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2024 Spirited Awards: Top 10 Nominees

The 2024 Spirited Awards: Top 10 Nominees

by David Klemt

AI-generated image of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award on top of a bar, next to a cocktail

This is what Shutterstock’s AI thinks a Spirited Award looks like. Close? I guess? Hmm…

Just a month after unveiling their top-ten regional honorees, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation reveals the top-ten nominees for each Spirited Award category.

That’s an impressively quick turnaround for such a monumental task.

So, let’s raise a glass (low-, full-, or zero-proof) to the judges and TOTCF for whittling down each award to just ten nominees.

My Vegas Bias is Showing…

As usual, I’m going to show my bias a bit here. Just two nominees represent Las Vegas, but they’re both incredible.

Nectaly Mendoza is up for Best US Bar Mentor, and his concept Cleaver is a top-ten nominee for Best US Restaurant Bar.

I cut began my hospitality journey in and around Chicago, so cheers to three Windy City bars who have made it to this round of the Spirited Awards.

Best Intentions is still in for Best US Bar Team and Best US Cocktail Bar. Milk Room at the Chicago Athletic Hotel is a top-ten nominee for Best US Hotel Bar, and Kumiko is up against Cleaver and eight other amazing venues for Best US Restaurant Bar.

…But so is My Canadian Bias!

Of course, I also have a “wee bit” of bias when it comes to Canada, given that KRG Hospitality was founded and is headquartered in America’s neighbor to the north. First, congratulations to Kate Boushel! She’s definitely getting the acknowledgement for her leadership and contributions that she deserves. Not only is the revered bartender and mentor a top-ten nominee for International Bartender of the Year, she’s the first Canadian to win the 2024 Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award from North America’s 50 Best Bars.

There are also five Canadian venues in the running for a 2024 Spirited Award.

Atwater Cocktail Club, for which Boushel is the director of beverage and education, is a top-ten nominee for Best International Bar Team. Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York is in for Best International Hotel Bar. Bar Kismet and Published on Main are both among the ten nominees for Best International Restaurant Bar. So, cheers to Halifax, Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

Setting aside my bias for Vegas-based and Canadian bars, restaurants, and hotels now, congratulations to every nominee on the list below! Each team’s hard work and dedication has earned them the recognition they deserve. Cheers!

US Categories

US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard

  • Erika Flowers — Compère Lapin, New Orleans, LA
  • Nicole Giampino — Platform 18/Century Grand, Phoenix, AZ
  • McLain Hedges — Yacht Club, Denver, CO
  • Christine Kim — Service Bar, Washington, D.C.
  • Libby Lingua — Highball, Phoenix, AZ
  • Caer Maiko Ferguson — Drinkwell, Austin, TX
  • Kapri Robinson — Allegory, Washington, D.C.
  • Isabel “Izzy” Tulloch — Milady’s, New York, NY
  • Masa Urushido — Katana Kitten, New York, NY
  • Takuma Watanabe — Martiny’s, New York, NY

Best US Bar Mentor presented Jameson Irish Whiskey

  • Anu Apte
  • Jason Asher
  • Steva Casey
  • Laura Cullen
  • Touré Folkes
  • Kate Gerwin
  • Alex Jump
  • Anne Louise Marquis
  • Nectaly Mendoza
  • Amanda Gunderson and Travis Nass

Best US Brand Ambassador presented Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Tad Carducci — Gruppo Montenegro
  • Cameron George — Ardbeg
  • A-K Hada — Bacardí Rums
  • Benny Hurwitz — Campari American Whiskeys
  • Stephen Kurpinsky — Mr Black Spirits
  • Anna Mains — Monkey Shoulder
  • Mary Palac — Campari Mexican Spirits
  • Aleka Ross — Hotaling & Co
  • Cesar Sandoval —Casa Lumbre Spirits
  • Natasha Sofia — Mijenta Tequila

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C.
  • Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
  • Century Grand — Phoenix, AZ
  • Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
  • Martiny’s — New York, NY
  • Milady’s — New York, NY
  • Nickel City — Austin, TX
  • Pacific Cocktail Haven — San Francisco, CA
  • Service Bar — Washington, D.C.
  • Yacht Club — Denver, CO

