He also knows what it's like to being in every corner of the bartending industry. Over his career he's written books, sold barware, judged competitions, consulted for bars and brands, created his own products and mixed drinks to the point of mastery. 

In our 2019 chat with The Maestro, we discuss what it means to create a classic and reflect on 100 years of the negroni. “Simplicity is one of the [keys] of a great classic. And the name. Simple name, simple ingredients- ingredients you can find all over the world.”

 "It is worrying- we go further into our industry but we create less and less classics.” 

Salvatore also reflects on being mentored by Signor Rafaello in the early stages of his career. The lesson he learnt then has stayed with him throughout his career: perfect the art of reading a guest. It was a lesson he learnt after having a fish thrown at him.

"Every customer is different. So before you bring your sunshine to somebody else, try to understand what they want… It’s about making him feel comfortable in his own shell. And then maybe eventually bring him the sunshine.”

In conclusion? "Remember that a great bar is made by people. It’s not the place that makes the place, it’s the people inside.”

Tune in to hear all this and more on part 5 of the Living Proof Masters Series.  In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of those considered to be legends of the industry. 

Stay up to date by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

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In this latest episode of our Masters Series, Jim discusses how his desire to 'lead' in the industry brought him to the brink of burnout. He talks of preparing for the marathon, not the sprint, and managing your career devotion. It ties into themes of health an wellbeing that persist in the industry today. 

"If you work in the bars or own the bars, there’s a curtain between the people who host the party and people who are at the party. That’s a dangerous line, I think." -Jim Meehan

Tune in to hear all this and more on part 5 of the Living Proof Masters Series.  In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of those considered to be legends of the industry. 

Stay up to date by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

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Our conversation with the drinks historian takes us as far back as 1850 with the story of Jerry Thomas, before flinging us into the future with David's views on 'restaurant-style bars'. 

"One thing we’re seeing a lot of here is a new relationship between bar and restaurant where the bar is in the driver’s seat. So you’ve got a full bar with a small restaurant menu as opposed to the usual, small bar with a full restaurant menu." -David Wondrich

We'll also cover David switch from a 'miserable' junior professor to regular drinks columnist for Esquire, and how nobody believed that positive change was possible in the bar industry. 

 In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of hose considered to be legends of the industry.  Stay up to date by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

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From there, we pick Phil's brain about the second cocktail revolution, global bartending hotspots to watch and his tips for young bartenders. Phil knows this industry inside out, so being able to pick his brains at length provided us with a wealth of insights.  When it comes to bartending, he truly is a Master. 

In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of hose considered to be legends of the industry. 

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Full of both hilarious stories and sage advice, our time with Gaz is always worth listening to again. 

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In this episode, Dale, Nicole and Marcus discuss the cocktail revolution, the future of the bartending industry, and the test of a true bartender. As one of the most qualified bartenders in the industry, Dale's view of the bartending industry is fascinating. 

In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of hose considered to be legends of the industry. 

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You'll be hearing snippets of a few of the conversations we were lucky enough to have in 2020, the first of which focus on the subject of wellness and balance for bartenders. We had some great discussions with Tim Philips-Johansson, Australia's most awarded bartender, and Mark Livings, CEO of Lyre's Spirit Co, about how and why young people are increasingly choosing to drink less.

Then, we cast our minds back to when the pandemic first took hold of cities the world over, spelling a long lay-off for many bars. We hear from Dante's Liana Oster, who we spoke to back in April, and then Big Bar's Eugene Lee and Selene Martinez.

Finally, we explore how the industry might emerge from the challenges of the year with a renewed focus on high quality customer experiences. Alex Ross, who opened the renowned Ginger bar in Melbourne, talks us through how she keeps the customer front-of-mind whenever she's working on a project. And Diageo's Global Cocktailian, Lauren Mote, describes how the front- and back-of-house are coming together to create guest experiences that go beyond the glass.

And we couldn't look back on 2020 without re-visiting our hilarious chat with Artem Peruk of El Copitas Bar in St Petersburg - the bar that went from scrounging around to find enough chairs to open, to sitting proudly on the World's 50 Best Bars list.

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Dushan himself arrived in the US from Yugoslavia when he was in his 20s. He had nothing but a "useless degree" and $2,000, but quickly went from working the door at a strip club to making cocktails under the tutelage of Dale DeGroff. Then, it was a loophole in the law that banned smoking in bars that saw him and co-founders Henry Lefarge, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmas, and Bill Gilroy devise the concept for Employees Only.

Dushan's an advocate for working your way up within an organisation, and helping people realise that it's a privilege to be of service to others. It's this ethos and support that has seen Employees Only become such a rewarding place to work that staff members very rarely leave. 

Dushan explains: “At Employees Only, when you’re hired you’re encouraged to make mistakes. We want you to make mistakes … [otherwise] there is no chance for you to build confidence and feel like you have support. I encourage everybody to take responsibility and run with it. If you make a mistake - so what? .. so long as we are courageous enough to stand there, take responsibility, learn what we can and move on, feeling like we have support."

“It’s a real privilege to be of service to people. It took me a long time to realise that. I was a really ego-driven maniac rockstar kid … it took a long time for me to understand why service is such an avenue for growth and personal happiness and contentment.

