Before the Drink Design Center came into being, there was the “Drink Design” movement, a trend launched by 1883 that was embodied by a collective of professionals with strong personalities, cutting-edge leaders in their field. It began with Julie Rothhahn, Culinary Designer; Hélène Miralles, 1883 Master Syrup Maker; Mehdi Favri, Imaginative Chef; Matthias Giroud, Head Mixologist-Globe Trotter; Nir Chouchana, Bartender-Entrepreneur. They have in common is a keen sense of creativity.

Maison Routin brought them together for a one-of-a-kind project: create, altogether, a new side to mixology. This Famous Five started out with the premise that when you “have a drink”, you’re actually doing much more than that. The act involves colours, an experience, an atmosphere, a mood. It involves choosing the right glass, storytelling, music, creating a ritual to enjoy it. It’s not two words – a drink – but a hundred. There is an entire polysensorial experience beyond mixology. It is a journey from Sironomie to Haute Sironomie via the perfect mastery of aromatic blending and sensory analysis, which are transcribed through an unprecedented kaleidoscope of creativity ! Let’s reveal our inner sironome, let’s dare to mix and indulge creative expression without moderation !

And that is how the Drink Design Center –DDC – was born. Each member of the collective created a training module based on their art, with the purpose of stimulating creativity and transmitting knowledge. At the DDC, the timetable is filled with fascinating subjects to study, and the curriculum combines theory and lots of practical work. Mandatory module: talk, discuss, share.

Module 1: “Haute Sironomie, to enhance taste and emotion” : Conveying emotion through taste starts by understanding what taste really is, by mastering the art of sensory analysis and introducing students to aromatic expertise, which is the key role of a Master Syrup Maker.

Module 2: “Sustainable Drink Design” : Drink Design is also responsible for water conservation, both in quantity and quality! You will learn some best practices to be an eco-responsible Drink Designer.

Module 3: “Drink Maestria” That’s the crux of it! This is about the ultimate creative process at the heart of Drink Design, a step-by-step methodology: from inspiration to the creation of a polysensory and emotional experience through the choice of syrups, staging, storytelling and so on.

Module 4: “Drinks & Pairing” experience: Talents need to come together to create a polysensory experience. Imagine mixology combined with the world of coffee or even gastronomy.

Module 5: “Eloquence & improvisation”: The art of putting words into drinks! This is the final step in the process of creating an experience to work on your verbal language, but also para-verbal and non-verbal so that you can plunge your guests deep into your story.

Successful applicants are given 1 week, 40 hours of training. Participants come from all over the world to the heart of the Alps, at 1883, which is in this same historic spot where pure mountain water flows, the most important raw material for this artisan of syrup.

The first-ever Drink Design Center training session will take place from 13 to 17 March.

Click here to register!