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Del Maguey Mezcal

  • Bar Goto — New York, NY
  • Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
  • Double Chicken Please — New York, NY
  • Happy Accidents — Albuquerque, NM
  • Martiny’s — New York, NY
  • Overstory — New York, NY
  • Service Bar — Washington, D.C.
  • Thunderbolt — Los Angeles, CA
  • Trick Dog — San Francisco, CA
  • Yacht Club — Denver, CO

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C.
  • Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Surf Club — Miami, FL
  • Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons New Orleans — New Orleans, LA
  • Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel — New York, NY
  • Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott — Phoenix, AZ
  • Milk Room at the Chicago Athletic Hotel — Chicago, IL
  • Nubeluz at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad — New York, NY
  • Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland — Portland, OR
  • Raines Law Room at the William — New York, NY
  • The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt New Orleans — New Orleans, LA

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Accomplice Bar — Los Angeles, CA
  • Amazonia — Washington D.C.
  • Bresca — Washington, DC
  • Cleaver – Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails — Las Vegas, NV
  • Crown Shy — New York, NY
  • Gramercy Tavern — New York, NY
  • Grey Ghost — Detroit, MI
  • Jaguar Sun — Miami, FL
  • Kumiko — Chicago, IL
  • Palomar — Portland, OR

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Cobra — Columbus, OH
  • Equal Measure — Boston, MA
  • FYPM — Phoenix, AZ
  • Jolie — New Orleans, LA
  • Medium Cool Cocktail Lounge — Miami Beach, FL
  • Murray’s Tavern — Austin, TX
  • Paradise Lost — New York, NY
  • Pretty Decent — Louisville, KY
  • Superbueno — New York, NY
  • Wild Child — Kansas City, MO

International Categories

International Bartender of the Year presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Lorenzo Antinori — Bar Leone, Hong Kong, China
  • Gina Barbachano — Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Kate Boushel — Atwater Cocktail Club, Milky Way Cocktail Bar, Bon Délire, Montreal, QC, Canada
  • Giulia Cuccurullo — Artesian, The Langham, London
  • Aaron Diaz — Carnaval, Lima, Peru
  • Uno Jang — Jigger & Pony, Singapore
  • Julian Short — Sin + Tax, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Eric van Beek — Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Luke Whearty — BYRDI, Melbourne, Australia
  • Matt Whiley — Re, Sydney, Australia

Best International Bar Mentor presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Simone Caporale
  • Ryan Chetiyawardana
  • Giacomo Giannotti
  • Tato Giovannoni
  • Shingo Gokan
  • Indra Kantono
  • Iain McPherson
  • Danil Nevsky
  • Jean Trinh
  • Christina Veira

Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Jenna Ba — Tanqueray
  • Jordan Bushell — Hennessy
  • Claudia Cabrera — Fratelli Branca
  • Jesse Estes —Tequila Ocho
  • Caitlin Hill — Rémy Cointreau
  • Daniyel Jones — House of Angostura
  • Ally Martin — Hendrick’s Gin
  • Dave Mitton — Lot 40 / J.P. Wiser’s
  • Tim Philips-Johansson — Johnnie Walker
  • Charmaine Ann Thio — Hendrick’s Gin

Best International Bar Team presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • Atwater Cocktail Club — Montreal, QC, Canada
  • Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
  • Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Hanky Panky — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Hope & Sesame Guangzhou — Guangzhou, China
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
  • La Factoría — San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
  • Tayēr + Elementary — London, UK

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by PATRÓN Tequila

  • 🔶🟥🔵— London, UK
  • ALQUÍMICO — Cartagena des Indias, Colombia
  • BYRDI — Melbourne, Australia
  • Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Kwãnt — London, UK
  • Maybe Sammy — Sydney, Australia
  • Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Paradiso — Barcelona, Spain
  • Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
  • ZEST — Seoul, South Korea

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Fords Gin

  • ARGO at the Four Seasons — Hong Kong, China
  • Bar Trigona at the Four Seasons Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
  • Charles H. at the Four Seasons Hotel — Seoul, South Korea
  • DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong — Hong Kong, China
  • Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina Hotel — Sydney, Australia
  • Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York — Toronto, ON, Canada
  • Seed Library at One Hundred Shoreditch Hotel — London, UK
  • Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London — London, UK

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Gin Mare

  • ARCA Tulum — Tulum, Mexico
  • Bar Kismet — Halifax, NS, Canada
  • Burnt Ends Bar — Singapore
  • Carico Milano — Milan, Italy
  • Casa Prunes — Mexico City, Mexico
  • CoChinChina— Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • COYA Dubai — Dubai, UAE
  • Danico — Paris, France
  • Published on Main — Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Zuma Dubai — Dubai, UAE

