Tato Giovannoni

"My main goal was to do a bar that represents Argentina in some way," says Argentinian entrepreneur Renato 'Tato' Giovannoni. "We tell the story of immigration that came through the port of Buenos Aires at the beginning of the century. We tell it through the menus at Floreria Atlántico, because of the small producers we use around the country, before the Spanish conquerors came."

Tato fell into the industry as a young child, following his father's footsteps. "I grew up in a small town on the coast in Argentina," he says. "My father had restaurants and bars. I started working with him when I was 12 as a dishwasher. I'm glad he made me go through all the different parts of a restaurant, mostly in the summer, in the winter I was going to school working in the kitchen, working behind the bar, in the cafeteria, learning the processes. It prepared me a lot."

Following a move to Buenos Aires when he was 18, Tato studied graphic design and pursued a career as an art director. "When I finished my career, I went to a bar to look for a job as a bartender," he explains. "In 2004, in my last job as a bartender, I decided to move on. I started thinking what I wanted to do. I quit my job, and I moved into consultancy."

"I knew inside I would one day open my own bar, but in the meantime I helped others open their bars," Tato says. "Then one day I found a spot in Buenos Aires. I knew three things. My bar would tell the story of Argentina in some way. It should be in a basement, there's not too many basements in the city, but travelling the world I knew I loved the vibe."

Tato and his wife funded their first business Floreria Atlántico, a basement bar in Buenos Aires. Since opening its doors in 2013, the award-winning bar has walked away with a number of accolades, and placed 7th in the World's 50 Best Bars 2020.

Tato has since launched himself into new ventures in the drinks industry. "I produce spirits, and soft drinks, and beer, and some other things, that also tell the story of Argentina, including gin and a wheat vodka," he says.

Tato recognises entrepreneurs must be innovators in Argentina, and dedicated to their vision. "If you want to do something, you need to be tough and solid, it requires a lot of effort to do things in Argentina, probably because of our economy, we're always in a crisis, and inflation is a mess."

A bartender, an entrepreneur and a visionary, Tato considers his career immensely rewarding. "Something I probably learned from my father, since a kid, is the happiness of the people who come to your bar and come back and come back and come back. From a little thing, you see someone happy, smiling, a moment...that's very moving," he says.