From: New York, NY
Pursuit: Bacardi Senior Portfolio Ambassador
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. I am the Senior Portfolio Ambassador for Bacardi. This role allows me to interact with the most innovative minds in the food and drinks industry. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU? My days are varied. I normally start with emails, followed by a training session or project meeting somewhere in the city. My day normally starts about 10 am and can carry on anywhere past midnight. WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? I am currently working on The United States Bartender Guilds’ Most Imaginative Bartender Competition Presented by Bombay Sapphire. The most creative mixology minds from across North America go head-to-head to be named the Most Imaginative Bartender of the year. For the very first time this year, in honor of the program’s 10th anniversary, the 10 semifinalists will travel to London this August –home of Bombay Sapphire’s Laverstoke Distillery – to vie for the North American title. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Tuscany to learn about a selection of the botanicals that make up the world-famous gin and will be featured on a special edition cover of GQ Magazine’s December “Men of the Year” issue.
CAN YOU RECALL A PARTICULARLY ELABORATE COCKTAIL? WHAT’S THE PROCESS BEHIND CREATING A MASTERPIECE DRINK? A recent elaborate cocktail that I tried was created by Justin Lavenue, the winner of last year’s Most Imaginative Bartender competition. The cocktail, “The Poet’s Muse”, incorporated Bombay Sapphire, rose and mushroom water and Poet’s Cordial. To create a masterpiece cocktail, one needs to be inspired by constantly tasting and smelling new and innovative ingredients. I follow the cocktail platform of spirit, sugar, water and bitters, and then expand upon it. WHAT’S YOUR DEFINITION OF A COCKTAIL? A cocktail is any libation that includes a spirit, water, bitters, and/or sugar and is mixed and executed with imagination and flair. TOP 3 DRINKS FOR THE SUMMER? -A Bombay Sapphire EAST & Tonic -The St-Germain Cocktail -Martini Rosé Cooler TOP 5 COCKTAILS, YEAR-ROUND? – Bombay Sapphire Martini with equal parts Martini Vermouth and Bombay Sapphire served with a twist – The St-Germain Cocktail – Dewars Penicillin Cocktail -Bacardi Daiquiri – D’usse Cognac French 75 WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO DRINK? The one in my hand. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT YOUR CAREER?
It’s always hard to keep on track with the information and innovation that there is available in the cocktail world. The internet has made the world a village so we share information and ideas so much more frequently. HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED? I have a diverse group of friends who are chefs, artists, dj’s, performers, and designers, and they tend to have different interests to mine. They tend to be creatives within their fields and we are all constantly sharing ideas.
JETSETTING OR HOME FOR THE SUMMER? IF SO, WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO? ANY PLACE IN PARTICULAR YOU’VE BEEN INSPIRED MOST, IN YOUR TRAVELS?
I will be traveling to London for the Most Imaginative Bartender finals this August. WORDS TO LIVE BY? I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou WHAT’S ONE THING YOU’VE TAKEN/LEARNED FROM YOUR YEARS AS A COCKTAIL EXPERT? Exceed expectations. WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING MONTHS? I have the Bombay Sapphire East LUCKYRICE Cocktail Feast coming up in New York this September, which is an opportunity for local bartenders to collaborate with some amazing Chefs.
