"Surprise Me" Is The WORST Bar Order!

When you were getting started, what's the first real cocktail that you remember learning?

I was working at a gastropub on Houston Street.

And the person who... trained us, who created the cocktail menu, is this amazing, amazing bar person.

I actually don't know where he is now.

I'm not sure.

I haven't caught up with him in a long time.

But he ran bar programs at some really great places in the city.

And he put a very, very, very tight, clean riff of a Sazerac on our menu.

And if I remember correctly, I think it was just something as simple as infusing Pernod with cloves, star anise, and one other baking cardamom, I think it was.

But learning from him what traditional Sazerac service should look like.

I mean, I had never heard of a Sazerac.

So like just starting at what is that even? And then diving into the history of what that classic cocktail is, where it comes from.

And learning how some of the classics should mostly be left alone.

Like you don't have to have a lot of pomp and circumstance and fuss.

But something really small to just bring out a certain characteristic that you're interested in.

And he had us serve it on a plate with like we would... twist the lemon into the glass, but then leave it on the side.

And if someone wanted to put it in, they could, but like, and it was just very thoughtful.

Yeah.

So that's probably like, that's, that comes to mind as a cocktail that I remember learning about and thinking, oh, this is, this can be art too.

Definitely.

Yeah.

That's something I still don't know how to make.

From when you started till now, what are some of the biggest changes you've seen in the industry, whether it be with behavior, cocktails, the way that people are paying? Yeah.

Hmm.

I think it just, again, you mean with like customers, with guests or just the

When you were getting started, what's the first real cocktail that you remember learning?

I was working at a gastropub on Houston Street.

And the person who... trained us, who created the cocktail menu, is this amazing, amazing bar person.

I actually don't know where he is now.

I'm not sure.

I haven't caught up with him in a long time.

But he ran bar programs at some really great places in the city.

And he put a very, very, very tight, clean riff of a Sazerac on our menu.

And if I remember correctly, I think it was just something as simple as infusing Pernod with cloves, star anise, and one other baking cardamom, I think it was.

But learning from him what traditional Sazerac service should look like.

I mean, I had never heard of a Sazerac.

So like just starting at what is that even? And then diving into the history of what that classic cocktail is, where it comes from.

And learning how some of the classics should mostly be left alone.

Like you don't have to have a lot of pomp and circumstance and fuss.

But something really small to just bring out a certain characteristic that you're interested in.

And he had us serve it on a plate with like we would... twist the lemon into the glass, but then leave it on the side.

And if someone wanted to put it in, they could, but like, and it was just very thoughtful.

Yeah.

So that's probably like, that's, that comes to mind as a cocktail that I remember learning about and thinking, oh, this is, this can be art too.

Definitely.

Yeah.

That's something I still don't know how to make.

From when you started till now, what are some of the biggest changes you've seen in the industry, whether it be with behavior, cocktails, the way that people are paying? Yeah.

Hmm.

I think it just, again, you mean with like customers, with guests or just the