Andreas Caminada's Igniv in Zurich's old town offers one of the largest and most exquisite selections of champagne. 200 different varieties from various small producers. Sophisticated cocktail creations by Barkeeper(in) of the year 2022 Sarah Madritsch and delicious dishes from the establishment's 2-star kitchen make a visit to the Igniv Bar an unforgettable experience.
Pleasure travel at Igniv Zurich
A menu that deserves the title of Best Bar Menu should be varied and appealing. However, it is even more important that a bar menu takes the guest on a journey, said laudator Nush Rrasi from Transgourmet / Prodega at the award night. This is exactly what happens at the Igniv Bar. A wine or cocktail journey can be ordered to accompany the refined dishes of the 2-star cuisine. As the exquisite dishes are served to share in tavolata style, Igniv does not offer food pairing as such: "We don't call it food pairing, as there are always several dishes on the table at the same time. This means that the drinks, be it wine or cocktails, have to match many different tastes and are not just matched to one dish," explains bar manager Sarah Madritsch.
She highly recommends non-alcoholic cocktail trips in particular: "The cocktails must not be too complex or dominant so that the special nuances of the dishes are not drowned out. This is easier with mocktails," she explains. Before Igniv, Sarah gained her first experience in the Zurich bar scene, at the Raygrodski cocktail bar and then at the Widder Bar. However, her career as a bartender began in her home country of Thailand. After dropping out of her law degree in the Dutch city of Groningen, Madritsch looked for a job in Bangkok: "I dropped out of my bachelor's degree because it just wasn't right for me. It wasn't me," says the bar manager.
She got a job at the Tropic City cocktail bar and thus began her career at the bar and found her true passion. Since February 2022, the current bar manager has been working at Igniv in Zurich's Niederdorf district. But not for much longer. As Sarah Madritsch announced at the Award Night, she will only be managing the Igniv Bar until the end of the year. For this reason, it was a particular pleasure for her to win this award shortly before the end. The Zurich native doesn't yet know what her next stop will be: "I'm going to get married and then take a two-month vacation," are her plans so far.
High quality and close cooperation with the head chef
The high standards of Igniv's Michelin-starred cuisine naturally rub off on the bar: "I work very closely with the chef and use many of his products," says the 29-year-old. This is what makes the Igniv Bar stand out. Attention is also paid to sustainability. She refines many of the "waste products" that are no longer used in the kitchen and uses them to create her unique drink creations. Of course, the cocktail and wine expert also incorporates her Asian origins into her culinary creations.
The Thai-born chef likes to integrate local ingredients and flavors. "Of course, I have to adapt to European standards. Less spiciness, less umami, a little less of everything," laughs Madritsch. The appealing layout and welcoming design are further elements that make up the Best Bar Menu. Sarah has enlisted the support of her long-time friend Prae Thompson. She has graphically illustrated the cocktail creations in geometric shapes.
There is also a list of ingredients and a simple graphic under each picture. This helps guests to get an idea of the flavor profile of each drink creation so that they can make the right choice. Although the award-winning summer menu has already been replaced, don't miss the opportunity to try Sara Madritsch and her Igniv creations before the end of the year or to enjoy them again. After all, who knows where the soon-to-be newlywed will end up after that.
Igniv Bar
Marktgasse 17
8001 Zurich
igniv.com/zrich
Opening hours
DI - DO: 17.00 - 00.00 UHR
FR - SA: 17.00 - 01.30 UHR
This article appeared in
issue 5-2024
BAR NEWS magazine as single issue
