Interview with Larry Piaskowy of the Alembic
Moving from his hometown of Chicago to the west coast, Larry Piaskowy has been a chef in San Francisco at venerable bars like 15 Romolo, where excellent cocktails and spirits walk hand-in-hand with soulful food. Given a chef background...
Interview with Bartender Chris Hannah of Arnaud’s French 75 Bar
Chris Hannah is not only a beloved New Orleans bartender at the intimate, legendary Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/french-75/chris-hannah), he’s known by informed drink industry folk everywhere who know to drink at his bar when in NOLA. Yes, Hannah...
Interview with James Downs
Moving from Detroit to Cleveland and San Francisco, then back home to Detroit, James Downs first fell in love with cocktails and spirits working at a historic Detroit bar, then honed his craft in pioneering cocktail city, SF.
He is...
Interview with Nicole Lebedevitch
Born in Bethany, Connecticut, near New Haven, Nicole Lebedevitch had plans for a music career. She moved to Boston to go to school at Berklee College of Music, studying music business and piano. Working in restaurants on the side,...
Interview with Bar Manager, Olivia Rose Griffin
When Olivia Rose Griffin moved from San Francisco to Louisville in 2014, there wasn’t a tiki bar in the state of Kentucky — and few in the South in general. But The Limbo (www.thelimbo.club/), which Griffin opened in early...
Interview with Leigh Lacap
From coffee barista days to bartending his first gig at San Diego’s great Craft and Commerce (www.craft-commerce.com), Leigh Lacap is schooled on balance and technique, but also imparts a playful, feel-good approach that many a bar manager could learn...
Interview with Duke’s Spirited Cocktails
In 2016, a very special bar opened in downtown Healdsburg from three Spoonbar (https://spoonbar.com) alums: Laura Sanfilippo, Tara Heffernon and Steven Maduro. Since its initial days when Wine Country bartending pioneer Scott Beattie first helmed Spoonbar’s bar, cocktails in...
Q&A with Bar Manager Andrew Friedman, LIBERTY BAR
Andrew Friedman runs one of the best bars in Seattle, Liberty, with a thoughtful selection of over 600 craft and global spirits. In addition to opening Liberty in 2006, Andrew is founder and president of the Washington State Bartender’s...
Interview with Leigh LaCap, Coin-Op Bar Manager
From coffee barista days to bartending his first gig at San Diego’s great Craft and Commerce (www.craft-commerce.com), Leigh Lacap is schooled on balance and technique, but also imparts a playful, feel-good approach that many a bar managex+r could learn...
Q&A with Charles Joly
Your bar, The Aviary, is one of the most exciting in the country. What is your process for creating drinks here that might be different than how you have done it in past bar programs (Drawing Room, etc.)?
I would...
