Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anthony Celia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Anthony , appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Anaka was founded by Anthony and Maka. We merged our names together to create Anaka Mobile Bar. Both of us holding 10 years experience in the food and beverage industry led us to starting our own craft mobile bar!

Anthony , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Anaka Mobile Bar is a business born out of the passion and expertise of two friends, Anthony and Maka. With over 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, we’ve honed our skills working in various settings—ranging from high-end restaurants to fast-paced events. This experience gave us not only an in-depth understanding of mixology and event service, but also a unique perspective on how to elevate the guest experience.

The idea to create Anaka came from the desire to bring personalized, high-quality bartending directly to clients’ special events. Our services focus on creating a seamless and enjoyable bar experience—whether it’s a wedding, corporate function, or private party. What sets us apart is our deep understanding of the craft combined with our ability to tailor drink menus to suit the specific needs and themes of any event. From craft cocktails to classic drinks, we take pride in providing exceptional service and making every guest feel special.

One of the key problems we solve for clients is the hassle of organizing drinks and bar service for their events. We take care of everything from the equipment to the drinks menu, so they can focus on enjoying their event. We also provide professional bartenders who are knowledgeable and friendly, ensuring that the bar experience is as enjoyable as the event itself.

We are most proud of the relationships we build with our clients. It’s not just about serving drinks; it’s about enhancing their experience and making their event memorable. We want potential clients to know that when they hire Anaka, they are getting a team that truly cares about the success of their event.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One story that really illustrates our resilience goes back to the early days of launching Anaka Mobile Bar. We had just booked one of our first major events—a wedding reception with over 200 guests. Everything was going smoothly in the planning phase, but on the day of the event, we ran into a huge setback: our delivery van broke down on the way to the venue. We had all the equipment, ingredients, and bar setups in that van, and we were on a tight timeline.

In that moment, we could’ve panicked, but instead, we focused on solutions. Maka stayed with the van to oversee roadside assistance while I immediately rented a backup vehicle and called in a few industry contacts for help. Within an hour, we had everything transferred to the new vehicle and were back on track to make it to the venue just in time. We worked double-time to set everything up, and by the time the guests arrived, it was as if nothing had gone wrong.

That experience reinforced our belief in adaptability and teamwork. Despite the chaos behind the scenes, we were able to deliver a flawless service to the client. It taught us that even when things go sideways, keeping calm and focusing on solutions makes all the difference. That resilience has been a cornerstone of our business ever since.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Funny story, we were on Waikiki beach drinking grey goose and I (Anthony) approached Maka and asked to be friends because he was drinking goose too!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anakahawaii.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anaka.hawaii/
• Other: tiktok: @anaka.hawaii