And here's a couple more of our favourite quotes from what was one of our most thought-provoking conversations to date:

“Anybody can make a good burger or a good cocktail. That will not differentiate you from anybody else. What will differentiate you is how people feel - I emphasise feel because most of them are not even aware why they prefer a certain place. … when you distill it down, it’s basically because you feel comfortable in a place and you’re not rejected.”

“I’ve had plenty of people who’ve worked with me whose attention was on developing a different career - some art or becoming something else. And that’s fine. But when you find yourself in a situation to be serving others, I think it’s important to ask oneself: ‘How curious that in my life, at this time, I’ve been given this opportunity to actually be of service. This is not just a job that provides me with some money. It is an opportunity for me to learn something about myself.”

Stay up-to-date at instagram.com/livingproofpod

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PCH's reputation in San Francisco precedes it. But four years ago, when Kevin was still in the process of re-imagining the existing neighbourhood bar that would become PCH, a bunch of regulars were asking why he was ruining their bar. He said it was like getting punched in the stomach, over and over again.

But listening to Kevin speak about hospitality and service leaves nothing to the imagination as to how he's been able to push through that initial pain to become one of the emerging stars of the industry.

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Now, Jez has brought a new range of premium canned cocktails to market. Curatif was born from the frustration he and his co-founders felt towards the quality of drinks available in places like hotel rooms, golf courses and on long-haul flights. Having seen the canned cocktail market taking hold in the US, they've decided to package up some of their own, many of which have a distinctly Australian flavour - such as the Never Never Negroni and Archie Rose Espresso Martini.

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H. has a background in public relations, business and as a chef. In the early 2000s, he decided to leave all that behind while putting the knowledge he'd gained into practice, by taking over San Francisco's second-oldest Saloon bar. He gave it a lick of paint and a new name: Elixir. But for the first few months, Elixir struggled. Slowly, H. began to unravel the reasons why, coming to the conclusion that he hadn't put enough emphasis on hiring the right people, or investing in the quality of his drinks. When he then suffered a sudden pulmonary embolism, which had an effect typical of near-death experiences, it wasn't long before he had totally upended the bar's staff, drinks and prices. It hasn't looked back since.

H.'s newest venture is Fresh Victor, a direct-to-trade and -consumer range of premium, juice-based cocktail mixers. Fresh Victor aims to make US bars' and bartenders' lives easier, by increasing efficiency and consistency of craft cocktails.

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Margot's a champion of making cocktails and spirits more accessible for the uninitiated. It stems from having seen the perceived unapproachability of mixology first-hand, around six years ago. Back then, when Margot was just starting out behind the bar, she had been buying up all the best books on cocktails and spirits. But it was all gobbledegook. So, she's written her own - La Bible de Alcools. We ask her all about that, why she likes to call Combat a 'cocktail bistro', the man who acts as the bar's forager and flavour-finder, how Paris is faring amid a second wave of the coronavirus,  becoming a mother behind the bar and more.

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In this episode of the Living Proof podcast, Richard chats with Nicole and Marcus about the challenges and opportunities currently facing brandy makers in Australia. He discusses opening brandy up to a wider market and finding the balance between tradition and reinvention- a test that the distillery recently faced with the release of their Bartender's Cut brandy. 

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Importantly, Jacques is a student of hospitality and spirits production. He's joined Julio Bermejo on many trips to Mexico to study tequila, has visited Jerez de la Frontera to check out Sherry and, most recently, France to dig deeper into Calvados.

We chat about life in San Francisco in 2020, squeezing thousands of limes to order at Tres Agaves, making a $650 drink at the Starlight Room, running 70+ hotel bars and some of his favourite Sherry cocktails.

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In this episode, Nicole chats to Tyler about where his drinks blog Bon Vivantito has taken him, and some fascinating articles he's written about carbonating cocktails with baking soda, being more sustainable with prediluted cocktails and creating alternative acids. 

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Now a ‘Global Cocktailian’ for Diageo Reserve and World Class, she talks Nicole and Marcus through what her role entails, and how brands can build the all-important customer connection through experiences that go beyond the glass.

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It's been over 15 years since Steve first discovered his love of making drinks, when he was working in a dive bar while recovering from severe brain injuries. Fast forward to today, and he is a co-owner of six bars and restaurants in four different countries, now including the famed Employees Only NY - where he first started as a bar-back many moons ago.

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Millie shares what inspired her to reach these recent heights, what's been keeping her busy since, and how she plans on enjoying a sustainable career behind the bar.

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Big Bar’s Manager, Eugene Lee, and Bar Lead, Selene Martinez spoke candidly with Nicole and Marcus about how they’re protecting themselves and their customers while still staying open for business.

Eugene: "They don’t really give you a lot of lead-time – it’s not like 'in a week from now, bars are allowed to open.' … It is go time when the Governor makes his announcements. And then the managers, the bartenders, the staff are scrambling.”

Selene: "I have a mentality of: protect everyone around me, but also protect myself. Being in interaction with X many people every day ... we're taking all of the guidelines we need to to make sure we're safe. So I can tell you, bartender's hands are raw anyways ... but they are even more raw now because  I'm constantly washing my hands."

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Tim’s an Englishman originally from Cornwall who was named the 10th most influential bar industry figure by Drinks International Magazine last year. He has held a wide range of roles in the hospitality industry, having started behind the bar before moving into sales and marketing for brands like Bulleit American Whiskey and Johnnie Walker. He then became a Diageo reserve brand ambassador, which was ultimately the role that led to him burning out and needing to take a break to focus on his mental wellbeing.

