Luca Missaglia is one of the leading figures in hospitality and bartending. Internationally recognised for being a creative and playful mixologist, bar and spirits consultant and respected speaker, he shapes the spirits, vermouths, liqueurs and non-alcoholic beverages categories worldwide, educating and influencing a new generation of drinkers.

 Born in Vimercate, a city in the province of Milan, Italy, Luca idolised his grandfather, who worked in the wine and spirits business and first sparked his interest in the drinks industry.

After leaving Italy in 2009, Luca began by working as a barista in Covent Garden, London, while learning English. By 2010 he was working as a mixologist at the pioneering LAB Bar in London, co-owned by Pornstar Martini creator Douglas Ankrah and run by the London Academy of Bartenders.

 Just one year later, celebrated restaurateurs Eddie and Sam Hart offered Luca the role of running the Quo Vadis restaurant and members’ club in Dean Street, Soho, alongside chef Jeremy Lee. Here, Luca received numerous awards, including UK Disaronno Mixing Star 2012 and UK Nikka Perfect Serve in 2013. He also collaborated with the writer Kay Plunkett-Hogge on the cocktail recipes in the book Make Mine a Martini: 130 Cocktails & Canapes for Fabulous Parties.

 By 2014, Luca had joined the Aqua Group as a bar director, managing bar operations at venues in London (Aqua Shard, Aqua Spirit, Aqua Nueva, Aqua Kyoto, Hutong) and Hong Kong (Aqua Roma, Aqua Tokyo, Aqua Spirit, Hutong). He won the 24-hour Bar Build Cocktail competition in 2015 and was nominated for Code Hospitality’s 30 Under 30 in both 2016 and 2017.

Joining the ITALICUS team as global brand ambassador in 2018, Luca was tasked with building the brand and expanding aperitivo culture around the world, establishing marketing campaigns and virtual platforms. He was nominated for the Best International Brand Ambassador by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in both 2019 and 2020.

 In 2021, he joined forces with Simone Caporale to launch Cocktail Concierge, a spirits brand-building agency.

Created for Italian craft spirits producers, the agency will help brands connect with an extensive global network, reaching new markets within the on-trade and off-trade segment. Its mission is to bring to life the unique potential of a brand and to ensure its products are enjoyed in the right environment.

 Both Caporale and Missaglia bring with them extensive product-development knowledge within the drinks industry. Cocktail Concierge and its world-class team offer a single point of contact for spirits clients, and can partner with a brand to take it on its journey from its conception onwards. This can include the development of the liquid and packaging production; budgets; the creation of assets; brand strategy; global marketing and commercial strategy planning; route to market; launch; brand management; sales and brand-building activations; increasing brand awareness and visibility though press and awards; and the brand’s further growth through advocates, events and limited-edition assets.

Cocktail Concierge aims to create emotional engagement through driving international distribution, providing detailed ROI planning and implementing brand marketing activities, with a focus on forming all-important global relationships.