Bartender

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The 50 Best Bars in Asia in 2023

The 50 Best Bars in Asia in 2023

by David Klemt

Bartender presenting cocktail in upscale setting

2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars Bartenders’ Feast.

Join us in congratulating each of the bars and their teams earning placements on the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list by the World’s 50 Best Bars.

As is often the case, Hong Kong and Singapore claim an exceptional number of bars. I fully expect to see a handful of the bars on the list below on the World’s 50 Best Bars list this year.

Speaking of which, that ceremony, the 15th edition of the list, will take place on October 17 in Singapore. Again, I expect the host city to claim multiple spots.

Cheers to Asia’s 50 Best Bars for 2023!

To review the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars, 51 to 100 list, please click here.

By the Numbers

While Singapore doesn’t claim the number one spot this year, the island country does boast 11 entrants. Further, three of Singapore’s bars hold spots in the top ten.

Hong Kong is home to eight bars on this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Like Singapore, three bars in Hong Kong are among the top ten.

There are seven bars in Japan (five in Tokyo), one earning a top-ten slot. Six of the bars on the 2023 list are in Seoul, South Korea.

Thailand and India both have four bars on the list. The former boasts two bars in the top ten.

There are three bars in Taiwan among the fifty.

Malaysia and Indonesia each have two bars among Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2023. Both of Malaysia’s bars in Kuala Lumpur, and both of Indonesia’s are in Jakarta.

Mainland China, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka each have a bar on this year’s list.

100 Incredible Bars

When we take the back half of this list into account, Singapore continues its domination, with 19 bars earning placement.

Hong Kong boosts its number of bars to 13, and Japan adds seven bars to bump its total to an even dozen. Seoul, South Korea, claims eight bars total.

Thailand, counting both lists, has eight amazing bars, as does Taiwan. In total, there are nine bars in India. Six bars in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and there are a total of four bars in China.

The Philippines have one bar on the one to 50 list, and one on the 51 to 100 list, for a total of two bars among Asia’s 100 best.

The Best Bar In:

Hong Kong: Coa

India: Sidecar

Japan: Bar Benfiddich

Korea: Zest

Mainland China: Hope & Sesame

Malaysia: Bar Trigona

Philippines: The Curator

Singapore: Jigger & Pony

Sri Lanka: Smoke & Bitters

Taiwan: Indulge Experimental Bistro

Thailand: BKK Social Club

See the list below for the Best Bar in Asia.

Asia’s 50 Best Bars: 50 to 1

  1. Penrose (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)*
  2. The Bellwood (Tokyo, Japan)*
  3. The Living Room (Mumbai, India)*
  4. The Old Man (Hong Kong)**
  5. Soko (Seoul, South Korea)*
  6. High Five (Tokyo, Japan)**
  7. Bee’s Knees (Kyoto, Japan)
  8. The Public House (Taipei, Taiwan)*
  9. Native (Singapore)**
  10. Vender (Taichung, Taiwan)*
  11. Smoke & Bitters (Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka)(The Best Bar in Sri Lanka)
  12. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou, China)(The Best Bar in Mainland China)
  13. Copitas (Bengaluru, India)
  14. Southside Parlor (Seoul, South Korea)*
  15. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)(The Best Bar in Malaysia)
  16. The Bombay Canteen (Mumbai, India)*
  17. The Curator (Manila, Philippines)(The Best Bar in the Philippines)**
  18. Mostly Harmless (Hong Kong)*
  19. Stay Gold Flamingo (Singapore)*
  20. Quinary (Hong Kong)
  21. Employees Only (Singapore)**
  22. Pantja (Jakarta, Indonesia)*
  23. Alice (Seoul, South Korea)
  24. Atlas (Singapore)
  25. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
  26. Le Chamber (Seoul, South Korea)
  27. 28 HongKong Street (Singapore)
  28. Lamp Bar (Nara, Japan)
  29. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)(London Essence Best New Opening)*
  30. Manhattan (Singapore)
  31. Virtù (Tokyo, Japan)(Disaronno Highest New Entry)
  32. The Cocktail Club (Jakarta, Indonesia)(Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu, the Best Bar in Indonesia)
  33. Sidecar (New Delhi, India)(The Best Bar in India)
  34. The Aubrey (Hong Kong)
  35. Republic (Singapore)
  36. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)(Ketel One Sustainable Bar)
  37. The SG Club (Tokyo, Japan)
  38. Cham Bar (Seoul, South Korea)
  39. Vesper (Bangkok, Thailand)
  40. Indulge Experimental Bistro (Taipei, Taiwan)(The Best Bar in Taiwan)
  41. Sago House (Singapore)(Michter’s Art of Hospitality)
  42. Darkside (Hong Kong)
  43. Argo (Hong Kong)
  44. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
  45. Tropic City (Bangkok, Thailand)
  46. Zest (Seoul, South Korea)(Nikka Highest Climber, the Best Bar in Korea)
  47. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo, Japan)(The Best Bar in Japan)
  48. BKK Social Club (Bangkok, Thailand)(The Best Bar in Thailand)
  49. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)(Rémy Martin Legend of the List, the Best Bar in Singapore)
  50. Coa (Hong Kong)(The Best Bar in Asia, the Best Bar in Hong Kong)

Congratulations to each of the operators and bar teams above! Cheers!

* Denotes new entry, ** denotes re-entry.

Image: The World’s 50 Best Bars

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Tales Reveals Top 4 Awards Finalists

Tales Reveals Top 4 2023 Spirited Awards Finalists

by David Klemt

Cocktail with orange peel garnish resting on glossy white bar top

We’re one month away from the 17th annual Spirited Awards ceremony and the top four nominees in each category have been revealed.

Over the course of the past few months, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation have been hard at work to narrow the field. They first announced this year’s honorees. Not long ago, they announced the top ten nominees.

Now, we know the top four nominees in the running for each of the Spirited Awards. You can check them out below, with each award organized into one of four main categories: US, International, Global, and Writing & Media.

Congrats to the finalists! We’ll know the winners in just a month.

Cheers!

US Categories

US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard USA

  • Caer Maiko Ferguson, DrinkWell / Daijoubu (Austin, Texas)
  • Kapri Robinson, Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Masahiro Urushido, Katana Kitten (New York, New York)
  • Christine Wiseman, Marygold’s Brasserie / Broken Shaker (Miami, Florida)

Best US Bar Mentor presented BarSmarts

  • Anu Apte
  • Colin Asare-Appiah
  • Nectaly Mendoza
  • Chris Patino

Best US Brand Ambassador presented Libbey

  • Kiowa Bryan (Spiribam)
  • Chris Cabrera (Bacardi USA)
  • Cameron George (Ardbeg Single Malts)
  • Vance Henderson (Hendrick’s Gin)

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

  • Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
  • Nickel City (Austin, Texas)
  • Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Absolut Vodka

  • Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, New York)
  • Overstory (New York, New York)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, New York)
  • Hey Love at The Jupiter (Portland, Oregon)
  • Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, Arizona)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Amaro Montenegro and Select Aperitivo

  • Café La Trova (Miami, Florida)
  • Cleaver Butchered Meats & Seafood (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Palomar (Portland, Oregon)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Chez Zou (New York, New York)
  • Martiny’s (New York, New York)
  • Milady’s (New York, New York)
  • Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland (Portland, Oregon)

International Categories

International Bartender of the Year presented by The Busker

  • Gina Barbachano, Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Giorgio Bargiani, Connaught Bar (London, England, United Kingdom)
  • Daniel Schofield, SCHOFIELD’S BAR (Manchester, England, United Kingdom)
  • Luke Whearty, BYRDI (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

Best International Bar Mentor presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Simone Caporale
  • Danil Nevsky
  • Agostino Perrone
  • Christina Veira

Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Caitlin Hill (Rémy Cointreau)
  • Daniyel Jones (House of Angostura)
  • Dave Mitton (Lot 40 / J.P. Wiser’s)
  • Nicola Riske (The Macallan)

Best International Bar Team presented by Angostura Caribbean Rum

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patr​​ón Tequila

  • 🔶🟥🔵 (London, UK)
  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • SIPS (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier

  • ARGO at the Four Seasons (Hong Kong)
  • BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
  • ARCA Restaurant & Bar (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  • Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • Danico (Paris, France)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Last Word (Singapore)
  • Line Athens (Athens, Greece)
  • Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Night Hawk (Singapore)

Global Categories

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic

  • Martini & Rossi Floreale Non Alcoholic Aperitivo
  • PATRÓN El Alto Tequila
  • Saint Benevolence Aged Rum Clairin
  • The Fords Gin Co. Sloe Gin

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, New York)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)

World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
  • In Situ Mezcalería (Oaxaca, Mexico)
  • Raised by Wolves (San Diego, California)
  • Swift Soho (London, England, United Kingdom)

Writing & Media Categories

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • CLASS Magazine
  • Difford’s Guide
  • Punch
  • The Cocktail Lovers Magazine

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Black and Brown Podcast
  • Radio Imbibe
  • Shōshin Art Club
  • The Speakeasy Podcast

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • “The Drinks Industry Has an Ageism Problem” by Betsy Andrews, for SevenFifty Daily
  • “The Great Mezcal Heist” by Emma Janzen, for Eater
  • “The Secrets to the Best Dry Martini You’ll Ever Have” by David Wondrich, for The Daily Beast
  • “This Is What Decolonizing a Spirit Looks Like” by Adaorah Oduah, for Punch

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes by Derek Brown
  • Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson
  • The Bartender’s Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen
  • The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails – Elevated and Expanded, edited by Steven Reddicliffe

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • A SENSE OF PLACE: A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky by Dave Broom
  • Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English
  • Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region’s Essential Spirit by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith
  • Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Image: cottonbro studio on Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Fire and Ice: Bring Your Teams Together

Fire and Ice: Bring Your Teams Together

by Jared Boller

Ice on fire inside of a Martini glass

If you want to elevate your concept you need to ensure the front- and back-of-house teams are working with each other, not against one another.

There’s nothing wrong with a healthy rivalry and competition, of course. But the key word there is “healthy.” Both teams are crucial to your success, even if they seem like polar opposites.

Analogies are one of the singular greatest educational selling points when you have a group of people in front of you. Not only do they help you get your point across, they also help you to make a topic relatable to the listening novice.

In hospitality there are numerous ways to use analogies as teaching tools. When it comes to mixology or bartending, I like to use fire and ice to represent the kitchen and the bar.

I take this approach because the bar (ice) is the friendly counterpart to the fast and furious kitchen (fire). If you follow my train of thought, you’ll see why I preferthis approach: ultimately, we’re speaking about temperature and its importance in both spaces.

Consider the art of crafting cocktails. You and your bar team should understand dilution and melting rates the same way you know how important temperatures are to steaks. Nine times out of ten, individuals at the table have a personal preference regarding the temperature of their steak.

Guests don’t hesitate to relay this information to the server. Next, the chef and their brigade uses fire and cooking times to ensure each state is cooked properly. Not only that, the mastery of their craft leads to each steak coming out at the same time, cooked to each guest’s preference.

This process is the same for the bar. Stirred, shaken, egg-white cocktails… Bartenders must master their craft to ensure they understand the different types and uses of ice (or no ice) when building drinks. Moreover, they need to use that knowledge to ensure each drink for a table or group comes out at the same time, with the appropriate level of coldness.

In the end, when drinks hit the pass or server’s station, we want drink orders to be delivered as quickly as possible because they’re on the clock. The ice in the drinks start to melt. Hot food begins to get cold. We’re fighting time.

Understanding temperatures and times relates directly to the guest experience. We can tell how well-oiled and skillful front- and back-of-house teams are by watching drinks and dishes hit tables.

Fire

According to Anthropologist Richard Wrangham, who wrote the book Catching fire: How Cooking Made Us Human, people started cooking over open fire more than two million years ago.

Wrangham states that cooking was first seen as “simply chunking a raw hunk of something into flames and watching it sizzle.” Modern chefs may not agree with this style but we are able to see that early human “cooks” came to a few realizations regarding their use of fire. Their food was healthier, tastier, and they may have had more revitalized immune systems.

Obviously, the evolution of modern cooking techniques have advanced through tools, techniques, and vessels over the years. However, regardless of how much innovation we introduce to our kitchens, we’re still using fire and heat to cook our food.

Unless they’re expecting a salad, sushi, or another amazing raw or cold food, guests anticipate their food will be hot or warm upon arriving in front of them. Great chefs take control of their kitchens, techniques, and tools. Their masters of temperature. They have a nearly supernatural understanding of timing.

It’s always a site to behold when someone is masterful in the kitchen. A seemingly endless number of pots and pans raging on burners. Infinite elements of dishes flowing in and out of ovens. Chaos to the novice’s eyes but in reality, flawlessly composed dishes arriving at perfect temperatures.

Ice

We can trace the use of ice in drinks as far back as ancient Egypt. Icy drinks are also well documented by first-century Roman society; emperors, it’s claimed, enjoyed “chilled” cocktails via glacier runoff extracted from the mountains.

Emperors, according to some historians, would store giant blocks of ice in cool cellars, garnishing their tipples with shards of ice. This was both a decadent display of their elite status, and evidence that humans have long appreciated a cold, refreshing drink.

It wasn’t until early 1800s Boston that humankind really began to master ice. A young entrepreneur, Frederic “The Ice King” Tudor, pursued an idea with his brother and launched the ice or frozen water trade. Over the course of just a few decades, the New England-based trade was able to ship ice worldwide.

The Wenham Lake Ice Company, established in the 1840s, harvested giant blocks from the eponymous lake and stored them in a network of ice houses, accessed by a small railroad system. Once a luxury, ice was on its way to going mainstream. Everyone was coming to the realization that drinks tasted better with a bit of dilution and colder temperatures.

Eventually, ice production led to ice harvesting innovations. For example, Clinebell machines that use cold plates to 300-pound, crystal-clear blocks. Along with being clear, the ice blocks are super dense to reduce dilution rates significantly. From glaciers to “harvesting” ice from lakes to full-on factory production, our obsession with ice has led to technological innovation.

Interestingly, however, early 19th century methods of ice extraction are once again in vogue. A cadre of passionate bartenders who view ice as a premium ingredient in and of itself are hand carving ice cubes, spheres, and spears for perfectly curated Negronis or Old-fashioneds.

Takeaway

The bottom line is, temperature is important to anyone working in hospitality. Kitchen and bar teams need to work together to create the best possible products.

Some people think of food or drinks when asked to consider the best restaurants and bars in the world. However, those are products. What sets the best concepts apart is the teams they’ve each built and nurtured.

It’s the passion of each team member and their consideration of the fine details that makes a restaurant or bar notable. So, when we think about fire and ice, we can consider this idea the ultimate geekery in regard to our profession.

Take it from me: When the front of the house and back of the house collaborate, then they’re in sync with one another and nail the small details, they transform first-time guests to repeat brand evangelists.

They may not understand why their experience was so incredible but they’ll become outspoken ambassadors.

Image: Alexander Startsev on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality Mixology Training with Jared Boller

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Own Your Team’s Excellence

Own Your Team’s Excellence

by David Klemt

 

Martinis at Bemelmans Bar inside the Carlyle hotel in New York City

If you and your team are producing an incredible food or drink item, don’t just be proud—make it your signature and own it.

As Chef Brian Duffy says during his demos and speaking engagements, people can eat and drink anywhere. Further, with just a handful of major food suppliers operating throughout North America, operators are using much of the same ingredients.

With that in mind, then, it’s crucial that operators and their teams innovate. Doing so ensures that hospitality professionals are staying current on consumer demands and trends; constantly seeking be educated and share information; and making sure their business stands out from others.

A commitment to standing out can also motivate a team to elevate their techniques. In turn, they can truly “own” an item. Creating something incredible—and replicating it order after order consistently—can become a brand and team’s calling card.

Does your kitchen team turn out a fantastic signature burger? Has your business become known as the place for chicken wings because of your kitchen team?

Has your bar team perfected the Margarita? Are they so good at crafting Frozen Irish Coffees that your bar is on Glendalough Distillery‘s radar?

When you identify what your team is producing at an extraordinary level, you need to make certain you loudly own it.

A Real-world Example

For a high-level example of what I’m talking about, we can look at the Carlyle in New York City.

This landmark Rosewood Hotel is known for delivering peerless service. However, a venue inside this sophisticated resort is known for a specific item.

Bemelmans Bar, an escape from the hectic streets of New York, is known for the Martinis the bar team produces. (They’re also known for their red jackets, but those aren’t for sale.)

It may be a bold statement considering the level of bars and cocktails in the city, but Bemelmans Bar (and therefore the Carlyle) owns the Martini in NYC. In fact, the bar serves a staggering 1,000 Martinis a night. More often than not, the Martinis that cross the bar or leave the service well are dirty or extra dirty. This has been the case since at least 2021.

So famous are the Bemelmans’ Martinis that the Carlyle sells an at-home kit, yours for just $395. It’s their latest promotion, though, that makes it evident Bemelmans and the Carlyle are taking ownership of the Martini.

Guests of the Carlyle can now book their Martini Retreat, a two-day experience that centers around their signature cocktail. If, perhaps, you think that $400 is a bit steep for their Martini Box, prepare for true sticker shock. The Martini Retreat experience starts at $4,895 for two guests.

However, the package is rather impressive and encapsulates the Carlyle’s ownership of the Martini. The Carlyle Martini Retreat includes:

  • a two-night stay in a Madison Room or Premier Suite;
  • a Bemelmans Bar Martini Box;
  • enrollment in the Bemelmans Master Martini Class (valued at $495), a 45-minute experience during which guests learn how the bar team crafts multiple variations of vodka and gin Martinis, and their new Madeline’s Vesper cocktail;
  • a two-course Martini lunch at Dowling’s at The Carlyle; and
  • a curated list of where to go to try other great Martinis throughout NYC, put together by Dimitrios Michalopoulos, bar manager at Bemelmans.

Takeaway

So, am I suggesting that operators create an experience that costs thousands of dollars? Well…I mean, if your concept can succeed with such a promotion, absolutely. If doing so would resonate with enough guests to make it feasible and become a steady (and impressive) revenue stream, go for it.

However, what I’m really attempting to drive home here is the power of becoming known for even a single signature item. And, hey—your item, in your market, may be the Martini.

Owning an item means screaming from the rooftops and hills that it’s yours. That your team’s version is the one to have; the one people in the know have to have. Taking ownership of your team’s excellence translates to becoming a destination for it, to driving repeat visits once people have experienced it.

Of course, with that ownership comes the responsibility to elevate all other elements of your business. Every other item on the menu must be produced and served at the highest level. This ensures the entire guest experience wows the guests, and the signature item is essentially a driver and the cherry on top.

It’s time to review what your team produces so well that your brand owns it. Should this introspection yield no results, it’s then time to see what other operators are known for and discover what item or items you and your team can improve upon. What’s something that works with your brand that you feel confident you and your team can own?

There’s power, money, and long-term success in something on your menu. It’s time to uncover it and take ownership.

Image: The Carlyle

KRG Hospitality. Boutique Hotels. Resorts. Properties. Consultant. Feasibility Study. Business Plan

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Top 10 2023 Spirited Awards Nominees

Tales Unveils Top 10 2023 Spirited Awards Nominees

by David Klemt

Neon sign in red that reads "Cocktails"

The wait to discover the top nominees in each category of this year’s Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards is finally over.

The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation revealed every 2023 Spirited Awards honoree roughly two months ago. That the TOTCF managed to whittle the list down that quickly is impressive.

New York City, of course, is well represented in terms of top ten Spirited Awards nominees. Likewise, Austin, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Phoenix, and Washington, DC.

Atwater Cocktail Club in Montréal and Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel are representing Canada. Dubai, London, Mexico City, and Sydney have strong showings as well.

The anticipation for this year’s winners continues to grow. Congratulations to this year’s top ten nominees!

US Categories

US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard USA

  • Chris Elford, Navy Strength / Here Today Brewery & Kitchen (Seattle, WA)
  • Abigail Gullo, loa at the International House hotel (New Orleans, LA)
  • Caer Maiko Ferguson, DrinkWell / Daijoubu (Austin, TX)
  • Shauna O’Neil, Sweet Liberty (Miami, FL)
  • Jessi Pollak, Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis, MN)
  • Kapri Robinson, Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Christian Suzuki-Orellana, Wildhawk (San Francisco, CA)
  • Masahiro Urushido, Katana Kitten (New York, NY)
  • Takuma Watanabe, Martiny’s (New York, NY)
  • Christine Wiseman, Marygold’s Brasserie / Broken Shaker (Miami, FL)

Best US Bar Mentor* presented BarSmarts

  • Bridget Albert
  • Anu Apte
  • Colin Asare-Appiah
  • Jason Asher
  • Julio Cabrera
  • Alex Day
  • Touré Folkes
  • Kate Gerwin
  • Anne Louise Marquis
  • Nectaly Mendoza
  • Jeffrey Morgenthaler
  • Chris Patino
*denotes 12 nominees due to a tie

Best US Brand Ambassador presented Libbey

  • Kiowa Bryan (Spiribam)
  • Chris Cabrera (Bacardí USA)
  • Tad Carducci (Gruppo Montenegro)
  • Cameron George (Ardbeg Single Malts)
  • A-K Hada (Bacardí Rum)
  • Vance Henderson (Hendrick’s Gin)
  • Benny Hurwitz (Wild Turkey)
  • Anna Mains (Monkey Shoulder)
  • Jenna Murray (The Glenlivet)
  • Mary Palac (Campari Mexican Spirits)

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Attaboy Nashville (Nashville, TN)
  • Century Grand (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, NM)
  • Nickel City (Austin, TX)
  • Overstory (New York, NY)
  • Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, CA)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)
  • The Roosevelt Room (Austin, TX)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, CO)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Absolut Vodka

  • Bar Goto (New York, NY)
  • Bitter & Twisted (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Century Grand (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)
  • Manolito (New Orleans, LA)
  • Nickel City (Austin, TX)
  • Overstory (New York, NY)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)
  • Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, CO)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Bar Marilou at the Maison de la Luz (New Orleans, LA)
  • Champagne Bar at The Surf Club Miami (Miami, FL)
  • Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, NY)
  • Hey Love at The Jupiter (Portland, OR)
  • Libertine Social at the Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Little Rituals at the Residence Inn / Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Midnight Rambler at The Joule (Dallas, TX)
  • Raines Law Room at the William (New York, NY)
  • White Limozeen at The Graduate (Nashville, TN)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Amaro Montenegro and Select Aperitivo

  • Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (New Orleans, LA)
  • Bicyclette Bistro (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Bresca (Washington, DC)
  • Café La Trova (Miami, FL)
  • Cleaver – Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails (Las Vegas, NV)
  • Crown Shy (New York, NY)
  • Jaguar Sun (Miami, FL)
  • Kumiko (Chicago, IL)
  • Manhatta (New York, NY)
  • Palomar (Portland, OR)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Amazonia (Washington, DC)
  • Chez Zou (New York, NY)
  • Khla (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Martiny’s (New York, NY)
  • Marygold’s Brasserie at the Arlo Wynwood (Miami, FL)
  • Milady’s (New York, NY)
  • Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland (Portland, OR)
  • Refuge (Houston, TX)
  • The Butterscotch Den (Sacramento, CA)
  • UnderTow (Gilbert, AZ)

International Categories

International Bartender of the Year presented by The Busker

  • Gina Barbachano, Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Giorgio Bargiani, The Connaught Bar (London, UK)
  • Aaron Diaz, Carnaval (Lima, Peru)
  • Kate Boushel, Atwater Cocktail Club / Milky Way Cocktail Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Giacomo Giannotti, Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Martin Hudak, Maybe Sammy (Sydney, Australia)
  • Uno Jang, Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • Alessandro Palazzi, DUKES at Dukes Hotel (London, UK)
  • Daniel Schofield, SCHOFIELD’S BAR (Manchester, UK)
  • Luke Whearty, BYRDI (Melbourne, Australia)

Best International Bar Mentor* presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Lorenzo Antinori
  • Simone Caporale
  • Evelyn Chick
  • Shingo Gokan
  • Trevor Kallies
  • Jose Luis Leon
  • Dre Masso
  • Iain McPherson
  • Danil Nevsky
  • Agostino Perrone
  • Christina Veira
*denotes 11 nominees due to a tie

Best International Brand Ambassador* presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Jenna Ba (Diageo)
  • Jordan Bushell (Hennessy Cognac)
  • Dickie Cullimore (Bacardí Rum)
  • Caitlin Hill (Rémy Cointreau)
  • Daniyel Jones (House of Angostura®)
  • Ally Martin (Hendrick’s Gin)
  • Dave Mitton (Lot 40 / J.P. Wiser’s)
  • Léa Messier (Dandurand Spirits)
  • Tim Philips-Johansson (Johnnie Walker)
  • Nicola Riske (The Macallan)
  • Claudia Cabrera Rodriguez (Fernet Branca)
  • Charmaine Thio (Hendrick’s Gin)
*denotes 12 nominees due to a tie

Best International Bar Team presented by Angostura Caribbean Rum

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • COA (Hong Kong, China)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Tayēr + Elementary (London, UK)
  • The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patr​​ón Tequila

  • 🔶🟥🔵 (London, UK)
  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • BYRDI (Melbourne, Australia)
  • COA (Hong Kong, China)
  • MAYBE SAMMY (Sydney, Australia)
  • Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Satan’s Whiskers (London, UK)
  • SIPS (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier

  • ARGO at the Four Seasons (Hong Kong, China)
  • BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Bulgari Bar at the The Bvlgari Resort (Dubai, UAE)
  • Charles H. at the Four Seasons Hotel (Seoul, South Korea)
  • Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina hotel (Sydney, Australia)
  • Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London (London, UK)
  • The Donovan Bar at the Brown’s Hotel (London, UK)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
  • ARCA Restaurant & Bar (Tulum, Mexico)
  • Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • COCHINCHINA (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Continental Deli Bar Bistro (Sydney, Australia)
  • COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Danico (Paris, France)
  • Le Mary Celeste (Paris, France)
  • No Sleep Club (Singapore)
  • Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Bar Planet (Sydney, Australia)
  • Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Australia)
  • CATA Agave Bar (Tamarindo, Costa Rica)
  • Ergo Cocktail Bar & Restaurant (Dubai, UAE)
  • Gucci Giardino 25 (Florence, Italy)
  • Last Word (Singapore)
  • Line Athens (Athens, Greece)
  • Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Night Hawk (Singapore)
  • Seed Library at One Hundred Shoreditch hotel (London, UK)

Global Categories

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic

  • Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal
  • Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin California Orange Citrus
  • Hendrick’s Neptunia
  • Martini & Rossi Floreale Non Alcoholic Aperitivo
  • Martini & Rossi Vibrante Non Alcoholic Aperitivo
  • Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva
  • Nocheluna Sotol
  • PATRÓN El Alto Tequila
  • Saint Benevolence Aged Rum Clairin
  • The Fords Gin Co. Sloe Gin

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Bitter and Twisted (Phoenix, AZ)
  • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • Licorería Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)

World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
  • Barro Negro (Athens, Greece)
  • In Situ Mezcalería (Oaxaca, Mexico)
  • KOL Mezcaleria (London, UK)
  • Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore)
  • Raised by Wolves (San Diego, CA)
  • Salón de Agave at Casa Prunes (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Sexy Fish London (London, UK)
  • Swift Soho (London, UK)
  • The Office (Chicago, IL)

Writing and Media Categories

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Boothby
  • CLASS Magazine
  • Difford’s Guide
  • Drinks International
  • Guest Check by SPILL
  • Liquor.com
  • Punch
  • The Cocktail Lovers Magazine
  • The Mix With Robert Simonson
  • The Spirits Business

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Agave Road Trip
  • Black and Brown Podcast
  • Freepour
  • Japan Distilled Podcast
  • Perspectives by Campari Academy
  • Radio Imbibe
  • Shōshin Art Club
  • The Modern Bar Cart Podcast
  • The Sipping Point
  • The Speakeasy Podcast

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • “A Rum Deal” by Dave Broom for Club Oenologique
  • “How Americans ruined tequila — and the true believers saving it” by Lilah Raptopoulos, for Financial Times
  • “How the Four Seasons Became an Incubator for Asia’s Best Bars” by Jake Emen, for VinePair
  • “The Drinks Industry Has an Ageism Problem” by Betsy Andrews, for SevenFifty Daily
  • “The Good, the Bad & the Artificial: How Big Data & Tech Are Infiltrating the Alcohol Industry” by Jake Emen, for VinePair
  • “The Great Mezcal Heist” by Emma Janzen, for Eater
  • “The Secrets to the Best Dry Martini You’ll Ever Have” by David Wondrich, for The Daily Beast
  • “This Is What Decolonizing a Spirit Looks Like” by Adaorah Oduah, for Punch
  • “Untold Story” by Yolanda Evans, for Imbibe
  • “What is a Bar Without a Backbar?” by Danny Chau, for Punch

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • A Bartender’s Guide to the World by Lauren Mote & James O. Fraioli
  • Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology by Tamika Hall with Colin Asare-Appiah
  • Drink Lightly by Natasha David
  • Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes by Derek Brown
  • Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson
  • Mueble Bar by François Monti
  • The Bartender’s Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen
  • THE COCKTAIL CABINET: The Art, Science and Pleasure of Mixing the Perfect Drink by Zoe Burgess
  • The Cocktail Edit: Everything You Need to Know About How to Make All the Drinks that Matter by Alice Lascelles
  • The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails – Elevated and Expanded, edited by Steven Reddicliffe

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • A SENSE OF PLACE: A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky by Dave Broom
  • Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity & Intoxicate Your Audience by Aaron Goldfarb and Steven Grasse
  • Dicktales (or Thankyou and Sluggings) by Dick Bradsell
  • Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English
  • Drink Like a Local New York: A Field Guide to New York’s Best Bars by Amanda Schuster
  • Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake by Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay
  • Gurú. Manual (multisensorial) de Coctelería by Diego Cabrera
  • Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region’s Essential Spirit by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith
  • The Art of Whisky by Ernie Button
  • Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Image: Luciann Photography on Pexels

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The 50 Best Bars in North America

The 50 Best Bars in North America in 2023

by David Klemt

Double Chicken Please cocktail bar interior

Double Chicken Please in New York City is number one on this year’s list.

The buildup toward this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars is growing with the recent announcement of North America’s 50 Best Bars.

Mexico City, the 2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars host city, is home to several of this year’s rankings. A true cocktail destination loaded with extraordinary bars, Mexico City boasts eight entries. Overall, 14 of the 50 bars on the 2023 list are in Mexico.

Of course, New York City also claims an impressive number of bars earning spots on the list. In fact, NYC boasts 12 of the 50 best bars in North America. More than half of the bars—28—are in the US.

Not that anyone asked, two of the bars on the 2023 list are in the city where I was born, Chicago: Kumiko and Milk Room. And I’m going to give a special nod to Herbs & Rye, number 27 and located in my hometown of Las Vegas (and the US headquarters of KRG Hospitality).

Herbs & Rye cocktail bar and restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada

Of the 50 best bars in North America, Canada is home to seven. Four of these are in Toronto (where KRG Hospitality’s global headquarters are located), two are in Montreal, and one is in Vancouver.

Just one bar in the Caribbean makes the 2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars list. But what a bar: La Factoría is number 24.

Below you’ll find this year’s rankings; destination awards; and individual awards. Speaking of, congratulations to Julio Cabrera and Christine Wiseman! You’ll see why as you scroll. To review last year’s list, please click here.

Congratulations to all the bars and their bar teams representing the best of North America in 2023!

2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars Destination Award Winners

The Best Bar in Northeast USA, sponsored by Perrier

Double Chicken Please (No. 1; New York City, New York)

The Best Bar in South USA, sponsored by Torres Brandy

Jewel of the South (No. 5; New Orleans, Louisiana)

The Best Bar in the Midwest USA, sponsored by Rémy Martin

Kumiko (No. 8; Chicago, Illinois)

The Best Bar in the West USA, sponsored by Naked Malt

Thunderbolt (No. 10; Los Angeles, California)

The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Scrappy’s Bitters

La Factoría (No. 24; San Juan, Puerto Rico)

The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Tia Maria

Civil Liberties (No. 12; Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Bareksten

Handshake Speakeasy (No. 2; Mexico City, Mexico)

2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars

  1. Milady’s (New York City, New York)
  2. Youngblood (San Diego, California)
  3. Platform 18 (Phoenix, Arizona)
  4. Brujas (Mexico City, Mexico)
  5. Clover Club (New York City, New York)
  6. Allegory (Washington, DC)
  7. The Dead Rabbit (New York City, New York)
  8. Bar Mordecai (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  9. Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)
  10. Bar Leather Apron (Honolulu, Hawaii)
  11. Aruba Day Drink (Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico)
  12. Maison Premiere (New York City, New York)
  13. Milk Room (Chicago, Illinois)
  14. Mother (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  15. Cure (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  16. Cloakroom (Montreal, Québec, Canada)
  17. Sweet Liberty (Miami, Florida)
  18. Service Bar (Washington, DC)
  19. Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, Québec, Canada)
  20. Selva (Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico)
  21. Death & Co. (Los Angeles, California)
  22. Martiny’s (New York City, New York)
  23. Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)
  24. Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  25. Kaito del Valle (Mexico City, Mexico)
  26. Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
  27. La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
  28. Arca (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  29. Sabina Sabe (Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico)
  30. El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
  31. Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  32. Botanist Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  33. Mace (New York City, New York)
  34. Rayo (Mexico City, Mexico)
  35. Baltra Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  36. Bar Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  37. Employees Only (New York City, New York)
  38. Attaboy (New York City, New York)
  39. Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  40. Zapote Bar (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  41. Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
  42. Café La Trova (Miami, Florida)
  43. Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois)
  44. Overstory (New York City, New York)
  45. Dante (New York City, New York)
  46. Jewel of the South (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  47. Licorería Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
  48. Katana Kitten (New York City, New York)
  49. Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  50. Double Chicken Please (New York City, New York)

2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars Individual Awards

Roku Industry Icon Award 2023

Julio Cabrera (No. 9; Café La Trova; Miami, Florida)

Altos Bartender’s Bartender Award 2023

Christine Wiseman (Bar Lab Hospitality)

Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2023

Botanist Bar (No. 19; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award 2023

Allegory (No. 45; Washington, DC)

Disarronno Highest New Entry Award 2023

Bar Pompette (No. 15; Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Nikka Highest Climber Award 2023

Overstory (No. 7; New York City, New York)

Campari One to Watch Award 2023

Manhatta (New York City, New York)

London Essence Best New Opening Award 2023

Rayo (No. 17; Mexico City, Mexico)

Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2023

Yacht Club (No. 42; Denver, Colorado)

Double Chicken Please image: Emmanuel Rosario / Hanna Lee Communications. Herbs & Rye image courtesy of Hanna Lee Communications.

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: May 2023

by David Klemt

Flipping through an open book

Our engaging and informative May book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from April 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Contagious You: Unlock Your Power to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Want

This is one of three books KRG Hospitality’s Jennifer Radkey read in February. It’s the sequel to a book titled Contagious Culture, which we featured last month.

From Amazon: “For anyone who’s sought to create change, or felt sucked into the drama and chaos of a toxic work environment, this book will advance the notion that everyone at an organization is a leader—for good or for bad—and that leaders have tremendous power to influence those who follow their example. The quality of our leadership is based upon our intentions, energy, and presence. By emphasizing authorship, self-care, and response-ability (not responsibility) as leadership skills and therefore cultural amplifiers, Contagious You shows you how to walk the path of more effective leadership while navigating the road blocks in your way. Whether these road blocks are working with negative co-workers with secret agendas and unrealistic expectations, or just the general ‘busyness’ of life and its excessive demands, this book will take you on a journey to create more space, more courageous leadership, and stronger collaboration to influence others and create the impact you desire.”

Grab this book today: click here.

Chef’s PSA: Culinary Leadership Fundamentals

If Chef’s PSA sounds familiar, that’s probably because it’s a series of four books. We included another book in the series, How Not to be the Biggest Idiot in the Kitchen, last December in our last book roundup of 2022.

Culinary Leadership Fundamentals is intended to prepare chefs to lead a brigade. It’s one thing to know how to prepare food; it’s another to know how to be the leader in the kitchen. Of course, this book is also full of valuable information for owners and operators. After all, they should know how their chef is approaching their role.

From Amazon: “When you become a Chef for the first time you may be put in a position where you know how to cook but not how to lead and manage. This book will teach you everything you need to know to become a Chef Leader in the kitchen. From how to manage costs, build a team, market yourself and overcome adversity. This is the book every Chef needs if they want a competitive edge in running a successful kitchen.”

Pick it up today!

Southern Cooking, Global Flavors

Chef Kenny Gilbert’s journey through the culinary world is epic. By the age of seven he had shown such an interest in the art of BBQ that his father bought him his first grill, a small Weber. After high school he moved from his hometown to Cleveland to attend the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. After graduation, Chef Gilbert entered into an apprenticeship at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, in Florida. By age 23, Chef Gilbert earned the role of Chef de Cuisine. He has also opened restaurants and led the culinary programs at restaurants and hotel properties not only throughout Florida but also Colorado, Georgia, throughout the Caribbean, France, Japan, and Spain. Oh, and there was Chef Gilbert’s Top Chef season seven appearance, plus the development of his own line of spices and rubs.

His newly released book features 100 recipes that put international spins on southern classics. Pick up Southern Cooking, Global Flavors today!

The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts

We’ve addressed the need to compliment your cocktail menu with a dedicated ice program. This book, available now for pre-order, is from world-renowned cocktail and spirits writer Camper English. Not only does it include easy-to-follow instructions for you and your bar team to elevate your cocktail program, from full-proof to zero-ABV drinks. The Ice Book, then, is aptly titled—it’s everything you need to introduce a memorable drinking experience.

From Amazon: “In The Ice Book, internationally renowned cocktail icepert Camper English details how to use directional freezing to make perfectly pure ice in a home freezer, carve it up into giant diamonds and other shapes, and embed it with garnishes, including edible orchids and olives. You’ll learn how to create a frozen bowl for Negroni punch, serve a Manhattan inside an ice sphere, and infuse cubes with colors and flavors to create cranberry cobblers, a color-changing Gin and Tonic, and other awesome drinks.”

The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails

Long-time subscribers to KRG Hospitality’s newsletters and readers of our articles know that I love a controversial take on cocktails. Take, for instance, the origin of the Margarita. Well, the opening sentence from the description for The Book of Cocktail Ratios certainly got my attention.

From Amazon: “Did you know that a Gimlet, a Daiquiri, and a Bee’s Knees are the same cocktail? As are a Cosmopolitan, a Margarita, and a Sidecar. When hosting a party wouldn’t you enjoy saying to your guests, ‘Would you care for a Boulevardier, perhaps, or a Negroni?’ These, too, are the same cocktail, substituting one ingredient for another. Or if you’d like to be able to shake up a batch of whiskey sours for a party of eight in fewer than two minutes, then read on.

As Michael Ruhlman explains, our most popular cocktails are really ratios—proportions of one ingredient relative to the others. Organized around five of our best-known, beloved, classic families of cocktails, each category follows a simple ratio from which myriad variations can be built: The Manhattan, The Gimlet, The Margarita, The Negroni, and the most debated cocktail ever, The Martini.”

This book should provide you and your bar team with a totally different perspective when it comes to drink ratios. Pre-order your copy today!

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality advanced bar education

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

TOTCF Names 2023 Spirited Award Honorees

TOTCF Names 2023 Spirited Award Honorees

by David Klemt

Neon sign in red that reads "Cocktails"

The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has announced the 17th annual Spirited Awards honorees, organized into several regions.

Unless otherwise noted, each award category recognizes ten honorees. Categories include best cocktail bar, best restaurant bar, best hotel bar, best new bar, and best bar team.

Additionally, I have to say that I’m impressed by how the TOTCF further recognized several global regions. There’s the United States, of course, separated into three regions of its own. Then there’s Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Middle East and Africa.

I’m focusing on three specific regions for this article: the US, Canada, and Latin America and the Caribbean. This decision comes from that fact those are KRG Hospitality’s three main areas of operation. But don’t worry, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa: we’re coming for you, too.

To review the list in its entirety, please click here.

Unsurprisingly, Austin, Chicago, Las Vegas (our US headquarters), Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington, DC are well represented. However, it’s refreshing to see other markets recognized, such as Portland, Maine, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Montreal, Toronto (our Canadian headquarters), Vancouver do Canada proud, of course.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees! Cheers!

Best US Cocktail Bar: US Central

  • Bordel (Chicago, Illinois)
  • DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
  • Estereo (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Julep (Houston, Texas)
  • Kiesling (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Manolito (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Nickel City (Austin, Texas)
  • Sparrow (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Sportsman’s Club (Chicago, Illinois)
  • The Roosevelt Room (Austin, Texas)

Best US Cocktail Bar: US East

  • Bar Goto (New York, New York)
  • barmini by José Andrés (Washington, DC)
  • Dear Irving Gramercy (New York, New York)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, New York)
  • Old Glory (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Overstory (New York, New York)
  • Pearl Diver (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Portland Hunt + Alpine Club (Portland, Maine)
  • Serenata (Washington, DC)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)
  • Sunken Harbor Club (Brooklyn, New York)

Best U.S. Cocktail Bar: US West

  • Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Foreign National (Seattle, Washington)
  • Navy Strength (Seattle, Washington)
  • Raised by Wolves (San Diego, California)
  • Rum Club (Portland, Oregon)
  • Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
  • Trick Dog (San Francisco, California)
  • True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
  • Wildhawk (San Francisco, California)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US Central

  • Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Bakery Bar (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Lengua Madre (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Maple and Ash (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Margot’s (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Mister Mao (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Monteverde (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • The Hope Farm (Fairhope, Alabama)
  • The Lounge at MARCH (Houston, Texas)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US East

  • Blossom Bar (Brookline, Massachusetts)
  • Bresca (Washington, DC)
  • Café La Trova (Miami, Florida)
  • COTE Korean Steakhouse (New York, New York)
  • Crown Shy (New York, New York)
  • Gramercy Tavern (New York, New York)
  • Jaguar Sun (Miami, Florida)
  • Macchialina (Miami, Florida)
  • Manhatta (New York, New York)
  • The Grey (Savannah, Georgia)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US West

  • Accomplice Bar (Los Angeles, California)
  • Bar Agricole (San Francisco, California)
  • Bicyclette (Los Angeles, California)
  • Cleaver: Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • L’Oursin (Seattle, Washington)
  • Lolo (San Francisco, California)
  • Palomar (Portland, Oregon)
  • Redbird (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Valentine (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Viridian (Oakland, California)

Best US Hotel Bar: US Central

  • Bar Marilou at the Maison de la Luz (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Catbird at the Thompson Hotel (Dallas, Texas)
  • Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Hot Tin at the Pontchartrain Hotel (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Lazy Bird at The Hoxton (Chicago, Illinois)
  • loa at the International House (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Midnight Rambler at The Joule (Dallas, Texas)
  • The Bar at Hotel Zachary (Chicago, Illinois)
  • The Elysian Bar at the Hotel Peter and Paul (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Vol. 39 at The Kimpton Gray Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Hotel Bar: US East

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Champagne Bar at The Surf Club Miami (Miami, Florida)
  • Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, New York)
  • El Quijote at Hotel Chelsea (New York, New York)
  • Minibar at The Meridian Hotel (Miami, Florida)
  • Orilla Bar & Grill at the Urbanica the Euclid Hotel (Miami Beach, Florida)
  • Panorama Room at Graduate Hotel Roosevelt Island (New York, New York)
  • Raines Law Room at the William (New York, New York)
  • White Limozeen at The Graduate (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Zou Zou’s at the Pendry Manhattan West (New York, New York)

Best US Hotel Bar: US West

  • Anasazi Bar and Lounge at the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
  • ARDOR at The West Hollywood EDITION (West Hollywood, California)
  • Del Rey at Villa Royale (Palm Springs, California)
  • Hey Love at The Jupiter (Portland, Oregon)
  • Legacy Club at Circa (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Libertine Social at the Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Mountaineering Club at the Graduate Seattle Hotel (Seattle, Washington)
  • Overlook Lounge, Aperitifs & Spirits at the Wynn (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Ski Lodge at The Cosmopolitan (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US Central

  • Adiós Bar (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • Bandista at the Four Seasons (Houston, Texas)
  • Dovetail Bar at the Schaeffer Hotel (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • EZ’s Liquor Lounge (Houston, Texas)
  • In Plain Sight (Austin, Texas)
  • Nine Bar (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Penny Drip (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
  • Refuge (Houston, Texas)
  • The Elm (Bloomington, Indiana)
  • The Meadowlark (Chicago, Illinois)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US East

  • Amazonia (Washington DC)
  • Chez Zou (New York, New York)
  • Church (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Lobby Bar at The Hotel Chelsea (New York, New York)
  • Martiny’s (New York, New York)
  • Marygold’s Brasserie at the Arlo Wynwood (Miami, Florida)
  • Milady’s (New York, New York)
  • Nubeluz at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad (New York, New York)
  • Swan Room at Nine Orchard (New York, New York)
  • The Danforth (Portland, Maine)
  • The Gibson Room (Miami, Florida)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US West

  • Baby Gee (Long Beach, California)
  • Capri Club (Los Angeles, California)
  • Dalva (San Francisco, California)
  • For The Record (San Francisco, California)
  • Here Today Brewery & Kitchen (Seattle, Washington)
  • Khla (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Pacific Standard + The Sunset Room at the KEX Portland (Portland, Oregon)
  • The Butterscotch Den (Sacramento, California)
  • The Let’s Go Disco and Cocktail Club (Los Angeles, California)
  • UnderTow (Gilbert, Arizona)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Canada

  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, Québec)
  • Bar Mordecai (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Bar Pompette (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Cry Baby Gallery (Toronto, Ontario)
  • El Pequeño Bar (Montreal, Québec)
  • Milky Way Cocktail Bar (Montreal, Québec)
  • Mother Cocktail Bar (Toronto, Ontario)
  • The Cloakroom Bar (Montreal, Québec)
  • The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Baltra Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Chintoneria (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • El Barón Cafe & Cocktail Bar (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Mexico)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Las Brujas (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Pocket (San Jose, Costa Rica)
  • Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Canada

  • Aloette (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
  • Highwayman Restaurant & Bar (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
  • Honō Izakaya (Québec City, Québec)
  • Kissa Tanto (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Le Majestique (Montreal, Québec)
  • Le Swan French Diner (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • The Ostrich Club (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
  • Wind Cries Mary (Victoria, British Columbia)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

  • ARCA Tulum (Tulum, Mexico)
  • Aruba Day Drinking Bar (Tijuana, Mexico)
  • Casa Prunes (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • COCHINCHINA (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Huset Cocina de Campo (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Lady Bee (Lima, Peru)
  • La Sala de Laura (Bogotá, Colombia)
  • Mesa Franca (Bogotá, Colombia)
  • SubAstor (São Paolo, Brazil)
  • Tan Tan (São Paolo, Brazil)

Best International Hotel Bar: Canada

  • 1927 Lobby Lounge at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Bar Artéfact at Auberge Saint-Antoine Hotel (Québec City, Québec)
  • Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Clive’s Classic Lounge at the Chateau Victoria Hotel (Victoria, British Columbia)
  • Clockwork Champagne & Cocktails at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Lobby Lounge and RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Marcus Restaurant + Terrace at the Four Seasons Hotel (Montreal, Québec)
  • Rundle Bar at the Fairmont Banff Springs (Banff, Alberta)
  • The Courtney Room at the Magnolia Hotel (Victoria, British Columbia)

Best International Hotel Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

  • BEKEB at the Hotel Casa Hoyos (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico)
  • Celajes Lounge Bar at Hotel Belmar (Monteverde, Costa Rica)
  • Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Hotel B Relais & Châteaux (Lima, Peru)
  • Mi Amor Bar at the Mi Amor Hotel (Tulum, Mexico)
  • Mezcaleria Gota Gorda at the Boutique Hotel Soiree (Playa Zipolite, Mexico)
  • Mulberry Project at La Zebra Hotel (Tulum, Mexico)
  • Nobu at the Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
  • Rum Room at Rosewood Little Dix Bay (British Virgin Islands)
  • Zapote Bar at the Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Canada*

  • Bagheera (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Bar Banane (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Friendlies Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provision (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Sidecar (Ottawa, Ontario)
  • Simpl Things (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Stolen Goods (Ottawa, Ontario)
  • The Stock Room (Vancouver, British Columbia)
*8 nominees due to the number of nominations received.

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

  • CATA Agave Bar (Tamarindo, Costa Rica)
  • Comeré (Oaxaca, Mexico)
  • Door No.4 (Georgetown, Cayman Islands)
  • Jardín Tragos y Pasteles (Bogotá, Colombia)
  • Juliana (Guayaquil, Ecuador)
  • Library by the Sea at The Kimpton Seafire Resort (Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands)
  • Mamba Negra (Medellín, Colombia)
  • Mulberry Project at Tribu Hostel (Holbox, Mexico)
  • Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Sastreria Martinez (Lima, Peru)

Best US Bar Team: US Central

  • Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
  • Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Half Step (Austin, Texas)
  • Lazy Bird at The Hoxton (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Nickel City (Austin, Texas)
  • Porco Lounge & Tiki Bar (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Standby (Detroit, Michigan)
  • The Roosevelt Room (Austin, Texas)
  • Three Dots and a Dash & The Bamboo Room (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Bar Team: US East

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
  • Attaboy Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Bar Belly (New York, New York)
  • Clover Club (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Double Chicken Please (New York, New York)
  • Hawksmoor (New York, New York)
  • LPM Restaurant & Bar Miami (Miami, Florida)
  • Overstory (New York, New York)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)
  • The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club (Nashville, Tennessee)

Best US Bar Team: US West

  • Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
  • Highball Cocktail Bar (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)
  • Paper Plane (San Jose, California)
  • The Snug (Sacramento, California)
  • True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
  • UnderTow (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Viridian Bar (Oakland, California)
  • Williams & Graham (Denver, Colorado)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best International Bar Team: Canada

  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, Québec)
  • BarChef (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario)
  • Clive’s Classic Lounge at the Chateau Victoria Hotel (Victoria, British Columbia)
  • Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
  • Laowai (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Lobby Lounge and RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia)
  • The Cloakroom Bar (Montreal, Québec)
  • The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Best International Bar Team: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Chintoneria (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • El Barón Cafe & Cocktail Bar (Cartagena, Colombia)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Las Brujas (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • La Factoria (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
  • La Uat (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Image: Luciann Photography on Pexels

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

IRS Proposes New Tip Reporting Program

IRS Proposes New Tip Reporting Program

by David Klemt

"Tax Man" graffiti on red brick wall

The Internal Revenue Service is proposing a voluntary tip reporting program which they’re calling the Service Industry Tip Compliance Agreement (SITCA).

Making the announcement via Notice 2023-13 back in February, the IRS is giving people the chance to comment on the SITCA proposal.

Per the IRS, their intention is to “take advantage of advancements” in POS, scheduling, and e-payment technology. How do they intend to leverage all this tech? In short, the IRS is proposing that POS systems will have to process payments and tips in the same way.

To clarify further, if someone pays by credit card, they’ll have to tip via credit card. If a guest pays in cash, they’ll have to tip in cash. So, should SITCA become the industry standard, the days of paying with a credit card but leaving a cash tip will be over.

However, in my eyes, this isn’t a simple “modernization” of IRS processes.

If the IRS is proposing a new for businesses to process tips, they’re looking to catch non-compliant businesses and tipped workers. A likely culprit or contributing factor to this IRS scrutiny? The retail venues now asking for or suggesting tips when customers check out.

So, it would be wise to reiterate to your team the need to report tips accurately. And remember, business owners need to ensure they’re complying with tip reporting as well. Getting flagged for inaccurate reporting is a great way to catch an audit, penalties, and a huge bill.

Nuts and Bolts

According to the IRS, SITCA will reduce taxpayer burdens. And, of course, the service claims the program will also reduce their own administrative costs.

Additional “features,” per the IRS website, are as follows:

  • The monitoring of employer compliance based on actual annual tip revenue and charge tip data from their point-of-sale system. There will be allowance for adjustments in tipping practices from year to year.
  • Participating employers demonstrate compliance with the program requirements by submitting an annual report after the close of the calendar year. This reduces the need for compliance reviews by the IRS.
  • Employers participating in SITCA will receive protection from liability under the rules that define tips as part of an employee’s pay for calendar years in which they remain compliant with program requirements.
  • Participating employers have flexibility to implement employee tip reporting policies best suited for their employees and business model. Policies must be in accordance with the section of the tax law that requires employees to report tips to their employers.

Requests for Comment

Interestingly, Notice 2023-13 contains a request for comments in four specific areas:

  • By what means a technology-based time and attendance system may be used by tipped employees to report tips. This includes tips in cash and other forms of tipping made through electronic payments methods (other than a credit card), regardless of whether the tips are received directly from customers or through tip sharing arrangements.
  • How tip sharing practices vary across service industries and how the SITCA program can support employer participation while accommodating potential differences in Federal, state, and local labor and employment law requirements.
  • By what methods employers of large food or beverage establishments participating in the SITCA program may meet their filing and reporting obligations under section 6053(c) and also satisfy the SITCA program requirements for compliance, while minimizing the administrative burdens on taxpayers and the IRS.

Those interested in providing such feedback have until May 7, 2023 to do so. The IRS has set up two ways to provide comments on Notice 2023-13:

  • Mail: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2023-13), Room 5203, Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, D.C. 20044; or
  • Electronic: Visit the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov (indicate IRS and Notice 2023-13) and follow the instructions for comment submission.

Personally, I have more questions than comments. Bear in mind, the IRS will stop accepting comments, feedback, and questions on May 7, 2023.

Image: Jon Tyson on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant. Bar. Hotel. Feasibility Study. Business Plan.

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Can ChatGPT Write Food and Drink Menus?

Can ChatGPT Write Food and Drink Menus?

by David Klemt

Closeup of keyboard

After my “conversation” last month with ChatGPT about AI, I had another conversation during which I asked it to write me four menus.

Of course, I did this to prove a point. And upon reviewing the ChatGPT menus, you’ll likely reach the same conclusion.

Curious about how creative the AI-powered chatbot could be, I asked for four specific menus. As you’ll see, two are cocktail specific, one focuses on food, and one is a 20-item F&B menu for a specific event.

So, yes, ChatGPT can write food and drink menus. But there’s a caveat. I could leave you in suspense but that’s not very nice. Let’s jump in.

Write me a cocktail menu using the most popular cocktails from 2022.

Cocktail Menu

  1. Aperol Spritz – Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water, garnished with an orange slice
  2. Old Fashioned – Bourbon, sugar, bitters, and a citrus peel
  3. Margarita – Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and salt rim
  4. Daiquiri – Rum, lime juice, and simple syrup
  5. Moscow Mule – Vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice
  6. Paloma – Tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and soda water
  7. Pina Colada – Rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and a cherry garnish
  8. Whiskey Sour – Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup
  9. French 75 – Gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup
  10. Mai Tai – Rum, orange liqueur, lime juice, and orgeat syrup

*All cocktails are served over ice, unless otherwise requested.

Write me a cocktail menu using the most popular spirits and alcohol types of 2022.

Cocktail Menu

  1. Gin and Tonic – Gin, tonic water, and a lime wedge
  2. Vodka Martini – Vodka, dry vermouth, and an olive garnish
  3. Bourbon Manhattan – Bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters
  4. Tequila Sunrise – Tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup
  5. Rum Runner – Rum, blackberry liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine
  6. Whiskey Sour – Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup
  7. Margarita – Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and salt rim
  8. Daiquiri – Rum, lime juice, and simple syrup
  9. Long Island Iced Tea – Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, and cola
  10. Pina Colada – Rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and a cherry garnish

*All cocktails are served over ice, unless otherwise requested.

Write me an appetizer and tapas menu that includes food items from an array of cuisines.

Appetizer and Tapas Menu

  1. Bruschetta – Grilled bread topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze
  2. Hummus Platter – Chickpea dip served with pita bread and fresh veggies
  3. Spring Rolls – Fried wonton wrappers filled with veggies and served with sweet chili sauce
  4. Spinach and Artichoke Dip – Creamy dip made with spinach, artichokes, and melted cheese, served with tortilla chips
  5. Stuffed Jalapeños – Jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese and bacon
  6. Fried Calamari – Lightly battered and fried squid rings served with marinara sauce
  7. Baked Brie – Warm, gooey brie cheese topped with fruit preserves and served with crackers
  8. Fried Rice Balls – Rice mixed with veggies and spices, rolled into balls and fried, served with sweet and sour sauce
  9. Chorizo Sliders – Mini sliders made with spicy chorizo sausage and topped with avocado crema
  10. Samosas – Triangular-shaped pastries filled with spiced potatoes and peas, served with mint chutney.

*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Write me a food and beverage menu for the 2023 [Big Game] with ten food items and ten drinks.

[Big Game] 2023 Food and Beverage Menu

Food:

  1. Buffalo Wings – Crispy wings tossed in spicy Buffalo sauce
  2. Sliders – Mini burgers with various toppings, such as bacon and cheddar, mushroom and Swiss, and BBQ pulled pork
  3. Nachos – Tortilla chips topped with melted cheese, jalapeños, salsa, and sour cream
  4. Chili – Hearty beef chili served with shredded cheddar cheese, onions, and crackers
  5. Ribs – Slow-cooked BBQ ribs with a tangy sauce
  6. Mac & Cheese Bites – Fried balls of creamy mac & cheese
  7. Deviled Eggs – Hard-boiled eggs filled with a mixture of mayo, mustard, and spices
  8. Pizzas – Slices of delicious pizza in various toppings such as pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage
  9. Chips & Dip – Assorted chips served with guacamole, salsa, and queso dip
  10. Soft Pretzels – Warm, soft pretzels served with cheese dipping sauce

Drinks:

  1. Beer – A selection of domestic and imported beers
  2. Margaritas – Classic margaritas made with tequila, triple sec, and lime juice
  3. Bloody Mary – A spicy tomato and vodka-based drink with celery, olives, and other garnishes
  4. Hard Cider – A crisp, apple-based beverage
  5. Sodas – A variety of soft drinks, such as cola, lemon-lime, and root beer
  6. Whiskey Sours – A mixture of whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup
  7. Spiked Hot Cider – Warm apple cider with a splash of rum
  8. Red and White Wines – A selection of red and white wines to accompany any meal
  9. Iced Tea – Sweetened or unsweetened iced tea
  10. Coffee – Freshly brewed coffee, hot and ready to enjoy.

*Please drink responsibly and always have a designated driver.

Where Do You Stand on AI?

In my opinion, there are essentially four primary camps forming around the subject of artificial intelligence.

There are the Alarmists, the Enthusiasts, the Cautious, and the Shoulder Shruggers.

As my label implies, the Alarmists are fearful of AI. This group doesn’t like the genie being let out of its bottle. On the polar opposite, there are the Enthusiasts. This group can’t wait to see how far AI can go and what it’s fully capable of.

The Shoulder Shruggers basically have no opinion. They may even throw in an eye roll when the topic of AI comes around.

Then there’s the camp I most closely identify with: the Cautious. I don’t know enough about AI to be an Alarmist or an Enthusiast. Instead, I agree with points made by both of those camps.

Conclusion

Before I had my latest conversation with ChatGPT, I happened across a few interesting articles about the chatbot specifically and AI in general. A point each article shared was this: (for now), ChatGPT isn’t creative.

And that’s the caveat I mentioned at the top of this article.

Sure, it can scour the Internet for information in the blink of an eye, contextualize it (to a degree), and present it in a manner that seems intelligent. But really, neither ChatGPT nor other AI tools are capable of creative endeavors.

Now, consider the “menus” you just read. Unless your goal is to become a boring, regional chain bereft of personality and identity, not a single one is creative. In fact, they both consist of F&B items that any bartender, bar manager, chef, cook, or kitchen manager should know how to make, off-menu or on.

Simply put, these ChatGPT menus don’t provide much, if anything, in the way of brand identity.

That’s not to say that menus with the items above are “bad.” It’s just that they’re not enticing, not inspiring, not creative. They’re the definition of derivative. Why would today’s guest be drawn to a venue with those menus?

For now, I don’t think we need to be afraid of AI. Humans still rule the creativity roost. Oh, and please don’t use those AI-generated menus.

KRG Hospitality Restaurants & Cafes, 2023 icon  KRG Hospitality Beverage Programming

Image: Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

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