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
  • Bar Nouveau — Paris, France
  • Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
  • Bijou Drinkery Room — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Cat Bite Club — Singapore
  • Dram — London, UK
  • El Primo Sanchez — Sydney, Australia
  • Equal Parts — London, UK
  • FURA — Singapore
  • Tokyo Confidential — Tokyo, Japan

Global Categories

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

  • DeGroff Bitter Aperitivo
  • Don Fulano 20th Anniversary Añejo
  • Ferrand Dry Curaçao Yuzu Late Harvest
  • J. Rieger & Co. Monogram Whiskey 2023 Kansas City Whiskey – Solera Reserve
  • Joseph Cartron Bergamote
  • La Escondida Sotol Blanco
  • Powers Irish Rye
  • Ten To One Rum Black History Month Artist Edition
  • Worthy Park 109
  • YUZUCO Yuzu Super Juice

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy

  • Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C.
  • ALQUÍMICO — Cartagena des Indias, Colombia
  • Angelita — Madrid, Spain
  • Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour — Phoenix, AZ
  • Danico — Paris, France
  • Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Hope & Sesame — Guangzhou, China
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
  • Maybe Sammy — Sydney, Australia
  • Paradiso — Barcelona, Spain

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

  • Baba Au Rum — Athens, Greece
  • Eleven Madison Park — New York, NY
  • KOL Mezcaleria — London, UK
  • Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library — Portland, OR
  • Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
  • Rumba — Seattle, WA
  • Salón de Agave at Casa Prunes — Mexico City, Mexico
  • Sexy Fish — London, UK
  • The Baxter Inn — Sydney, Australia
  • Tlecān — Mexico City, Mexico

Writing & Media Categories

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

  • Boothby
  • Candra Drinks
  • CLASS magazine
  • Club Oenologique
  • Difford’s Guide
  • Guest Check
  • InsideHook
  • SevenFifty Daily
  • The Cocktail Lovers
  • The Spirits Business

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

  • Bartender At Large
  • Freepour
  • Like•a•ble Cocktails by Kaitlyn
  • no proof with Joshua Gandee
  • Perspectives by Campari Academy
  • Radio Imbibe
  • Served Up the Podcast
  • Shōshin Art Club
  • The Blackbird Podcast by Josh Lindley of Bartender Atlas
  • The Modern Bar Cart Podcast

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

  • “A New Spirit Confronts the Consequences of Colonialism,” by Adaorah Oduah, for Punch
  • “Facing Rum’s Problematic Past Is Allowing Producers to Embrace the Spirit’s Future,” by Christine Sismondo, for Imbibe
  • “Family Matters: The Mezcal Boom and the Lives of the Families who Make It,” by Noah Arenstein, for Imbibe
  • “Indigenous Women Working in Mezcal Are Ready to Be Recognized for Their Work,” by Shayna Conde, for Wine Enthusiast
  • “Meet the People Keeping Queer Bars Safe,” by Rax Will, for Punch
  • “Mexican Spirits, Philly Energy,” by Craig LaBan, for the Philadelphia Inquirer
  • “Sotol and the Making of the Next Big Drink,” by Rachel Monroe, for The New Yorker
  • “The Ghostly Outline of a Shadow — Tracing the Footsteps of Whiskey Near-Legend of Jokichi Takamine,” by Kara Newman, for Good Beer Hunting
  • “The Martini Whisperer,” by Robert Simonson, for Grub Street
  • “Why Has the Modern Cocktail Movement Ignored the LGBTQ+ Community?” by Brad Japhe, for VinePair

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

  • How to Make Better Cocktails: Cocktail Techniques, Pro-Tips and Recipes by Sebastian Hamilton-Mudge, Natalia Garcia Bourke and Andy Shannon
  • Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana
  • Saved by the Bellini & Other 90s-Inspired Cocktails by John deBary
  • Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster
  • Slow Drinks: A Field Guide to Foraging and Fermenting Seasonal Sodas, Botanical Cocktails, Homemade Wines, and More by Danny Childs
  • Strong, Sweet & Bitter by Cara Devine
  • The Book of Cocktail Ratios: The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails by Michael Ruhlman
  • The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts by Camper English
  • TROPICAL STANDARD: Cocktail Techniques and Reinvented Recipes by Garret Richard & Ben Schaffer
  • Wild Drinks: The New Old World of Small-Batch Brews, Ferments and Infusions by Sharon Flynn

