Meet Fay Barretto Who Leads A Bartending Collective for Women and Transgenders
To commemorate Pride Month, we speak to Fay Barretto, founder of Mr Bartender & The Crew—India’s first LGBTQ+ inclusive bartending company in Goa—who is committed to empowering women and the LGBTQIA+ community.
By Rachna Virdi
Imagine this: You walk into a bar and order a cocktail. The person who serves you is a trans woman—confident, skilled, and proud of her craft. This is no longer just a vision; it’s a growing reality, thanks to the trailblazing efforts of noted bartender Fay Antoin Barretto.
With over a decade of experience in the bartending industry, Fay has always been passionate about the profession. But over time, he became increasingly disheartened by the lack of representation for women and queer individuals behind the bar. The hospitality and bartending space has long been considered a male-centric industry and often excluded women and transgender people from opportunities in hospitality, The preference for male bartenders was not just a pattern—it was an industry norm he felt compelled to change.
Recognising the systemic bias, Fay set out to make a difference. He envisioned a space where people of all gender identities could thrive, free from judgment or discrimination.
Next, he founded Mr Bartender & The Crew, a bartending collective in 2021 to empower women and the LGBTQIA+ community through bartending training and employment. Through this collective, he began training women and trans individuals in mixology and bar service—not just as a skill, but as a means to reclaim space and create sustainable employment.
A Bartending Collective—That Represents A Movement
Fay’s mission goes beyond cocktails. It’s about visibility, empowerment, and reshaping the hospitality industry to be more inclusive, one pour at a time.
“Mr Bartender & The Crew was initially conceptualised in 2017, but it truly came into its own as a full-fledged collective in 2021,” says Fay. “I started it because I saw a significant lack of representation in the hospitality and bartending industry. There were very few platforms that genuinely celebrated diversity or created space for underrepresented voices. Mr Bartender & Crew was born out of that need—to build a more inclusive, visible, and empowering community for bartenders from all walks of life.”
Mr Bartender & The Crew is more than just a bartending collective. It is a socially conscious initiative that prioritises LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace and actively challenges stereotypes and stigmas. With a focus on equal opportunity, the collective works to dismantle the social, economic, and cultural barriers faced by marginalised communities.
Fay’s crew includes queer individuals, women, and people who identify as gay, pansexual, and trans—united not just by their craft, but by a shared mission to transform the industry from within.
The academy offers more than just technical training—it provides a pathway to empowerment. Fay explains, “It’s less of a traditional academy and more of a movement rooted in real-world learning. I believe anyone can be trained—it’s all about their willingness to learn. We offer flexible training formats—10-day, 20-day, or even month-long courses — depending on how much time someone can commit. If you spend a month with us, focused and open to learning, you’ll gain all the essential skills needed to step behind the bar with confidence. At the end of the day, skill-building is about adaptability—how you absorb the training, how you apply it, and how it shapes your growth.”
Fay envisioned a space where people of all gender identities could thrive, free from judgment or discrimination.
Diversity is embedded in how we operate. Every time we set up or collaborate with a bar, we make a conscious effort to induct women and members of the LGBTQ+ community into the team.
Fay Barretto
Founder, Mr Bartender & The Crew
Breaking Barriers, One Bartender at a Time
In a time when diversity is shaping conversations across India, Mr Bartender & The Crew is at the forefront of change — actively empowering women and transgender individuals to find their place behind the bar. “Diversity is embedded in how we operate,” Fay says. “Every time we set up or collaborate with a bar, we make a conscious effort to induct women and members of the LGBTQ+ community into the team. We provide hands-on, on-the-job training that equips them not just with skills, but with confidence. From there, it’s entirely their choice whether they want to continue working with us or explore opportunities elsewhere.”
Traditionally a male-dominated industry, bartending had limited visibility for women and queer professionals. But the last few years have signalled a shift.
Through this unique blend of inclusive hiring, real-time learning, and purpose-driven training, Mr Bartender & The Crew continues to challenge industry norms—one bartender at a time.
So far, Mr Bartender & The Crew has trained and placed around 15–20 individuals, many of whom are now working across various bars and establishments in the industry. “Scarlett House is a great example,” Fay shares. “Two of our team members, Shruti and Lillith—both proud members of the LGBTQ+ community—are doing amazing work there.”
The bartending collective has been a game-changer for its crew members as well. Lilith, a crew member shares, “When I first stepped into the bar industry as a transgender, I was met with hesitation and judgment. Bar schools either turned me away or asked me to tone down—cut my hair, remove my earrings—things that are core to my identity. Mr. Bartender and The Crew trains and uplifts queer folks behind the bar. I learned on the job, from the very basics, and gained real experience that no academy could’ve offered. Today, 15 months later, I proudly stand as an Assistant Mixologist at Scarlett House—all thanks to Fay and his team.”
Mixologist Migha states, “I am intrigued by the way the collective supports women and transgender individuals, offering them a platform to learn the art of bartending and stand confidently in a space that’s traditionally been male-dominated. When I joined, my knowledge of bars was limited to ordering a drink! I had no formal background in mixology. The academy took me in and I began my two-month intensive course, and even stayed on to join a second batch for advanced training. Now, I’m looking forward to taking my skills global and exploring the bar culture of Europe soon.”
Mr. Bartender & The Crew challenges the notion by training and empowering women and trans individuals to claim their space. Migha adds, “I’ve worked alongside several amazing people from the company. We learn, grow, and laugh together—and most importantly, we deliver our craft with pride and a smile. Through the collective, I had the chance to work across three different outlets in Goa before choosing to work as a freelancer. Even now, I continue to collaborate with Mr. Bartender & The Crew, and that sense of community and support remains constant.”
The bartending collective provides on-the-job training that equips the community with bartending skills.
Words of Wisdom
To all others who are new to the industry, Fay offers a dose of honest encouragement: “My biggest piece of advice is to be prepared for hard work. There will be long hours, sleepless nights, and moments of exhaustion—but that’s part of the journey. The good news is, we’re putting in the effort to make this space more inclusive, supportive, and accessible for everyone.”
He emphasises that while the path can be demanding, the hospitality world is also one of creativity, collaboration, and constant learning. “It may take time to find your footing—like all good things do—but if you’re passionate, eager to learn, and committed to your craft, there’s truly no limit to how far you can go,” he concludes.
The collective makes a conscious effort to induct women and members of the LGBTQ+ community into the team.