If you live in a city with a vibrant nightlife and restaurant scene, guest shifts are likely a familiar fixture of your local bar calendar. These pop-up events, where a visiting bartender takes over a host bar for an evening to pour signature cocktails or collaborate on a limited-edition menu, have become ubiquitous marketing tools across the global hospitality industry. They offer a seemingly simple win-win formula: host venues get fresh energy and buzz, visiting bartenders showcase their talents in new markets, and patrons experience globally renowned talent without booking a flight.
In recent years, however, a growing chorus of industry figures has begun questioning the efficacy and sustainability of the traditional bar takeover. Critics point out that these events can often prove confusing to regular guests who walk in expecting the host bar’s standard menu, only to find a chaotic atmosphere, unfamiliar flavor profiles, and altered service methods. Furthermore, critics argue that guest shifts can dilute the overall quality of both teams’ drinks, strain host staff, and occasionally skew priorities too heavily toward corporate sponsor brands and social media influencers rather than loyal neighborhood regulars.
For the team behind Himkok, an acclaimed bar located in Oslo, Norway, these mounting criticisms struck a chord. After participating in and hosting their fair share of conventional guest shifts, the leadership team realized they wanted to approach industry collaboration and marketing from an entirely different angle. Their solution was the creation of “Nordic Sessions”—an immersive alternative designed to sidestep the pitfalls of the standard bar takeover, forge deeper and more genuine connections among hospitality professionals, and authentically promote both their venue and the specialized local products they champions.
To understand how this innovative format operates, Mary Anne Porto, writing for the hospitality industry newsletter Pre Shift, spoke with Paul Aguilar, Himkok’s head of research and development (R&D).
Redefining Hospitality Through Cultural Immersion
At its core, Nordic Sessions move away from the high-stress, single-evening bar shift and instead embrace multi-day cultural immersions. These curated experiences bring together a select group of international bartenders, trade journalists, and brand partners to experience firsthand the landscapes, traditions, and native ingredients that inspire Himkok’s cocktail program.
According to Aguilar, the primary goal is to foster a profound, contextual understanding of the bar’s identity while cultivating organic relationships through shared, real-world experiences. Rather than dropping visiting talent behind a crowded bar for a four-hour shift, Himkok embeds participants in the rugged Norwegian environment. Past sessions have spanned two to four days and have included activities such as cross-country skiing, wild mushroom foraging, hiking through dramatic terrain, celebrating midsummer along the dramatic Norwegian coast, and spending time together in traditional Norwegian cabins. By immersing guests in these environments, Aguilar explains, participants gain a genuine appreciation for the philosophy and thinking that inform Himkok’s drinks and hospitality style.
Navigating Local Regulations and Expanding Marketing Value
Beyond fostering authentic human connection, Nordic Sessions serve a vital strategic and business function for Himkok, particularly given its geographic location. Norway enforces some of the strictest regulations in the world regarding alcohol marketing and advertising. Consequently, the traditional promotional value that a standard guest shift or bar takeover might offer a venue and its commercial partners is heavily restricted within the domestic market.
Nordic Sessions provide a clever workaround to these legislative hurdles. By capturing the multi-day excursions on film and through professional photography, Himkok generates high-content media assets. These assets can then be utilized by brand partners in international markets where alcohol marketing regulations are more permissive, while also supplying Himkok with rich, narrative-driven content for its own social media channels. It transforms a localized promotional event into a global content engine.
Despite having hosted numerous traditional guest shifts in the past—appreciating the opportunity to welcome peers and reciprocate the hospitality they received while traveling abroad—Himkok’s team ultimately found the traditional format lacking in long-term value. Aguilar notes that feedback from regular patrons who visited during guest shifts often highlighted a disconnect; guests came looking for the established Himkok experience, only to encounter an entirely different operation.
Additionally, a visiting bar’s cocktail recipes and operational workflows do not always translate smoothly into a new physical venue. Hosting a foreign team requires significant adjustments to preparation, service models, and kitchen or bar organization. For Himkok, this put an immense strain on their staff, particularly given that the venue operates with a compact team of just 12 people to service a massive 350-capacity bar.
