Guest shifts—where visiting bartenders pop up at host bars to serve signature drinks or collaborate on a limited-edition menu—have long been a ubiquitous fixture of nightlife scenes in major cities around the world. But in recent years, mounting criticism has surrounded the practice. Critics and industry insiders have pointed out that traditional guest shifts can often be confusing to everyday guests, dilute the overall quality of both teams’ drinks, and occasionally prioritize corporate brand sponsorships and social media influencers over loyal neighborhood regulars.
After navigating several experiences with their own guest shifts, the team behind Oslo’s acclaimed bar Himkok knew they wanted to chart a different course. Their solution, dubbed Nordic Sessions, was designed to directly address the common complaints associated with typical bar takeovers. The initiative aims to foster more genuine, long-lasting connections between people within the global hospitality industry while spreading the word about their bar and the local products they utilize and cherish. Paul Aguilar, Himkok’s head of research and development, recently shared insights into how these immersive sessions operate and why they are transforming the bar’s approach to marketing and collaboration.
Redefining Hospitality Through Cultural Immersion
When asked to explain the core concept behind Nordic Sessions, Aguilar describes them as deep cultural immersions that bring together bartenders, journalists, and brand partners to directly experience the landscapes, traditions, and indigenous ingredients that inspire Himkok’s drink program. The overarching goal is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the bar’s identity while forging authentic relationships built on shared, real-world experiences.
By taking people out of the traditional dark, crowded confines of a nighttime bar and placing them directly into rugged Norwegian environments, Himkok helps visitors grasp the philosophy and thinking behind their venue and cocktail creations. These retreats generally span two to four days. Past itineraries have featured physically demanding and culturally rich activities such as cross-country skiing, wild mushroom foraging, hiking through dramatic terrain, celebrating midsummer along the country’s picturesque coast, and spending quiet time together in traditional Norwegian cabins.
Beyond the distinct cultural value these immersions provide, they also serve a crucial practical purpose for the business. Norway operates under an extremely restrictive regulatory market when it comes to alcohol marketing and advertising. Because of these strict local laws, the usual promotional value that a standard guest shift or bar takeover offers to a venue and its commercial partners is severely limited. Nordic Sessions circumvent this hurdle by allowing the team to produce high-end, professional films and photography packages. These visual assets can then be utilized by brand partners in international markets where such marketing is legally permitted, as well as by Himkok across its own digital and social media channels.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Traditional Bar Takeovers
Before pivoting to Nordic Sessions, Himkok hosted numerous traditional guest shifts. The team genuinely enjoyed welcoming visiting talent and returning the hospitality of peers who had previously hosted them abroad. However, over time, they began receiving recurring feedback from patrons who had visited Himkok expecting their signature experience, only to encounter something entirely different during a takeover event.
Occasionally, guests were left disappointed by the visiting cocktails, a reality that Aguilar notes the team must take very seriously. A visiting bar’s signature drinks and fast-paced working methods do not always translate smoothly or successfully into another venue’s physical infrastructure. Furthermore, hosting an entire external team requires significant operational adjustments in preparation, service flow, and overall organization. This places an immense amount of pressure on Himkok’s core staff, particularly given that the venue operates with a lean team of just 12 people to manage a sprawling 350-capacity bar.
Organizing a traditional guest shift also requires a considerable investment of time, international travel, and accommodation expenses. As these costs added up, the team began questioning how much lasting value actually remained once the busy evening service concluded. In contrast, sharing several consecutive days together during a Nordic Session creates much-needed physical and mental space for deep, meaningful conversations that are nearly impossible to have during a high-pressure, fast-paced bar service. Aguilar notes that this immersive format is simply a much better fit for how they want to host people and collaborate with their commercial partners.
Curating Authentic Norwegian Experiences
When deciding which cultural immersions to organize, Himkok’s primary objective is to ensure that every participant leaves with a profound understanding of local culture and personal memories they can draw inspiration from long after returning home. The program naturally began with milestones deeply embedded in everyday Norwegian life: skiing, hiking, cabin culture, foraging for wild ingredients, historic food traditions, and the distinct ways locals spend quality time together. What feels entirely ordinary and routine to someone living permanently in Norway can often be a completely novel, eye-opening experience for an international visitor.
Among the various outings hosted thus far, a hike to Trolltunga—a spectacular and dramatic cliff located in Ullensvang, Norway—stands out as a defining moment for Aguilar and the team. The diverse group of participants included Gabriele Armani, a prominent figure in the global World Class bartending competition community who shares a deep passion for hiking, alongside Shay Waterworth from Drinks International, and acclaimed bartenders Shingo Gokan and Nóra Földvári.
The trek to Trolltunga proved physically grueling, primarily due to unpredictable and punishing weather conditions. The group got thoroughly soaked, requiring everyone to push past their physical limits and rely heavily on mutual support. Johnnie Walker sponsored the excursion, and Aguilar notes that the brand’s enduring "Keep Walking" ethos resonated powerfully with the reality of the experience, as the participants traversed a challenging landscape side by side. Some of the strongest professional and personal relationships, as well as enduring friendships, blossomed directly out of those shared moments of adversity on the trail.
Brand Partnerships and Future Horizons
Himkok collaborates across a wide spectrum of partners, including spirits labels, nonalcoholic beverage producers, glassware manufacturers, local food artisans, and specialty retailers. The venue remains open to working with any producer whose products or specialized expertise can contribute meaningfully to the overarching participant experience. While some relationships grow organically from products the bar already utilizes daily behind the stick, others are established through proactive outreach detailing why a partnership makes sense and what both parties can achieve together.
To capture these journeys, Himkok partners with the professional production company Oioioi to generate a comprehensive main film, shorter-form edits tailored for social media distribution, and high-resolution photography libraries that participating brands can leverage. Deliverables are customized for each partnership after discussing formats, usage rights, and strategic publishing schedules. Additionally, participating bartenders are encouraged to share their personal perspectives of the trip and publish a simple, inspired drink featuring the sponsoring brands.
Looking ahead, Himkok has ambitious plans to expand Nordic Sessions beyond the borders of Norway while maintaining a strict dedication to local cultural authenticity. The team is currently laying the groundwork for an upcoming immersive experience scheduled to take place in Iceland. The core philosophy remains consistent: applying the same intimate, respectful approach to a new environment, learning directly from its people, indigenous traditions, and surrounding geography.
There is also substantial room to develop what occurs after each trip concludes, including follow-up industry events, exclusive trade dinners, and educational workshops hosted in relevant international markets. The ultimate vision is to ensure that the relationships, innovative drinks, and compelling stories continue to evolve long after everyone has traveled back home. Furthermore, welcoming everyday consumers into selected immersive experiences is firmly part of Himkok’s near-future roadmap, driven by a desire to share this hidden side of the bar with passionate people well beyond the immediate confines of the hospitality industry.