Tim’s experiences inspired him to launch Healthy Hospo, which provides education around mental health to bartenders and hospitality professionals the world over. He’s spoken at events such as Tales of the Cocktail, Bar Convent Berlin & Brooklyn and Moscow Bar Show.

Stay tuned for Tim’s fascinating story and some tips we can all implement on a daily basis to ensure we stay happy and healthy behind the bar.

“Hospitality is about looking after your guests – its the very definition of it. Yet we don’t afford the same hospitality to our friends and colleagues within the industry.”

“You cant fill a glass from an empty glass. So often our personal glasses are empty because we’ve not only given to our guests, we haven’t taken the time to recharge.”

“There’s nothing wrong with going out and having a good time sometimes, but when you’re at work five or six nights a week and you’re drinking … there are going to be heavy consequences.”

If for any reason you need support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia) or the Suicide Prevention Line on 1 800 273 8255 (USA).

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"I wanted everyone who walked in there (Ginger) to feel like part of the family, whether we knew them well or not. One night a friend was in the bar and said ‘if I didn’t know you so well, I’d think you’ve known those people for 30 years’ … and I said, ‘f*?$ you, I’m not 30 yet!’"

"It’s about what the customer wants and making them feel comfortable. Every venue I’ve helped build, it’s always been about pure comfort for the customer: where are their knees resting? How far are the feet off the floor? … that’s the first way you get them in. After that it’s about training your staff."

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Artem shares what led to them door-knocking nearby bars in an attempt to borrow a single chair from each so that they could open, and how they were forced to start selling the mezcal that was given to them as opening gifts, often back to the friends who gave it to them.

The fact they have made it to where they are today is the result of an incredible amount of resilience, energy and what can only be described as 'Russian' innovation.

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Luke's a champion of local producers, and takes the concept of using seasonal ingredients to another level - his cocktail creations often starting with a natural ingredient (even mushrooms!) and working backwards from there. He tells us all about where this ethos comes from and why it took travelling to South Africa for him to realise what he had at home in Melbourne.

Luke's also recently teamed up with The Blend for Beam Suntory and is putting together a series of online workshops on everything from Fermentation, Seasonality, Fats and Oils, Texture, Acidity. Check them out at www.theblend.world

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Vernon is the man behind Gin Palace - which remains an iconic Melbourne venue - Bar Ampere, Madame Brussels and Collins Quarter. But he's also one of the main reasons for the city's world-leading small bar scene, having fought for their place among Victoria's liquor licensing and late-night lockout laws over the years.

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But just as Maybe Mae was about to launch its new menu - 12 months in the making - the Coronavirus hit, and Ollie found himself lining up for unemployment benefits alongside many of his staff. Ollie recently wrote about his experiences of the past month for Difford's Guide, in a raw and honest article you can read here: https://www.diffordsguide.com/en-au/g/1148/bar-entrepreneur-frontline/covid-19-diaries-maybe-mae-adelaide

We ask Ollie about how he's using the current downtime, what he thinks the industry will look like when it returns, that new menu at Maybe Mae that we can't wait to discover, and the four pillars of sustainability that inform his ethos behind the bar.

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Jeffrey's most passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge with the rest of the bar community, finding longevity and a balanced lifestyle behind the bar, and doing so with like-minded individuals. We ask him how life has changed for him in recent weeks, why he always seems to be ahead of the curve, where the ideas for his unique books came from and more.

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For now though, like almost every other bar in the world, Dante's doors are closed indefinitely. New York itself has entered a state of shutdown that reflects its rising number of COVID-19 cases, and with no end date to the restrictions in sight, all businesses are having to innovate just to stay afloat.

Nicole and Marcus ask Liana about what life in New York amid the pandemic is like, how Dante has re-invented its offering and is engaging its loyal community. Liana is wonderfully open and honest, and as soon as it's safe to do so, we'll be ready to jump on a plane and enjoy a fabulous Negroni at Dante.

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First, we're dialling the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, to speak to Head Bartender Maxim Schulte, who we got to know in Episode #9 of Living Proof just over 12 months ago. During the downtime, Maxim has started running some drinks seminars alongside Jo Last titled 'Booze Brain', which are being broadcast live on Instagram and Facebook. 

Then, it's a bar owners perspective on the whole thing with our dear friend Marcus Motteram - 'The Admiral' - who takes us through how he is pivoting Hains & Co's business and staying connected with his staff.

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Steve also runs an online barware store, has recently launched an Android smartphone app called Shake and Strain, and is one of the three men behind Threefold Distilling, which has just brought its Aromatic Gin to market.

Steve is as understated as they come but his experience and ability to build a dedicated community speaks for itself.

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Brad has written three books since debuting with James Beard Award-winning 'Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-all' in 2011, which cemented him as an authority on the elemental cocktail ingredient and its history. For his most recent title,  'Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time', Brad surveyed a range of bars and bartenders from all walks of life about their routines at closing time, as well as what they would choose as their deathbed cocktail. 

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Archie Rose has operated out of Rosebury, Sydney since 2014, and their whiskys, gins and vodkas have since won international awards. Will runs us through the investments they're making in equipment, and why they refuse to do things as they always have been - constantly innovating and distilling new and interesting flavours.

