In the middle of the last century, as the hotels and casinos of Las Vegas were being built, the one virtue that was held above all others was hospitality. They wanted the town to be welcoming, they wanted it to feel like family, they wanted people to feel like they belonged. After all, they were building a shining beacon of entertainment literally from sand.
So when Martin Hudak, Stefano Catino, Vince Lombardo and Andrea Gualdi, decided to open their Sydney bar Maybe Sammy, it was very much with that example in mind.
They looked to the Flamingo, The Sands, The Hacienda.
They looked to performers like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and maybe Sammy (Davis Jnr.)
They looked to the showmanship, the glamour but especially the hospitality for which this desert playground became so famous.
So with this example as a guide, it is no wonder the hospitality at Maybe Sammy has in itself become a modern-day beacon. The bar’s reputation for hospitality has travelled the globe and granted them the first-ever Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award as part of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020.
Established to recognise the importance of hospitality in any bar experience, the award is voted for by 540 members of The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy and recognises the venue where those members feel they received the single best hospitality experience during the voting period.
Stefano Catino, co-owner of Maybe Sammy, says: “We are honoured by this award and humbled to be globally recognised for our efforts. For Maybe Sammy, hospitality isn’t just a word – it’s what we take pleasure in providing to every person who enters the bar, and we are so lucky to have a team that loves interacting with people.”
Lauded for its inventive cocktails and its modish design, Maybe Sammy’s award-winning bartending team have been assembled from some of the best bars in the world, to provide a level of service that bears the hallmark of a high-end hotel bar of a bygone era.
Within the Signature Selection area of the bar’s cocktail list, contemporary interpretations of classic cocktails are featured. Named after iconic Las Vegas haunts, these drinks are but a prelude to the list’s High Rollers section that showcases inspired libations from mini martinis to house-roasted coffee concoctions.
Mark Sansom, Content Editor for The World’s 50 Best Bars, said: “Stefano Catino, Vince Lombardo, Martin Hudak and Andrea Gualdi are true champions of hospitality, sparing no detail in perfecting Maybe Sammy’s guest journey, from its innovative cocktail list to the of-the-moment bar design.
“Our heartfelt congratulations to the team for this well-deserved win. I hope that their trademark bubble guns will be popping tonight.”
Last year, the bar was awarded The Best Bar in Australasia at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2019, as well as placing at No.43 in the top 50 list, just nine months after opening. yet like so many bars, the team has found 2020 exacting. “This has been a challenging year for the bar industry,” said Catino, “but our focus has remained on taking care of our guests and delivering them an experience that delights and exceeds expectations.”
During extensive consultations with the bar sector, the 50 Best organisation received widespread support for releasing a ranking that aims to bring the community even closer together and provide positive news for bars as they enter the next stage of recovery from the global pandemic.
The announcement of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020, sponsored by Perrier and follows on from the work of the 50 Best For Recovery Programme, which has to date raised $1.25m for hospitality venues across the globe.
“Right now, the hospitality experience is a key component of ensuring guests have the confidence to return to their favourite bars all over the world,” continued Sansom.
“The Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award was first introduced at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020, and we are very pleased to continue honouring the best in hospitality on The World’s 50 Best Bars stage.”
For more information on Maybe Sammy, go to maybesammy.com
For more information on The World’s 50 Best Bars, go to worlds50bestbars.com
