Excelsior Palace Portofino hosts Lady Drink, which returns for its 30th edition and, as has been the case since 1996, is not “just” a cocktail competition.
It is a stage that tells the story of the evolution of women’s roles behind the bar, year after year, shaker after shaker, and that of Danilo Bellucci, the event’s founder
To understand what this event truly represents in the world of mixology, The Gram met with its creator and patron, Danilo Bellucci: a communicator, event organizer, but above all a visionary who, at a time when no one was talking about it, decided to dedicate an international competition entirely to female bartenders.
“Lady Drink was founded in Perugia in 1996,” says Bellucci. “The idea was simple, but for the time, decidedly unconventional: to create a competition designed solely for women in mixology. I already came from the worlds of communications, beverages, and event planning, and I saw how many extraordinary professionals were working behind the bar. The problem was that they were often not recognized for what they truly were: competent professionals. They were judged more on their appearance than on their technique.”
This was precisely the initial impetus behind Lady Drink: shifting the focus from image to substance. “We wanted a stage where creativity, technique, and professionalism mattered. Not the dress, the smile, or the ‘cute’ photo. That was the small revolution of ’96. From there, the project began to grow, moving from Perugia to other cities: Rome, Milan, Genoa, Riccione. Each stop added new stories, new barladies, new connections.”
Thirty years later, Lady Drink remains a unique phenomenon. It is not a “women’s section” of a larger event, nor is it a fleeting “pink” interlude: it is a competition entirely conceived and built around the world of barladies.
“This has made it a format that, over time, has set a precedent,” explains Bellucci. “When we started, concepts like inclusion or women’s empowerment in bartending were certainly not at the center of the debate. Today they are, but Lady Drink brought them to the forefront when they were still practically taboo.”
What makes the event special, however, isn’t just its symbolic value. It’s the atmosphere. Anyone who’s been there describes it as something more than just a competition.
“For me, Lady Drink is first and foremost a community,” says Bellucci with a smile. “Over the years, we’ve built a huge network: female bartenders, companies, trainers, journalists, ambassadors. But above all, people who, year after year, come together, support one another, and collaborate. Participants often say, ‘Here, you feel like family.’ It’s a competition, of course, but you don’t feel that cold, ultra-competitive vibe of some contests. Here, we compete for the podium, but we genuinely applaud one another.”
The theme of this 30th edition stems from a specific question: how has the role of women behind the bar changed? “It has changed a lot, and thankfully so,” Bellucci emphasizes. “We’re a long way from the days when a female bartender was judged primarily on her appearance. Today, what counts is creativity, technique, sensitivity, meticulousness, and attention to detail. The women who take the stage are extremely well-prepared: they’ve studied, traveled, worked in top venues, and attended masterclasses. They aren’t just a ‘female presence’ behind the bar—they’re fully-fledged professionals who often know how to manage not only the drinks, but the bar, the team, communication, and customer relations.”
There’s also another element, less talked about but very visible during Lady Drink: the ability to balance private life and work.
“One of the images that moves me the most,” Bellucci confesses, “is seeing their children in the audience cheering them on.” It’s a powerful scene: it tells you that you don’t necessarily have to choose between motherhood and your career. You can be a great bartender and, at the same time, a present and responsible mother. Seeing this as the norm in a mixology competition thirty years ago would have been unthinkable.”
Alongside the main participants, there has been a symbolic figure for years: fashion designer and former model Regina Schrecker, the event’s patron.
“For us, Regina is much more than just a famous name on the poster,” says Bellucci. “She perfectly embodies the connection between elegance, creativity, and feminine strength. She isn’t just a ‘figurehead’ patron: she follows the event, talks with the participants, and encourages them. In a competition that, historically, risked being misunderstood in terms of image, her presence reinforces a key concept: style and professionalism can coexist, but professionalism always comes first. Aesthetics must never overshadow competence.”
On a technical level, Lady Drink maintains a structure faithful to the great tradition of mixology: Pre-Dinner, Long Drink, After-Dinner. But it hasn’t stood still over time. One of the most significant innovations in recent years is the introduction of the Zero Alcohol category.
“It arose from observing what was happening in bars,” explains Bellucci. “The demand for low-alcohol or non-alcoholic cocktails has grown tremendously. It’s not a passing fad: it’s a true cultural shift. Younger people, in particular, are very mindful of health, clarity of mind, and moderation. People aren’t drinking less out of deprivation, but by conscious choice.”
A choice that’s reflected at the bar.
“Until recently, the non-alcoholic selection was often embarrassing: two or three options, always the same, a bit dull, included on the menu out of obligation. Today, you can’t have a serious drink list without a meticulously curated non-alcoholic or low-alcohol section. In the Lady Drink competition, in the Zero Alcohol category, we see drinks with complex aromatic structures: carefully crafted acidity, interesting textures, the use of spices, herbs, and fermented ingredients. It’s not “colored juice”: it’s mixology, period. Just without alcohol.”
Bellucci sums up this change with a phrase he often repeats: “Drinking well doesn’t hurt; only drinking poorly isn’t good for you.” A quip that, in reality, encapsulates the essence of the new way of understanding the bar. “Today’s cocktail bar is no longer the place where you measure how much you drink, but how you drink. And for me, this is a huge step forward, even culturally. Lady Drink wants to be right there, in that transition: celebrating mindful, quality drinking, with or without alcohol.”
The 2026 edition was a distillation of everything Lady Drink has become over thirty years.
“A special edition,” says Bellucci. “We had many of the best barladies from Italy and a jury made up of industry professionals and communicators, with competition segments alternating with talks, meetings, and networking. We talked a lot about Zero Alcohol, new consumer trends, but also about personal journeys, training, and careers…”
Many of the barladies who today run major cocktail bars or work as consultants and trainers have come through Lady Drink.
“This is our greatest responsibility, but also our greatest source of pride,” admits Bellucci. “When a participant returns years later and tells me, ‘Danilo, my journey started here,’ I realize that all the work we’ve done has been worth it. Lady Drink isn’t just a podium; it’s a starting point. It offers visibility, connections, opportunities, and above all, the chance to prove to themselves—before anyone else—that they can stand on a major professional stage and compete on equal footing.”
Looking ahead, Bellucci envisions an even broader future for his creation.
“I see Lady Drink becoming increasingly international, increasingly connected with training schools, brands, and leading venues. And I hope for an industry where gender distinctions will matter less and less.
The paradox is that I work for a women’s event, but I dream of a world where there would no longer be a need for it. As long as, however, there is a need for a place where barladies can share their stories, grow, and inspire other women to step behind the bar, Lady Drink will continue to exist.”
In the end, it all comes back to that phrase which, for Bellucci, is almost a manifesto: “Drinking well doesn’t hurt; only drinking poorly isn’t good.” For thirty years, Lady Drink has sought to demonstrate that drinking well means, above all, this: making informed choices, recognizing talent, and valuing those on the other side of the bar