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And it’s through this line of work that he noticed some surprising trends within the industry – younger people are drinking less, and more are choosing not to drink at all. With this in mind, he set about creating Lyre’s Spirit Co – a non-alcoholic spirit category that now has 14 products in its range, all of which aim to mimic its alcoholic counterpart. Unlike companies that have come before Lyre’s in this space, however, they are doing things very differently, and achieving results that have made the industry stand up and taken notice, even taking out an award in a blind tasting against alcoholic variants.

Mark is on the podcast to explain how Lyre’s develop their unique ‘spirits’, the importance of drinks and beverages in our culture and the opportunity for bars and bartenders going forward.

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Trish joined us in-studio to chat all things gin, tonic, what her new role entails, her views on females in the bar industry and more.

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In 2018, he moved to Sydney to help set up Maybe Sammy and became the Global Ambassador for locally-roasted Mr Black Coffee Liqueur. Along the way, he's won the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, taken out the top gong at World's 50 Best with the American Bar, and in 2019, Maybe Sammy won the Spirited Award for Best New International Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail.

We explore Martin's career trajectory behind the bar, before getting his top pieces of advice for making coffee cocktails, including a favourite recipe you can try today.

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John has been the owner for almost 16 years, but was only a year or so into the job when one of his bartenders - Reggie Cunningham - stumbled across a modern-day classic concoction in 2006. Old Crow’s Whiskey and the brine of McClure’s Pickles quickly became known as a match made in heaven at BCC, before the good word spread to bars the world over.

John's on Living Proof to describe the fortuitous events that led to the invention of the Pickleback and help us define what a true dive bar is.

Stay up-to-date @livingproofpod on Instagram and Twitter, or at Living Proof Podcast on Facebook.

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For over 15 years, he’s worked as a brand ambassador and presenter for some of the world’s most renowned Whisky brands, organised bespoke Whisky tours of Scotland and written for publications such as Whisky Magazine and Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Andrew’s on the podcast to briefly outline the history of SMWS, which is a prolific independent bottler as well as a club that hosts events and tastings, before indulging us in an in-depth discussion about today’s Whisky market.

Is there still room for the Scotch industry to expand? Is there a market correction on the way? Why are distilleries now releasing countless different expressions of their product? Are Whisky bottles a worthy investment? It’s all on the agenda!

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Tim has become a somewhat of a behemoth of the bar and cocktail industry since working at London institution Milk & Honey in the 2000s, and going on to win Diageo Global World Class cocktail competition in 2012. Since returning to Australia in 2010, he's set up shop in Sydney with the hugely successful Bulletin Place, where he still finds time to get behind the bar once a month. For more on the systems and attention to detail that saw Bulletin Place win 'Best Sustainable Bar Program' at the Australian Bar Awards, check out our conversation with Alex Gondzioulis from October 2019.

These days, Tim has shifted his focus to how we can help the bar world become, not only a more sustainable industry environmentally, but also a more sustainable occupation for our young people health-wise. Tim shares the strategies he implements to maintain a healthy lifestyle despite working in an industry surrounded by alcohol, late nights and the like.

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Now, Mike is producing his own range of whiskys, including the luxury, handcrafted and personalised 'Imperial Tribute' and most recently, his range of 'Firkin Whisky Co' bottlings.

If you'd like to get your hands on any of the Firkin bottlings, you can click here to  see details of relevant importers.

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Cantina OK! was opened in February 2019 has been described as "a micro version of a honky-tonk down in Mexico" by Time Out, and is the culmination of multiple trips to the country to taste and source some of the rarest mezcal bottles and other Agave variants. Joining Jeremy and Alex on the venture is Alex 'Happy' Gilmour, who is studying to become some sort of 'Master of Mezcal', and together they boast some of the most intricate knowledge of the spirit in the country.

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Now, as an  integral part of the Proof & Co team in Singapore, he's played a major hand in creating some of the most exclusive bars in the world and has his name (well, nickname) on a bottle of gin.

We catch up with Jason to learn about the trajectory of his career, how he ended up in Singapore, the brief that became the exclusive Art Deco Lobby & Bar ATLAS, what makes Widges Gin different and more.

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Kathleen saw the craft spirits boom coming before most - she had seen the industry take off in the United States and started Nip of Courage on the assumption that Australia would follow suit. As she explains, the first few months were slow and business became a bit touch-and-go, before she took the company to an event in Melbourne and was overwhelmed with the ensuing response.

Now, Kathleen has a fantastic relationship with many a boutique distillery, many of which are located in remote and rural Australia, and she has even started her own range of bottle cocktails. The Aussie Tipple Company utilises (of course) handcrafted Australian spirits to batch classic cocktails such as a Negroni and Martini.

We were eager to ask Kathleen about the level of opportunity that remains for small distillers in a market that we're continually being told is reaching saturation, the challenges faced by those operations, her experience at Tales of the Cocktail and more.

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Mike's career began in the UK - he was raised in English pubs and then trained as a hairdresser upon leaving school. But it wasn't too long before he was drawn back to the bar business in the 1990s, where he spent the next 25 years involved with a plethora of successful venues.

It was in 2013 that he realised his dream of uniting the cocktail bar concept with that of a barber shop with (aptly named) The Barber Shop, which has gone on to win more than its fair share of Spirited Awards and continues to lay claim to the largest rare and modern gin collection in Australia.

