Nico de Soto

Paris born and raised, Nico de Soto began bartending in Paris in 2005, where he was trained in the art of classic cocktails. In 2007, he moved to Australia and began work in Melbourne, where he spent a year crafting libation. Nico then returned to Paris, working in China Club and became bar manager at Mama Shelter before joining Paris’ most respected cocktail bars, the Experimental Cocktail Club and Curio Parlor. In 2010 Nico joined the opening teams at Dram and PKNY (former Painkiller) in New York and then became the head mixologist of the Experimental Group, opening the very successful Experimental Cocktail Club in London and New York, respectively nominated Third Best Bar in Europe 2012 at the Cocktail Spirits Awards and a Top Four finalist for World’s Best New Bar in 2013 at Tales of Cocktails and 26th best cocktail bar in the world by Drinks International.

In 2013, Nico worked at the awarded 69 Colebrooke Row and Happiness Forgets in London, named respectively Best Bar in the World at Tales of the Cocktails and Sixth Best Bar in the World by Drinks International 2013. In 2015, he opened his first cocktail bar, Mace, in East Village in New York ranked 28th Best Bar in the World at Drinks International World’s Top 50 Best Bars. Mace in East Village in New York ranked 28th best bar in the World at Drinks International World’s Top 50 Best Bars, for the fourth year in a row. In 2016, he opened in Paris Danico, in the heart of the Italian trattoria Daroco, with restaurateurs Julien Ross and Alexandre Giesbert. In 2018, he opened Kaido in Miami Design District, with James Beard Award multi-nominated chef Brad Kilgore. In 2023, Nico returned to London, opening Daroco Soho and the cocktail bar Wacky Wombat.

Nico’s approach to drinks is inspired by travel and cuisine — and the desire to discover and create new flavors, combinations and techniques. He uses a range of modern techniques, including sous-vide to achieve the best flavors, centrifuge to clarify juices or rotovap to make his own distillates.