HELL’S KITCHEN — When Francesco Dionese moved from Italy to London to learn English at age 19, he took a gig clearing tables at a bar to make ends meet.
It was a job on the other side of the counter, however, that piqued his interest.
“I was seeing those men and women behind the bar, and I was fascinated by them,” said Dionese, 35. “I told myself, ‘As soon as I learn English, I want to be one of them.’”
On Wednesday, the Hell's Kitchen bartender will compete in the United States Bartenders’ Guild’s “Most Imaginative Bartender” competition at the regional level, after qualifying during a first round.
Dionese — who’s crafted cocktails at watering holes in London, on a cruise ship and in Spain over the course of 15 years — has been working at Dutch Fred’s on West 47th Street since it opened last year.
Watch Dionese make the "Working Class Hero":
“I started bartending to pay the bills, basically,” he explained. “And then I grew passionate for this job.”
At Wednesday’s competition, he will concoct a drink in front of a group of judges at a bar near Union Square and prepare samples for attendees. If he defeats his nine competitors, he’ll go on to compete in the finals in July.
Watch Dionese make the "Red Is The New Black":
The bartender, who’s taken cocktail-making courses in Italy and Peru, credits part of his success to a barkeep he worked with at a hotel in London.
“This bartender, he was passionate,” Dionese recalled. “He was the most passionate person I met so far in bartending, and he taught me a lot about the profession.”
At Dutch Fred's, Dionese has created many of the drinks on the menu — including the whiskey-based "Working Class Hero," the lavender-topped "Red Is The New Black" and the "Finding Neverland," which involves a flaming lime.
Watch Dionese make the "Finding Neverland":
Dionese said he isn’t nervous about Wednesday’s competition.
"I love the preparation process — putting the drink together, taking care of all the details, and I love the adrenaline that precedes the presentation,” he said. “Being responsible [for] the little pleasure that each drink gives.”