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News came through on Friday that Gaz Regan passed away peacefully, aged 68, following a bout of pneumonia. He was one of the most loved members of the bar and cocktail world, and for good reason.

Gaz was brought up in British pubs in the 1960s, before he made his way to the US aged 19. Over the next five decades, he became a larger-than-life pioneer of the cocktail revolution - his impact epitomised by the popularity of his iconic finger-stirred Negroni. His books, such as The Bartender's Bible and The Joy of Mixology, have become some of the most-referenced texts of today's cocktail renaissance.

More recently, Gaz was passionately promoting the concept of 'Mindful Bartending', in which he sought to transfer meditative techniques to the practice of keeping bar. Ultimately, as always, with a view to enhancing the entire experience for both guests and mixologists alike.

Above all, Gaz was an exceedingly generous and giving soul, who we are all greater for having known.

Vale, Gaz Regan.

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Beer and its new-age craft varieties - sours, IPAs, etc - are ubiquitous in bars and restaurants around the world, and the available flavours are changing and expanding quicker than most of us can get a handle on them. For these reasons, we've been meaning to properly explore the category on the podcast - with someone with the right expertise - since we began. Enter Josh, whose curiosity and passion for what makes the perfect pint is unrivalled.

Stay tuned for how beer has changed - from light lagers to IPAs that taste "like blended pine needles" - why the opportunities for the craft beer industry lies in service, how to pour the perfect beer, why foam is important and more.

You can stay up-to-date with all of Joshua's work at https://www.joshuambernstein.com/.

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Since he smoked his first 'proper' cigar in the mid-1960s, Richard has been researching and writing about them, their place in society, as well as the countries and people producing them. That research first culminated in the most-popular of his 11 titles,  The Ultimate Cigar Book, which continues to fly off the shelves and has just been released as a fourth edition.

Not only is Richard a preeminent authority on cigars - he's also well versed in spirits of all types, wine and "anything over 40 per cent!" He's been a judge on many a global spirits competition, has been inducted by the Scotch industry as a Keeper of the Quaich, and was even knighted in Germany. He is absolutely brilliant, and full of knowledge you simply won't find anywhere else.

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Garth was a bar and venue manager until "vodka chose him" and he went to work for Moet-Hennessy Australia. He takes us through how they are innovating to keep up with the other spirits categories through their Single Estate Ryes and more.

Stay up-to-date at https://www.themessagepod.com.au/livingproof

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We chat about how he prepared for the Bartender of the Year competition, the two cocktails he created for it, and how Bulletin Place manages to create a new cocktail list every day, even while maintaining their renowned levels of sustainability. Plus the Free Pour Five!

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Hiro has introduced a flavour pairing concept called 'Kochu Chomi', in which individual whiskeys are paired with small morsels of food. The flavours of the food and whiskey combine in the mouth as they are chewed, creating a 'marbling' effect and building a cocktail of sorts.

After our chat to Hiro, we learn more about Nikka from Naoki Tomoyoshi, Asahi's International Business Department Representative.

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Agung was recently in Sydney for Bar Week 2019, where he presented Monin's Bartending as an Art masterclass at Employees Only. We caught up with him straight after to discuss what sets The Old Man apart from other bars in Asia, what's on the cards for the future and the message he gives young bartenders.

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We caught up with Ludo after the event to chat about what went in to creating it and how well-informed consumers are changing the landscape in terms of educating bartenders. Then, we chat to Pauric 'PK' Kennedy, a bartender at Smoke Bar at Barangaroo House, about the cocktail he created for the event with Ardbeg Uigeadail.

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Martin himself has been named Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year at the Icons of Whisky Awards. Who better to speak to about all things Irish Whiskey, some of Teeling's new releases and collaborations, where the industry is headed and more.

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Masahiro is pioneering the practice of bringing elements of the Japanese style of bartending - which you can learn more about in our chat with Hidetsugu Ueno or Rogerio Igarashi (at the 48:00 mark of #3) - to the industry in the United States. As such, he's become renowned for his stunning highball cocktails that are made even more impressive by his attention to detail, something that seems to come naturally to any Japanese bartender.

We ask Masahiro about his background, why Katana Kitten stands out, what is needed to make a beautiful highball and then finish with the Free Pour Five!

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With this year’s instalment of Bar Week just around the corner (September 14-18), we had to get Dave on the program to cast an eye towards some of the must-see events and masterclasses. Underscoring our conversation is an analysis of how the bar business has changed in Dave’s time covering it and a recognition of the role he’s played in positioning Australia’s as the most powerful pound-for-pound bar & cocktail industry in the world.

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Ross’ first encounter with The Balvenie’s Single Malts was as a teenager, when he was tasked with building the whisky range at the Dufftown pub where he was working. He grew the bar’s range of single malts from under 10 to almost 200, yet found that he kept coming back to The Balvenie 12 DoubleWood as his go-to dram.

We ask Ross about the process to becoming a Brand Ambassador, the qualities that bode well for success in the role and what goes into developing brilliant tasting events.

"It's about passion and communication."

Then, we explore what's next for the category of whisky, as well as some food pairing tips, with some classic stories from the Distillery interspersed throughout.

