Yangdup Lama
About
Yangdup Lama, an esteemed bartender, bar owner, entrepreneur, author, and mixologist, is celebrated as one of India's finest in the realm of mixology. In 2018, Lama co-founded ‘Sidecar’, a cocktail bar in Greater Kailash, New Delhi, which quickly gained recognition and acclaim. ‘Sidecar’ was named India's best bar in 2021 and featured in Asia's 50 Best Bars awards in 2020 and 2021. The bar's remarkable rise earned it the Joint Nikka Highest Climber Award in 2021, reflecting its prominence on the Asian cocktail map.
Yangdup's initial foray into the hospitality industry was with Hyatt Regency Delhi, where he served as a food and beverage server before finding his true calling behind the bar at the prestigious Polo Lounge. After four and a half years at Hyatt, Lama founded ‘Cocktails & Dreams’, a mobile bartending service, which evolved into Thirsty Three Hospitality—a bar service and beverage consultancy company.
His entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish a commercial bar, ‘Cocktails & Dreams, Speakeasy’ in Gurugram, and the ‘Cocktail and Dreams Beverage Studio’ in Delhi, a bar training and beverage management school.
Awards and Accomplishments
Awards and Accomplishments
Yangdup Lama’s expertise and influence extend beyond his establishments. In 2020, he was featured in Drinks International Magazine’s Bar World 100 list of the most influential people in the global beverage industry, making him the first Indian to receive this honor.
His accolades include the Indian Bartender of the Year in 1999, the Asia-Pacific 30 under 30 Award in 1997, and serving as the India attaché for Tales of the Cocktail New Orleans in 2017–18.
Yangdup was also named the American Whiskey Ambassador India in 2017 by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).
Why Yangdup Lama?
As the co-owner of India’s top-rated cocktail bar, and a trailblazer in the global beverage industry, Yangdup’s insights into mixology, entrepreneurship, and hospitality are invaluable. His recognition as one of the 100 most influential people in the worldwide beverage industry attests to his profound impact and authority in his field, making him a compelling speaker.
