Artesian)

• World’s Best Bar (The World’s 50 Best Bars, 2012–2015)

• Frequently listed among the 100 most influential figures in global hospitality

But more than the trophies, what sets him apart is how he's shaped the way we think about bartending itself.

Beyond the Bar: Entrepreneurship and Impact

After leaving Artesian in 2015, Caporale could’ve taken a victory lap. Instead, he entered his most creative phase yet.

He co-founded P(our), a non-profit collective that reimagines hospitality through the lenses of science, art, community, and ethics. Then came Muyu, a line of high-end liqueurs co-created with Monica Berg and Alex Kratena, blending sustainability, luxury, and modern flavour design.

And then, in 2021, he opened SIPS in Barcelona, with Marc Álvarez. The concept? A playful, elegant, design-driven bar where drinks are both deeply technical and emotionally accessible.

In 2023, SIPS was named the No. 1 Bar in the World by The World’s 50 Best Bars. Not a comeback—an evolution.

The SIPS Philosophy

SIPS is a space that challenges expectations. It has no bar counter in the traditional sense. The bartenders work in an open layout, closer to the guests. It’s intimate, direct, and radically human.

Each cocktail is treated as a piece of design: visually striking, conceptually clever, and flawlessly executed. Yet the energy is relaxed, fun, almost mischievous. You’ll find as much precision in the prep lab as you will laughter on the floor.

That’s Caporale’s secret weapon—precision and play working in harmony.

More Than Just Technique

What makes Simone Caporale truly unforgettable is not just what he creates, but how he makes people feel.

To him, hospitality is an artform. It’s about empathy, timing, body language. It’s the space between the steps: knowing when to engage, when to pull back, when to simply be present. He’s known for his signature charm and theatrical energy, but it’s never performative—it’s human.

In a world obsessed with recipes and ratios, Caporale reminds us that great bartending is still about people.

A Legacy That Keeps Pouring

From Como to London, from London to Barcelona, and from behind the bar to inside the bottle, Simone Caporale’s influence stretches across every layer of our industry. He’s trained thousands, inspired millions, and raised the global standard for what it means to be behind the stick.

For more articles about the legends of the bar industry click HERE

and stay up to date subscribing to our newsletter HERE