Key points

• 05:14 Getting into Whisky
• 07:05 Ross’ go-to dram
• 11:08 Becoming a Brand Ambassador
• 16:09 Tasting events
• 19:00 The weirdest tasting note he’s encountered
• 20:40 The Balvenie Stories
• 27:27 What next for the category of Whisky?
• 34:12 Translating the Scottish accent
• 36:34 Food pairings

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Even now that he’s stepped back from his New York duties to settle down in Oregon, Jim remains a highly sought-after industry authority. He spoke candidly with us in the early months of this year about why he made that move, as well as how he encourages young people to traverse the hospitality industry that can present a unique set of challenges.

Key points

• 02:00 The bar industry in New York
• 06:30 Opening another PDT in Hong Kong
• 11:20 Stepping back to settle in Portland
• 14:15 How to 'swim in the deep end' of the bar industry
• 24:45 How Jim manages to be an author, owner and father all at once
• 29:45 What drew Jim to hospitality
• 34:50 The 'memory-creating' business
• 36:00 American Express’ The Centurion Lounge

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Nicole & Marcus chatted to David in January 2019, about where he thinks the drinks rennaissance is at, why he thinks the category of whiskey has been "overtaken by geeks and douches", the future of the neighbourhood bar and much, much more.

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Philip has been a successful drinks consultant, educator, producer, writer, judge and venue owner. The Irishman has done it all since establishing his consultancy, Liquid Solutions, 20 years ago: He opened the Netherland's first Speakeasy – door 74 – mentored some of the world's best bartenders (including Marcus!) and at the time of recording, he was the Director of Education at Tales of the Cocktail.

Phil's latest project has been getting his own range of spirits off the ground and into bars the world over. Old Duff Genever - 100% owned by Phil - is one of only three brands permitted to carry the seal of Schiedam, and since our chat, Proof & Co have announced they'll be bringing it to Australia and New Zealand.

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Dale is a bartender, author and “one of the world’s foremost cocktail experts” according to in the New York Times. We were lucky enough to get him on the other end of the phone when he was in Australia in late 2018, to chat about the cocktail industry he’s a part of today versus the one in which he began his career in the 1970s, plus plenty of stories in between.

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Kayla takes us through the cocktail that helped her make the cut, the elements of the next phase of competition that she was preparing for at the time of recording, the Free Pour Five and more.

Next week, we kick off our ‘Best of’ series of podcasts, in which we're bringing back some of our earlier interviews with some absolute household names of the industry, starting with Dale DeGroff.

Stay up-to-date with the show on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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Wes and Sacha were good friends before they became direct competitors, so there is plenty of banter to be had during their chat with Nicole. She asks about how they started out, the saturation level of the gin market in Australia, where further opportunities lie and what sets their products apart.

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Robin herself is a well-rounded and accomplished hospitality professional who has a background as a wine sommelier. She currently runs the bar program at The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar in Paso Robles, California, as well as makes her own range of bitters for her company SLO Bitter Co.

For the full Night Gardens recipe, head to https://talesofthecocktail.org/industrynews/tales-cocktail-foundation-announces-winner-tales-cocktail-2019-official-cocktail-competition

Stay up-to-date at https://www.facebook.com/livingproofpod/.

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We asked about the gruelling master & apprentice style of bar tutelage that's ever present in Japan, his meticulous ice-carving and dilution techniques, and the subtleties of making conversation with customers. He's as fascinating as ever.

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We ask Michael about his background in bars, how the Nordic scene compares to other markets, the story behind Purfict and more. You can't question his passion, ingenuity and ability to craft out a successful niche in the industry we all know and love.

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By age 21, Salvatore was the youngest maitre d' on the Amalfi Coast, and then it wasn't long later that he was making a name for himself in London at Duke’s Hotel. Among his most well-known legacies are the invention of the Breakfast Martini and drinks program Liquid History, which culminated in him making the oldest cocktail of all time from ingredients with a combined age of over 700 years.

Salvatore is an exquisite story-teller (and he's just finished his morning coffee!), so sit back and enjoy the tales behind those and so many other brilliant ideas that are synonymous with 'The Maestro'.

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Gossett’s also a council member of the Jamaica Union of Bartender and Mixologists and has built a reputation as one of the biggest contributors to the industry in the country.

He takes us through how he got into the bar game, some of his wonderful (and wonderfully interesting) cocktails and then we hit him with some Free Pour questions!

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Richard well and truly has rum in his blood - the Seale family can trace five generations of rum-making expertise back to the early 1800s, and he credits his 'inheritance' of knowledge as the reason Foursquare is where it is today. He’s also the man leading the charge against the claim that ‘rum has no rules’, and has been consistently outspoken about consumers being deceived by producers that ‘doctor’ their rum with sugar or other additives.

This podcast provided the perfect opportunity for us to get under the skin of these divisive topics, most of which were alluded to a fortnight ago during our chat with Matt Pietrek. Today, Richard puts all his views on the table in his usual no-holds-barred style.

Whatever your position, you can have nothing but respect and admiration for the brand Richard has helped build, the exceptional rum it produces and the way he’s got the rum industry talking about issues he’s deeply passionate about.

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Then, we chat renowned Toronto bar manager Ana Wolkowski who can be found behind the stick at Bar Raval. Ana grew up in her Dad's bar and is a an expert on all things Sherry.

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Marcus was chomping at the bit to pick Matt’s brain about his specialist area of expertise – rum – as he’s recently been using the Wonk’s articles to educate his own bartenders at Hains & Co. He and Nicole ask about carving out a career without a background in the industry, Matt’s upcoming book and some of the sensitive topics surrounding rum and sugar. Stay tuned for his well-thought-out answer to that massive question.

