Night has settled over Al Maryah Island, and a light sea breeze finally softens the heat of the day. Marco Corallo steps into the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi on his way to the recently opened listening bar inside the property, but pauses first on the lobby terrace. He sits down, coffee in hand, smiling as he searches for the right words to begin.
The Career of Marco Corallo: The Early Years
After fifteen years spent outside Italy, speaking his native language no longer comes as naturally, “Sometimes when I call my mother, sentences come out in Spanish, Italian, and English all at once.” He kicks off from there, retracing a path that began far from the bar, gradually finding its footing in the world of hospitality that had drawn him in since childhood. “I started my career in 2008. After high school I studied economics — I didn’t go to hospitality school like many of my colleagues. Then I worked for two years in a tailoring shop in Lecce, my hometown.” Bartending entered his life soon after, still in Lecce, through a pivotal encounter. “My mentor is Andrea Carlucci, now co-owner of Quanto Basta. He was my first head bartender, the one who truly brought me into this world.”
Marco Corallo Abroad and a Pause from the Bar
At the same time, his studies with AIS introduced him to wine, until a recruitment agency offered him the opportunity to leave Italy. First Washington, as an Assistant Bartender and Junior Sommelier, then London. “In 2011 I moved to the Savoy. I was working as a sommelier at the River Restaurant, but that’s where I began reconnecting with international bartending. London started to feel limiting — I was young and wanted to see more.” The United Arab Emirates proved a turning point. He began as a Bar Manager in leading venues, including a stint at Zuma. His career accelerated after winning a competition in the Emirates, which led to international travel. After another chapter in London — this time at the Artesian — he stepped away from day-to-day operations. “I opened a hospitality training agency in the United States. But I missed being behind the bar.”
The Launch of Saikindō in Abu Dhabi
Two years ago, when the opportunity came to shape Saikindō — a listening bar opened just months earlier within the Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi — he didn’t hesitate. He returned, this time to stay. “When they told me about the project, I fell in love. I thought: this is what I want to do for a long time.” Now 38, he leads a project that already felt tailored to him on paper. “Vinyl, DJing, years spent in Japanese bars, and a long-standing fascination with Japanese culture made the fit feel immediate,” Corallo says. “The concept was already there, but I shaped the beverage program and the service.” He returns to one point: “The bar is beautiful, but what really sets it apart is the people inside it.” The freedom given by ownership did the rest. “The General Manager once told me: ‘This is not a Four Seasons bar — it’s a bar that happens to be in the Four Seasons.’” The result is a space that holds a luxury positioning while maintaining a direct, unfiltered approach. “We sit with guests, we talk, we joke. We genuinely want to understand what they’re looking for.”
Music, vinyl, and Japanese culture
Music plays a structural role in that balance. For Corallo, it goes back to childhood. “My father owned a nightclub in Salento, and at twelve I was doing my first shift, opening tonic bottles for the bartender.” From there came a passion for old-school hip hop, followed by soul, funk, and jazz. “I taught myself guitar and how to DJ.” Today he collects vinyl between Abu Dhabi and Italy and, when the night allows, plays at the bar. If Saikindō were a song? He pauses. “Big Poppa by Notorious B.I.G. — we created a cocktail inspired by it, built on sotol, bitter, wasabi, tomato dashi, and vanilla, and it really took off. And Upside Down by Diana Ross, which is perfect for the room.”
Highballs and Cocktails by Marco Corallo at Saikindō
The space moves with a controlled energy. “We want the bar full, but not crowded. Every guest should receive the best possible service.” If someone starts dancing, even better. “If people are having fun, we’re having fun too.” Behind the bar, the direction is precise. “We focus on approachable, balanced cocktails. We don’t like extremes, so there’s no room for overly sour, overly sweet, or overly strong drinks.” Japanese culture — and particularly the izakaya model — also informs the approach, with a focus on highballs and the interplay between soda and whisky. “Our goal is that anyone who walks in can order any drink and enjoy it, even if it’s not something they would choose.”
Marco Corallo’s Next Chapter
Outside of work, Corallo looks for the opposite of the bar’s pace. He travels to surf — “my last trip to Sri Lanka was two weeks before the opening” — and spends time at home with his partner, his dog, and his cat Ottogi, “named after a Korean mayonnaise,” he laughs. Asked to describe himself, he keeps it concise. “Honest, direct. And very passionate.” A passion that comes with its own challenges. “I’m an overthinker. I think a lot, sometimes too much. It’s something I’m working on.” The future of Saikindō is already clear in his mind. “I want it to become the most hospitable bar possible. And why not, a concept that can be replicated in other cities around the world.” In the end, it comes down to a single idea: “Luxury today is time, measured through meaningful experiences. If someone chooses to spend it with us, we have to give t hem quality in return.”
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
Photo by Toby Davies and Don Rae Loriezo, courtesy of Four Seasons Abu Dhabi. All rights reserved
