Founded in 1996 in Delhi, India, BarWizard began as a
freelance bartending venture and grew into India’s leading
Institute of Bar Operations & Management. Over 30 years,
we have served millions of guests, organized thousands of
events, and trained generations of bartending professionals.
Sandeep Verma’s Story
I left a cushy job to become a bartender and it was not an easy decision. The world thinks you are a fool, but then believing in yourself and following your passion is all that matters in the end. I found my Ikigai as a bartender. In spite of being Food & Beverage Manager for a four- star hotel in Dubai 1995 and later at Hans Plaza, New Delhi in 1996, I realized that I had most enjoyed my role as a bartender way back in 1993 at Oasis Discotheque at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi, and later being a Head bartender cum Captain at CJ s Le Meridian, New Delhi. During this period, I got much fascinated by flair bartending post watching the movie Cocktails & Coyote Ugly. I worked hard to become India s first flair bartender in 1993. For a few days I was mentored in flaring & bartending by Andrew Red, the gentleman who was an ex-flair bartender with TGIF, London. Andrew kind of inspired me and ignited a spark in me. Later at the young age of 25, I went to Dubai for better career prospects in life, but could not get bartending out of my system. In 1996, I took a plunge and started my own Alco Beverage Academy and Catering Company from a small room in a village called Lao Sarai, New Delhi. My firm was called “Shaken or Stirred” which later became a private limited company by the name “Institute of Bar Operations & Management” and eventually “Barwizard” now.