And for our Free Pour segment, we chat to an industry icon in Connecticut who you may know from TV or social media as the Cocktail Chemist, Dimitrios Zahariadis.

Key points

• 03:55 From Microsoft Windows to Cocktails
• 07:00 Rum reporting in New Orleans
• 11:00 Carving a career without a background in the cocktail industry
• 13:40 Matt’s upcoming book – Minimalist Tiki
• 18:50 The big question: rum, sugar and other additives
• 24:50 The Cocktail Wonk audience
• 28:05 Some of the Wonk’s favourite drinking experiences.
• 32:45 The Free Pour Five with Dimitrios Zahariadis

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We finally got hold of Bill for an interview, and couldn't be more grateful for him finding the time in his schedule that remains jam-packed despite his decision to step back from the day-to-day running of the distillery a few years ago. We jumped straight in to explore his little-known background, his predictions for the ever-growing distilling industry in his home country and what a month in the life of Bill Lark entails.

We're confident you'll have nothing but admiration for this gentle giant who is an absolute lover of life!

In our Free Pour segment this week, we chat to former bartender from Perth Georgia McDonnell-Adams, who is now based in Stockholm as Absolut’s Global Experience Manager. Georgia’s a living breathing example of some of the amazing places that a career behind the bar can lead to.

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Olivier and brother Emile started Gin Foundry in 2010, and coverage on the site is now so highly sought after that they’ve had to hide their address due to the sheer amount of unsolicited samples they’re sent on weekly basis. If anyone knows the gin market inside out, it’s Olivier, so we were sure to get his opinion on the industry that’s overflowing with new brands. Is this peak gin? Is that a bad thing? Where’s it going to be in five years? Which brands are doing a good job of connecting with their consumers?

If you love gin, you don’t want to miss this.

Following Olivier, we dial the Bon Vivant in Edinburgh, Scotland, to chat to bar manager Daniel Smith. The Bon Vivant has previously been crowned Best International Restaurant Bar at Tales of the Cocktail, and Cocktail Bar of the Year at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards.

Key Points

• 4:40 Olivier’s gin journey
• 8:15 Where is the gin market is at
• 12:30 Have we reached peak gin?
• 21:10 Barrel-aged gin
• 25:00 How Gin Foundry selects its gins
• 29:40 Olivier’s favourite gin brands
• 37:55 The emerging markets
• 41:20 Junipalooza
• 46:25 Olivier's take on tonic
• 49:30 Appellation controls?

Resources, bars and products mentioned

• Gin Foundry
• Junipalooza
• Help Gin Foundry research the gin market by filling out their Ginfographic
• Last week's episode with Robert Simonson

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And in our Free Pour segment, we head to Kansas City to speak to one of the most decorated bartenders and hospitality professionals you can find. Ryan Maybee owns cocktail haunt Manifesto, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange and now a distillery, J. Rieger & Co.

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Kurtis takes us through the learnings that have come with opening his first venue, what that venue is going to look like and his top social media advice for anyone looking to create a presence on Instagram.

And the insights don’t stop there – our Free Pour segment that follows is an in-studio interview with Proof & Company’s Charlie Ainsbury. Charlie holds the perfectly-named position of ‘Spirits Evangelist’ at Proof & Co and is an extremely well-regarded bartender both in Australia and internationally.

Key points

• 2:15 Kurtis’ first venue – Corretto
• 5:30 Opening a bar
• 11:40 Pushing yourself
• 16:20 Making the most of social media
• 24:30 Kurtis takes us through Corretto
• 31:15 Free Pour segment with Charlie Ainsbury

Resources, bars and products mentioned

• Kurtis’ Instagram page @cocktailsbykurtis
• Corretto Dee Why
• Proof & Company

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Then, we’re off to Cork in Ireland, where Andy Ferreira from Cask takes us through their intriguing approach to cocktails. They use only locally foraged ingredients to build their menu and some of those elements would never have thought of putting in a drink.

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Then, we're joined by Sheena Hartcher, President of the Australian Bartenders Guild, in the Free Pour segment.

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Orlando Marzo is Beverage Director at Worksmith, and the #1 bartender in the world after winning Diageo World Class in Berlin last year. But after winning such a coveted award, he could have opened a bar anywhere in the world, so why did he choose to join the team at a hospitality-focused co-working space in Melbourne? As you'll hear, Orlando is super passionate about creating a framework and vocabulary around training professional bartenders.

And in our Free Pour Five, we're joined by Marcus' Head Bartender at Hains & Co, Josh Esposito, for a chat about his experiences working behind the stick in Melbourne, London and Paris.

Key points:

• 3:30 What drew Orlando to Worksmith
• 7:00 An apprenticeship for bartenders?
• 19:55 Winning Diageo World Class
• 34:20 Advice for this year's entrants
• 35:30 Opening a bar in 2020
• 40:50 Free Pour Five with Josh Esposito

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Then, we dial the third best bar in the world, the Manhattan at the Regent Hotel in Singapore, to chat to Head Bartender Cedric Mendoza for the Free Pour Five.