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

  • A Field Guide to Tequila by Clayton Szczech
  • A Passion for Whisky: How the tiny Scottish island of Islay creates malts that captivate the world by Ian Wisniewsk
  • Hospitality DNA by Dave Nitzel and Dave Domzalski
  • How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life by Mandy Naglich
  • ICE: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks–a Cool History of a Hot Commodity by Amy Brady
  • Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice: A Cocktail Recipe Book Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin
  • The Absinthe Frappé by Marielle Songy
  • The Encyclopedia of Cocktails by Robert Simonson
  • The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion by Tess Rose Lampert
  • The Maison Premiere Almanac Cocktails, Oysters, Absinthe, and Other Essential Nutrients for the Sensualist, Aesthete, and Flaneur: A Cocktail Recipe Book by Joshua Boissy, Krystof Zizka, Jordan Mackay, William Eilliott

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES TOP 10 NOMINEES FOR THE 2024 SPIRITED AWARDS®

The 18th annual Spirited Awards® celebrates global excellence in the drinks industry and recognizes professionals, organizations, and establishments shaping the cocktail community
NEW ORLEANS, LA (May 29, 2024) — Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is honored to announce the Top 10 Nominees for the 18th annual Spirited Awards®. Since its founding in 2007, the Spirited Awards® has become one of the industry’s most sought-after awards, recognizing beverage professionals, products, and establishments across every facet of the spirits and cocktail community on a global scale. In partnership with Forbes–the Spirited Awards® official media partner–TOTCF will honor recipients during the Tales of the Cocktail® (TOTC) conference, which is celebrating its 22nd year in New Orleans, July 21-26, 2024.
The Spirited Awards® are comprised of industry accolades, both domestic and international; writing and media awards; and overall awards that transcend regionality, including World’s Best Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
“Once again we are in awe of the impeccable global talent coming out of our industry, and this year’s Spirited Awards shortlist is no exception,” said Charlotte Voisey, Spirited Awards Overall and International Chair. “We are so impressed by these nominees, their hard work and dedication to creating innovative and exceptional cocktails, and to improving the industry on a global level to provide extraordinary experiences and unmatched hospitality.”
In that spirit, the Foundation is proud to announce the Top 10 Nominees, broken into  International, U.S., Media & Writing, and Global categories.
Note: Please see above, with each category’s finalists listed in alphabetical order, as per Tales of the Cocktail. The categories are in a different order than that of the press release: US Categories, International Categories, Global Categories, and then Writing & Media Categories.

Spirited Awards® 2024

Spirited Awards Top 4 Finalists and the recipients for the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award presented by William Grant & Sons, Visionary Award presented by Johnnie Walker, & International/U.S. Timeless Awards presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation will be named on June 17. All winners will be celebrated on July 25 at the 18th Annual Spirited Awards® Ceremony at the Fillmore New Orleans. Spirited Awards® Ceremony tickets will be available via the TOTCF website on June 17.

Spirited Awards® Judges

Below is a list of Spirited Awards® Chairs, responsible for overseeing the judging process this year:

  • Spirited Awards® Overall Chair
    • Charlotte Voisey
  • Asia Pacific Co-Chairs
    • Sam Bygrave
    • Andrew Ho
    • Symphony Loo
    • Charmaine Thio
  • Canada Co-Chairs
    • Kate Boushel
    • Jonathan Smolensky
  • Europe Co-Chairs
    • Stephanie Jordan
    • Roberta Mariani
  • Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs
    • Carlos Aguinsky
    • Georgina Barbachano García
  • Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs
    • Stephen “KOJO” Aidoo
    • Caitlin Hill
    • Nana Sechere
  • U.S. Central Co-Chairs
    • Joshua Gandee
    • Lynn M. House
  • U.S. East Co-Chairs
    • Jackson Cannon
    • Jaymee Mandeville
  • U.S. West Co-Chairs
    • Jason Asher
    • Erin Schaeferle
  • Timeless Co-Chairs
    • Jared Brown
    • Anistatia Miller
  • Writing & Media Co-Chairs
    • Ryan Chetiyawardana
    • Emma Janzen
    • Sandrae Lawrence
Spirited Awards® judges are a collection of respected bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers from across the globe entrusted with this critical calling. Drawing on their years of experience and their knowledge of the current work being done locally, nationally, and internationally, together the judges can evaluate nominees from far and wide to ensure that the Spirited Awards® represents the breadth and diversity of the global drinks industry.
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® Committee is dedicated to valuing the inclusion of the communities the foundation serves, by ensuring that our judging panel reflects their incredible diversity in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Recognizing that inclusion is key to a well-represented committee, TOTCF strives to ensure that we have an equitable representation of gender across the judging panel. The Spirited Awards® are not based on popular vote and all nominations are evaluated by their respective judging committees.

Spirited Awards® Directory

Tales of the Cocktail is pleased to share the Spirited Awards® Directory Giving discerning imbibers a comprehensive compendium of all Spirited Awards® winners and nominees from the past 18 years. This resource is updated annually, making it a go-to guide for planning the perfect drinking and dining itinerary. Access Spirited Awards® Directory to explore award-winning bars.

A Special Thanks: Spirited Awards® Sponsors

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation would like to thank all of its Spirited Awards® sponsors: Del Maguey Mezcal, Diageo Bar Academy, Fords Gin, G. H. Mumm Champagne, Gin Mare, Grey Goose, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Johnnie Walker, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic, PATRÓN Tequila, Pernod Ricard, and William Grant & Sons.
To follow along for additional information on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, please visit the website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation:

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates, advances, and supports the global hospitality industry and creates lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in communities that host our events.

About Forbes

Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 140 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 42 licensed local editions in 68 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform.

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Graffiti of crossed chef's knives underneath a baseball cap that reads, "D.E.G."
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Chef Duffy x NRA Show: Live Menu Read

Chef Duffy x NRA Show: Live Menu Read

by David Klemt

Graffiti of crossed chef's knives underneath a baseball cap that reads, "D.E.G."

Chef Brian Duffy crushed it in Chicago at the 2024 National Restaurant Association Show.

We’re sharing tips from Chef Brian Duffy‘s live menu reads at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

These informative sessions are always standouts at industry trade shows and conferences. Both the operator who submits their menu anonymously and the audience gain valuable insight into menu programming and development.

In ten minutes or less, the Chef Duffy shares wisdom that’ll boost guest engagement; streamline and energize the kitchen; and help save on labor and food costs. And he won’t even Bar Rescue anyone who submits a menu. That is to say, no, he doesn’t yell at anyone while giving them tips for fixing their menu.

As Chef Duffy pointed out during his latest live menu reads, an operator’s menu has the potential to create generational wealth. However, it must be programmed properly for it to reach that potential.

So, ask yourself a question right now about your menu: Would you be proud for your menu, in its current state, to be plastered across a billboard? If not, I have another question for you: Why aren’t you taking the time to rectify that situation?

Your menu is your concept’s billboard. Treat it as such.

Oh, and one note for the NRA Show before we dive in: These sessions deserve at least two hours. One hour just isn’t enough given how impactful Chef Duffy’s live menu reads are for operators.

Menu Programming 101

There’s a logical reason why Chef Duffy is never short on menus to review. In fact, he addressed the situation directly at the 2024 NRA Show.

“Everybody has the same shit on their menu,” he stated frankly.

One explanation for why menus seem so similar makes a lot of sense.

“We’ve been told what to put on our menu buy our purveyors,” said Chef Duffy during his live menu read.

For the most part, operators are given the same product catalogs. These are circulated nationally, not regionally. So, everyone is ordering the same items. Clearly, Chef Duffy is fed up with this situation.

“We’re not here to do the same things that everyone else is,” declared Chef Duffy. “I don’t want to see that anymore.”

Menu #1: Sports Bar

This first menu featured a vibrant design that instilled a sense of patriotism. Chef Duffy theorized that he’d feel good spending time in this space, based on the menu’s appearance.

However, he wasn’t a fan of the layout of the menu. Taking up valuable real estate was a large catering ad, placed directly in the center.

In the top left were salads. “‘Add chicken to any salad,'” read Chef Duffy. “No shit. Why are we stopping at chicken? We can add anything to a salad.”

Based on his knowledge of food costs and the menu’s pricing, Chef Duffy deduced that the operator’s food costs were too high. In fact, he estimated that food costs were more than 31 percent. The burgers, he surmised, were running a 35-percent cost.

By the way, Chef Duffy always puts two slices of cheese on his burgers to fill the top out more. This delivers a more visually appealing experience, and a better bite.

