Today we’d like to introduce you to Bojan Filipovic
Hi Bojan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Bojan Filipovic is a master bartender, mixologist, and sommelier with 12+ years of experience working on 5*, 6*, and 7* luxury cruise ships, mega yachts, and cocktail bars. Bojan has also worked locally in some of the most prestigious establishments, including the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, and the St. Regis Resort in Park City. Bojan is well traveled with a lot of worldly experience and knowledge of drinks, spirits, wines, and beers from all over the world.
Bojan got his real start into the world of beverage service and bartending in 2011, when we took his first international job on a cruise ship. He joined a Princess Cruise Line ship in Japan. This was Bojan’s first time working outside of his home country of Serbia. Not only was this a huge change geographically, but culturally as well. Bojan was quick to adapt to life working on a cruise ship, as well as experiencing life in all different countries around the world. By working on a cruise ship, Bojan had the opportunity to experience different cultures, including different foods and drinks from around the world. Bojan was able to start working with ingredients and spirits from different countries in his cocktail making and mixology.
Several years later, Bojan had the opportunity to work on a luxury mega yacht called “The World Residences at Sea”. While working onboard Bojan was given amazing opportunities to travel all over the world and visit some of the worlds finest wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Bojan learned a vast amount of information from these visits and was able to incorporate it into his own mixology. Bojan was also tasked with creating new and unique cocktails from each new country his ship visited. Bojan would go off the ship and find local ingredients, fruits, herbs, and spirits to create a drink that reflected the flavors and culture of that particular country. This process helped Bojan to grow immensely in his creativity and drink making skills. Because of these experiences, Bojan developed his own philosophy for drink making, primarily using fresh fruits and herbs combined with local spirits to create new and refreshing cocktails with a deliciously balanced taste.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Bojan has always been very hard working and able to find a job anywhere. However, because of the Covid pandemic, working on cruise ships became obsolete for a few years. With so many travel restrictions, working on a cruise ship was no longer an option. Bojan decided to move to the United States with his fiancé, to her home state of Utah. After getting married and applying for permanent residence, Bojan had to wait almost 2 years to be able to work in the United States. Once Bojan was authorized to work in the United States, he quickly found work in some of Utah’s most prestigious locations, including the St. Regis Deer Valley Resort in Park City, and the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. Bojan had a level of knowledge and experience that was highly sought after, making it easy for him to find a job anywhere. After several years of working in hotels and bars in Utah, Bojan also decided to open his own private bartending business called Mr. Fresh Ingredients. Bojan offers his services for private parties, events, and weddings. This business is still new, but as the year has progressed, Bojan’s new business has started to take on many successful parties and events.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Bojan specializes in creating custom cocktails for his customers. Bojan has a unique ability to learn the tastes of his customers and then create a new and original cocktail based on their preferences. Bojan specializes in using fresh ingredients to create the flavors in his cocktails rather than using sugar syrups. This is where the name for his private business came from: Mr. Fresh Ingredients. Bojan is able to find inspiration for a new cocktail anywhere, anytime. He is often asked to come up with a cocktail on the spot, and he is always able to deliver something unique and delicious.
Bojan has used his cocktail creation skills for various events, including a cocktail tasting class that he did at the Grand America Hotel. Bojan created 4 different martinis, using fresh ingredients and local spirits, and showed guests not only how to make them, but talked them through how their ingredients complimented each other to create such balanced and tasty drinks.
Bojan has gained recognition for his creative skills amongst his customers and was even invited to promote his cocktail class and mixology skills on a segment of “Good Things Utah”. Many patrons of the Grand America Hotel are regulars of Bojan’s and come back just to drink his cocktail creations, saying they can’t find drinks like his anywhere else in Salt Lake City.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Bojan grew up in the country of Serbia. In Serbia, the culture values family above all else. All of Bojan’s favorite childhood memories involve time spent with his family. One memory that stands out to Bojan is a time when he was in school and they asked him to take a picture with his favorite person. Bojan immediately new that this was his younger brother, Nemanja. Bojan remembered that is brother was outside playing. It was wintertime and the streets were covered in ice and snow. Bojan ran outside to find his brother. Once he found him, they skiied down the street on the ice until they got back to the school where Bojan was able to take his picture with his little brother. They had so much fun, laughing and smiling all the way,
Pricing:
- Bartending Services starting at $80/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mrfreshingredients.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrfreshingredients/