When factoring in the considerable investments of time, travel, and accommodation required to execute a traditional guest shift, the Himkok team began questioning how much tangible value remained once the lights came up and the evening ended. Sharing several uninterrupted days together during a Nordic Session, by contrast, creates the mental and physical space for meaningful conversations that are nearly impossible to have during a high-velocity, high-stress service. Aguilar emphasizes that this immersive model is a much better fit for how Himkok’s team genuinely wants to host people and collaborate with commercial partners.
Curating Authentic Norwegian Experiences
When designing these cultural immersions, Himkok is intentional about the activities chosen. The overarching objective is for every participant to leave Norway not just with a collection of memories, but with a deeper comprehension of the local culture and personal touchpoints they can draw inspiration from long after returning home.
The programming naturally mirrors everyday life in Norway, leaning heavily into activities deeply embedded in the local ethos: skiing, hiking, cabin culture, foraging wild ingredients, exploring traditional foods, and valuing communal downtime. What might feel completely ordinary and routine to a lifelong resident of Oslo can often be an entirely novel, eye-opening experience for an international visitor.
Among the various iterations held so far, one particular session stands out as a defining moment for the program. Aguilar points to a gruelling yet unforgettable hike up Trolltunga, a spectacular cliff situated in Ullensvang, Norway. The diverse group of participants included Gabriele Armani, a celebrated figure in the global World Class bartending community who shares a deep passion for hiking; Shay Waterworth from Drinks International; and acclaimed bartenders Shingo Gokan and Nóra Földvári.
The expedition proved physically demanding, primarily due to adverse weather conditions that left the group thoroughly soaked. However, facing the elements required the participants to push through their fatigue and actively support one another along the trail. Notably, the session was sponsored by Johnnie Walker, whose iconic "Keep Walking" ethos resonated powerfully with the reality of the grueling, shared hike. According to Aguilar, some of the strongest professional bonds and lasting friendships among the participants grew organically out of those moments of shared adversity on the mountain.
Strategic Brand Partnerships and Collaborative Content
Himkok’s approach to brand partnerships for Nordic Sessions is similarly organic and selective. The bar collaborates across a wide spectrum of companies, including spirits producers, nonalcoholic beverage brands, glassware manufacturers, local food producers, and retail entities. Rather than chasing corporate sponsorships purely for financial backing, Himkok seeks out partners whose specific products, ethos, or expertise can actively contribute to the depth and authenticity of the immersion experience. In many cases, these relationships develop naturally out of products that the bar already utilizes on a daily basis in its cocktail program.
To manage the documentation of these events, Himkok partners with the production company Oioioi to generate a primary documentary film, shorter video edits optimized for social media platforms, and comprehensive photography packages that sponsoring brands are free to utilize. Deliverables and publishing schedules are mapped out collaboratively with sponsors beforehand, while participating bartenders are simply asked to share their personal perspectives of the journey and publish a simple drink creation featuring the sponsoring brands.
Looking Ahead: International Expansion and Consumer Access
Building on the success of the Nordic Sessions format within Norway, Himkok is already setting its sights on international expansion. The team is currently developing its next immersive experience, slated to take place in Iceland. The strategy involves applying the exact same collaborative framework to a new geographic and cultural landscape, allowing participants to learn directly from the people, traditions, and natural surroundings of a different Nordic nation.
At the same time, Himkok sees significant potential in developing post-trip touchpoints. This could include follow-up events, targeted trade dinners, or educational workshops hosted in relevant international markets, ensuring that the relationships, innovative drink concepts, and personal stories continue to evolve long after everyone has unpacked their bags.
Looking further ahead, Himkok also plans to integrate consumers into selected immersive experiences. By opening up elements of these journeys to the wider public, the bar hopes to share its distinct philosophy, culture, and hospitality style with enthusiasts far beyond the professional confines of the global bar industry.
