Ankush Gamre

Born and raised in Mumbai, Ankush Gamre’s introduction to India’s cocktail industry began with cleaning shifts at a hotel in the city. Stealing quick lessons from the hotel’s bartenders in his downtime, he soon landed a full-time gig at Please Don’t Tell, a Mumbai bar, while simultaneously finishing the 2-year Diageo Bar Academy programme. In 2016, he joined Masque as assistant bartender, and today leads both Masque and The Living Room’s cocktail programmes as head mixologist and beverage manager. Over the years, Gamre’s constant tinkering behind the bar and in the kitchen has earned him the moniker of a “mad scientist”. A true believer that research is king, he gives exceptional focus to understanding not just ingredients and flavors, but also how best to extract and transform them. Behind his bar, cocktails are technique-driven, balanced, and full of unusual flavor pairings—the latter driven especially by his use of local ingredients, often foraged from whatever neighborhood he happens to be in. Here, nothing goes to waste: leftovers are turned into garnishes and salts, pickles and ferments, all with a pride and responsibility towards Indian ingredients and the country’s blossoming cocktail culture.