Antonio De Luca has been appointed as the new bar manager at cocktail bar Off the Wall at Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown. His role is to conceptualise the drinks menu and oversee all operations. Originally from Italy, his career as a mixologist has seen him travel across the globe as a bartender and gain a wealth of knowledge that he will be bringing to the property.
De Luca’s passion for mixology was sparked at an early age by his fascination with the combination of flavours in spirits and their massive potential to amplify the guest experience. This same passion led him to pursue his professional career by enrolling in mixology, cocktail, art and design courses at Planet One.
He then went on to continue his education and in 2016 obtained his diploma in bartending from the International Bartender School in Rome. To elevate his expertise even further, Antonio acquired a master’s degree in hospitality from the Flair Bartender School and another one in Bar Mastery from the Campari Academy.
De Luca said: “I’m thrilled to head the team here at Off the Wall and this new role promises an exciting journey for me in Dubai. I look forward to bringing my new ideas and learning along the way from the style and concepts of the city.”
His career began in 2015 as bar manager and head mixologist at Mediterraneo Palace Hotel, where his primary responsibilities included menu engineering, managing guests, and meeting financial objectives. This was just the beginning, as he then went on to further his experience throughout various prestigious venues including Hang Loose Beach in Italy and Mimi & Coco Speakeasy in China.
During his time in China, De Luca was given the opportunity to speak at the World Chef’s Art Summit, as well as collaborate with Noob Huang as a project partner, and continued to strengthen his portfolio working as head mixologist and bartender at Rosewood Guangzhou and Four Seasons Guangzhou, where they won number one bar and hotel bar of the year at the Drink Magazine Bar Awards, before relocating to the UAE to join Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown.