the signature cocktails of the Vaeara’i Teva’s cocktails

It’s vendredrink aboard the Vaeara’i. A local band playing bringue rhythms, endless blue stretching port and starboard, Tahiti shrinking behind the stern and Moorea rising ahead, its dramatic peaks revealing themselves little by little. Among the cocktails served are the Hawaiki Nui, the Bora Bora Lagoon, the Vaeara’i Sour, the Daiquiri and the Mara’amu — each with its own colors, flavors and textures. For the length of this crossing between sky and sea, we taste these exquisite creations and meet the man who prepares them with masterful ease: Teva Teriitemoehaa, whose passion has remained intact for more than forty years.

© Text et photos: Doris Ramseyer

Cocktails on the Vaeara’i: a blend of beauty and flavor

Job title: bartender. Role: prepare and serve drinks, from the classics to the more elaborate. Implicit function: embody the spirit and atmosphere of a bar; show discretion, diplomacy and a good ear. Particularity aboard the Vaeara’i: craft cocktails to the rhythm of the ocean while maintaining the impeccable composure expected of a bartender. Skills that have become almost second nature to Teva Teriitemoehaa — or perhaps the opposite, when personality shapes the craft.

At the bar tucked between the aft lounge and the sun deck, Teva and Vaiarii mix cocktails in every color and style. Their movements — quick, confident, precise — reveal both passion and a touch of showmanship. The shaker becomes a magician’s hat from which drinks emerge perfectly measured, expertly blended, and unexpectedly flavorful.

Fresh fruits in juice, purée or syrup mingle with spirits and liqueurs, with cream or even a scoop of ice cream, before being poured, strained, chilled and finished with a twist. They transform into cocktails as refined as they are beautiful.

“To be a bartender, you have to love what tastes good and “looks good,” Teva notes. He has been head bartender and quality manager of the onboard restaurant for nearly three years.

The Mara’amu cocktail — icy and bold — is ready. The straw slips between the ice cubes, reaches the chilled liquid, meets the lips of the drinker who sips, tastes, closes their eyes, savors. A journey all its own.

A bartender's journey

Teva is an unusual mixologist: he doesn’t drink cocktails, never tastes his own creations or anyone else’s, and relies entirely on texture and appearance to build and balance his blends. Over the years, he has developed a true passion for his craft. This bartender, who once dreamed of becoming a flight attendant, has instead become an artist of spirits.

In 1990 and 1992, he won first prize as Polynesia’s Best Bartender. Life steered him toward bars, restaurants, nightclubs and ships from the age of eighteen, when he arrived from the islands to attend high school in Tahiti and quickly had to support himself.

Leaving school early, Teva began as a poolside waiter at the Tahara’a hotel. He learned fast, guided by an innate sense of observation, and moved up through talent, discipline and motivation. Bartender, then head bartender, he worked at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa (formerly the Tahiti Beachcomber Parkroyal), on the Aremiti ferries, then at the Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort (formerly the Méridien), where he spent most of his career.

In Punaauia, he continued to rise through the ranks until he became food and beverage director — a position that led him to travel, discover new countries, absorb new cultures and, of course, bring home new cocktail recipes.

Teva succeeded because the Méridien management believed in his talent and encouraged him, challenging preconceived ideas and helping him grow in a profession where ambition is not always the driving force. He also succeeded to show his family that bartending is a promising and exciting career.

Covid disrupted that balance. The Méridien closed, and Teva adapted. First as a freelance hospitality professional, then as a member of the Vaeara’i crew. If he no longer dreams of working in the air, he is now happily anchored in a career at sea.

Above all, he hopes never to stop doing what he loves — a profession built on human connection, enriched by the diversity of languages and cultures, shaped by the need to adapt to all kinds of guests, and grounded in leadership and the transmission of his craft. A demanding career, yes, but a fascinating one.

A complex and creative craft

Hauata and his band fill the space with joy, pa’umotu songs and lively rhythms. Some guests gather inside to enjoy the concert, sing along, tap their feet or hands, or even dance. Others sit outside, taking in the scenery and letting the sea breeze wrap around them. Wherever they settle, passengers eventually make their way to the bar — for Teva’s creations, his warmth, professionalism, attentiveness, easy manner and advice.

“Being a bartender is also being a psychologist,” he says with a smile.

Teva creates, invents and crafts bespoke cocktails, adapting to every palate, whether guests prefer something bold, soft or bright with citrus. “A cocktail isn’t just about mixing ingredients — there’s more to it. You need a certain touch.” He knows exactly which flavors work together and which do not, because not all combinations are meant to blend. For him, building a cocktail is much like cooking: balance, structure and intention.

He likes to point out that cocktail names always carry meaning, like the Long Island Iced Tea — a drink with no tea in it at all, yet one that mimics its appearance through a mix of five spirits, lemon juice, simple syrup and a dash of cola.

Not long ago, Teva discovered the Miami Vice — sweet, fruity and airy — where piña colada meets strawberry daiquiri. It was an instant favorite, now proudly featured on his menu. He is also fond of the mojito, a beautifully refreshing classic, and the maitai, which first caught his attention in Hawaii before he reimagined it in Tahiti with a blend of white rum, dark rum, fruit juice and maraschino syrup for a more full-bodied profile.

The Vaeara’i has just docked on the sister island: an explosion of greenery, jagged peaks, passengers moving across the pier, vehicles shuttling back and forth. Soon, vendredrink begins again — this time in reverse — carried by the sound of the ukulele and the warm, unforgettable voice of Hauata. Much like Teva’s cocktails.