Martin Hudak – Maybe Sammy

My Life

I was born in Prešov, Slovakia. I always wanted to be in the entertainment industry—maybe in theater or on TV. I wanted to be a performer, singer, actor . . . something like that., but that was difficult to achieve in Slovakia. My parents were not supportive either; they told me I should rather do something that makes money. I was very passionate about singing and was quite successful in the couple of competitions I entered, but it was tough in my home country. Now, I am pursuing this passion of mine behind the bar, as you are still in the spotlight and put on a show every day – performing, yes, but in a different way.

“Comfort is the enemy of progress”

Martin Hudak

I listened to my parents and opted for hospitality training, which lasted five years. As much as I hated the kitchen, I loved front of the house, because I needed to be able to perform in front of people. When I graduated, I started working in a small café back in 2010. During my five years there, I did everything from coffee to cocktails. Even though the cocktails were very basic back then, I quickly discovered a passion for both coffee and cocktails—and for combining the two. Through determination and hard work I was able to move to London five years later to join one of the world’s best bar teams at The Savoy. I jumped a lot of steps and started directly as senior bartender. I was very fortunate to work with Erik Lorincz and we were even living together at the time. Not only was I able to hone my bartending skills at Erik’s side, but I continued showcasing my expertise in prestigious industry competitions. I have shaken and stirred in the world finals for various global competitions and was a double runner up in Melbourne (2014) and Shanghai (2016) with my signature coffee beverage program and my Irish Coffee respectively. And after many years my efforts resulted into the title of World Coffee in Good Spirit Champion from Budapest (2017). With this title, I traveled to more than 50 countries and trained around 3,000 passionate coffee and cocktail aficionados over the course of one year.

In 2017/18 I moved to Sydney to open my own bar, Maybe Sammy, in 2019. Comfort is the enemy of progress—I thought that sticking around in Europe would be too comfy to advance and wanted to start from zero to do my own thing. I wanted to build something classy.

I have two business partners now: Vince Lombardo is doing back of house and Stefano Catino is running front of the house together with me. We have multiple projects like Sammy Junior and our newest addition, called Primo Sanchez.

Maybe Sammy

We opened Maybe Sammy in January of 2019 and it has been thriving ever since. The Hollywood-Regency-meets-Palm-Springs design of the venue is reminiscent of a glam 1950s bar—think classic elegance with a splash of extravagance. The signature cocktail list comprises classic cocktails, delivered with a theatrical flair, coffee-based cocktails, mini martinis plus a selection of cocktails made from vintage and limited-edition spirits. Bold lighting enhances the pink and green velvet on the walls; smoked mirrors, brass fittings, and marble tiles catch the eye, while trees and pink tropical wallpaper remind you that you’re there to have fun. The venue has a capacity of seventy with seating split between pink velvet banquets and leather-clad seats and bar stools.

Sydney Recommendations

The Future

It’s hard to make a world-encompassing statement. I would like to see less of a focus on the drink itself and more on the guest experience: how does the host treat you, is the DJ in control of the sound ambiance etc. Bartenders today are obsessed with drinks and focus too much on the cocktail itself, when actually the dialogue should be key. People go to bars for the conversation and the experience, not for the drinks. If you only go for the drinks, you are an alcoholic.

We want to speed up processes and create more time to speak to the guests. I want to build the concept on other pillars rather than just cocktails. These kinds of bars are at the forefront of the industry today —much like Ferran Adrià was—they push the boundaries. It will be kind of bi-directional in the years ahead: old fashioned hospitality with a modern cocktail approach and, of course, five-star service.

Profile

Year born: 1990

Special skill: Unlimited energy—like the Duracell bunny. My number-one rule is “don’t take drugs.”

Free time: I’m a book freak—not necessarily bar books, but anything outside the industry. Antiques collecting or selling.

Bartender since: 2008

Biggest fail: I never fail. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. You learn and then you win. It is always an opportunity.

Most significant career step: Leaving the world’s best bar to open another one.

Favorite cocktail: Espresso Martini. The first cocktail that nailed the combination of coffee and alcohol.

Check out Martin’s cocktail recipes: Espresso Martiki.

Favorite bar: Rosella’s on the Gold Coast feels like a home, like a nonna’s house in Italy. Everything is local, nothing pretentious, just the real deal.

Sydney in three words: Freedom, opportunity, wellbeing

UPDATE: Martin no longer works at Maybe Sammy. He left Australia and is back home in Slovakia focusing on consulting work at the moment (Summer 2024).

Maybe Sammy Website

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Images: ©Daniele Massacci