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Then, Thor Bergquist is a New Zealand-born bartender in his mid-30s who has already worked in Auckland, London, New York, Singapore and Melbourne. He now co-owns PS Soda and PS40 – a Sydney bar that’s won best cocktail list at the Australian Bartender Magazine awards two years running.

Stay up to date at facebook.com/livingproofpod + find us @livingproofpod on Twitter and Instagram.

Resources mentioned

• Never Never Distilling Co.
• PS Soda and PS40

Key points

• 4:00 Winning Best Classic Gin
• 8:20 Southern Strength
• 16:00 Never Never’s story
• 21:00 Where to from here?
• 25:50 The biggest challenges along the way
• 29:00 Masterchef
• 34:20 The drinks that best showcase the Never Never range
• 43:00 The Free Pour Five with Thor Bergquist from PS40

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Then, during the FP5 we check in with the head bartender at one of Nicole's favourite Gold Coast haunts, the Roosevelt Lounge. Bree Erica is relatively new to the world of cocktail bars but is making a splash in the evolving GC market with her experimental, food-inspired creations.

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Then, we chat to the newest Head Bartender at The American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London: Maxim Schulte. Maxim is only 28 years old, was born in Hamburg and has worked in bars all across the world - from Bangkok to Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. At such a young age, he's already won the Beefeater MIXLDN competition with his cocktail, 'The Stack of Fortune', and is only the 11th person to head up the The American Bar in its 125-year history.

Resources, bars and products mentioned:

• Attaboy New York & Nashville
• Diamond Reef New York
• The Dorsey Las Vegas
• Bartender's Choice Vol. 2 smartphone app

Key points:

• 03:50 What Sam is up to in Vegas
• 07:00 Training bartenders
• 09:10 Sam's move to New York
• 15:30 Sasha Petraske
• 19:40 The return of the classics
• 22:30 Opening Attaboy
• 26:50 New York vs Nashville vs Las Vegas
• 32:40 The Pencillin - issues with CCA
• 35:00 The Bartender's Choice app
• 37:40 Tips for running a successful bar
• 42:28 The Free Pour Five with Maxim Schulte

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Phil Bayly is the world’s foremost expert on all things Agave spirits, such as Tequila, Mezcal and Raicilla. He’s helped open 18 Tequila-themed bars and restaurants, founded a series of networking events promoting the category – Agave Love – and in 2017 he was recognised as the first official Mezcal Ambassador by the Mezcal Regulatory Council. For 16 years, Phil owned and ran Sydney institution Café Pacifico and he’s recently released his first book, also titled Agave Love.

During his time at Café Pacifico Phil mentored many a young bartender. One of those was Natalie Ng, who is the Australian Liquor Industry Awards’ Bartender of the Year for 2018 and joins us for the Free Pour Five at the 1:01:50 minute mark. Natalie now owns Door Knock in Sydney after cutting her teeth at some of some of the best bars in the country.

Resources, bars and products mentioned:

• De Vino Mezcal
• Mezcal.com
• Phil's book, Agave Love
• Door Knock Sydney

Key points:

• 03:00 When Phil first realised his passion for Tequila
• 05:00 How Phil came to be the first official Mezcal Ambassador
• 09 :00 What it is about Agave that Phil fell in love with
• 13:30 How you should be drinking Tequila
• 16:20 Tequila vs Mezcal
• 22:45 What Phil wants bartenders to know about Mezcal
• 30:45 Mezcal vs Raicilla
• 36:25 Sotol vs other Agaves
• 39:50 Life for Phil during and after Café Pacifico
• 43:00 Phil’s book, Agave Love
• 1:01:50 The Free Pour Five with Natalie Ng from Door Knock, Sydney.

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Jim Meehan owns PDT, a hidden high-end cocktail bar in New York that serves only hot dogs alongside its drinks. Philip Duff had so many nice words to say about it in Episode 3 that we simply had to get the man behind it on the podcast. Jim's also written the PDT Cocktail Book and, more recently, Meehan's Bartender Manual. He speaks candidly about how he sees the industry and doesn't shy away from any of the hurdles or potential pitfalls faced by career bartenders.

After Jim, at around 55:30, we're joined by Japanese Master Bartender Hidetsugu Ueno from High Five in Tokyo. He's fascinating - a coffee lover who doesn't drink alcohol, Ueno started his career in cafes and has made a name for himself as a bartender in a society that has historically looked down on the profession.

Resources, bars and products mentioned

• Roosevelt Lounge Gold Coast
• Death & Company New York
• The Dead Rabbit New York
• Attaboy New York
• Amor Y Amargo New York
• Jim's books: The PDT Cocktail Book & Meehan's Bartender Manual
• The Centurion Lounge

Key points:

• 5:00 Jim's take on the New York bartending market
• 10:00 Jim on opening another PDT in Hong Kong
• 14:50 Why Jim moved away from New York to Portland
• 17:45 How to 'swim in the deep end' of the bar industry
• 28:15 How Jim manages to be an author, owner and father all at once
• 33:15 What drew Jim to hospitality
• 38:20 Why Jim believes he's in the 'memory-creating' business
• 39:30 Jim’s involvement in American Express’ The Centurion Lounge
• 55:30 The Free Pour Five with Hidetsugu Ueno

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Afterwards, stay tuned for our Free Pour chat with Paige Aubort, who's a former winner of the Australian Liquor Industry Awards Bartender of the Year and is flying the flag for women in the industry with Coleman's Academy.

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