On the topic of pricing, operators must maintain balance. For example, this first menu priced the addition of two slices of bacon at $3.50, but a chicken breast was six dollars. Two Chicago hotdogs cost more than a burger.

Menu #2: Breakfast Spot

Unfortunately, the operator committed one of Chef Duffy’s deadliest menu sins. There was a photo of the restaurant’s steak and eggs.

Worse, the image showed a rather large steak paired with a commodity egg. If this dish doesn’t leave the kitchen looking exactly like the picture, guests are going to be underwhelmed and unimpressed. Further, why are operators still trying to save money by buying commodity eggs?

However, there was a second deadly menu sin committed by the operator. Given the overall perception this menu delivered, the claim that at least one dish featured “wild-caught crab” didn’t ring true to Chef Duffy.

I’m confident in saying that I think lying on a menu may provoke Chef Duffy’s wrath more than a photo.

“If you lie to me on your menu, I will tear you apart,” he stated quite strongly.

That said, he did like the menu’s design (minus the photos). Even better, he recognized that there were several inventive spins on breakfast classics. Remember, “We’re not here to do the same things that everyone else is.”

Menu #3: Sports Bar

To be honest, I was expecting this type of menu. In fact, I thought it would be the first menu design encountered during this session.

Essentially, it was a collection of what everyone else has on their menus.

As an example, there were wings on the menu, and the sauces were anything but creative. Chef Duffy didn’t address it but they were also listed without commas, so they appeared to be one long, run-on sentence of a sauce.

The most glaring issues, however, were the pasta and the dessert. Both sections contained just a single item. That’s right—there was an entire section dedicated to one pasta dish. Moreover, it’s not like there were a number of modifiers one could select to personalize their pasta.

This was the item description underneath the dessert section (designated as “Closers”): “Dessert of the week – $8 Please ask your server for details.” There’s a significant issue with that description and placement, as identified by Chef Duffy.

If a menu includes desserts, the guest is likely going to forget about them after they’ve ordered their starter and entree. It’s far more effective to have a dessert tray or cart and train your servers to suggest dessert when they touch the table toward the end of the meal.

Takeaways

Chef Duffy throws in more tips during a single menu read than most people would expect.

Below are some of the takeaways that make his live menu reads so insightful:

  • Only list name brands if they come from a local farm. This approach shows that an operator cares about supporting local producers and is part of the community.
  • Use the best ingredients for the specific concept.
  • If a restaurant features housemade buns for burgers and/or bread for sandwiches, they should offer a version as an appetizer. Really make this idea shine by also offering housemade specialty butters.
  • Operators that have chips on their menus should use the crumbles and “dust” to make breading for other items. After all, the chips have been paid for already—use all of them.
  • It’s better and more impactful to have 25 items on a menu that are executed perfectly than 50 items that are executed poorly.
  • Chef Duffy doesn’t agree with omitting prices from menus. “Why? Are we negotiating? Are we negotiating before I place my order?”

Connect with Chef Duffy on Instagram, and learn more about him on the Duffified Experience Group website.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

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Blueprint-style interior hotel design in the art style of cyberpunk
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Award-winning Products from HD Expo 2024

Award-winning Products from HD Expo 2024

by David Klemt

Blueprint-style interior hotel design in the art style of cyberpunk

A design for a hotel in the world of Tron, apparently. Thank you, AI!

Congratulations to the fourteen winners across the thirteen 2024 Hospitality Design Awards categories, and each of this year’s incredible finalists.

As you’ll see while scrolling, these awards cover essentially everything you need to outfit a hotel, glampground, restaurant, or bar.

Looking for furniture? Check out the finalists and winners below. Standout flooring? Of course. Lighting, seating, textiles, and more? Just scroll, my friend.

For this list, I’ve included an Instagram (and in one case, LinkedIn) post from the category winner. Interestingly, there are two winners in the flooring category.

However, one of the finalists really stood out to me when I attended this year’s HD Expo. I think it will be a game-changer for our boutique hotel and lodge clients.

From Functional Furnishings—quite the apt moniker—comes the Armoire Kitchen. Not only is this item an innovative and attractive space-saving device, I think it would perform very well with wall beds.

Not to be confused with Murphy beds, wall beds flip up against the wall to save space. When flipped down, they could flank the Armoire Kitchen. Conversely, when flipped up and away to save space, the Armoire Kitchen doors should be able to open fully without interference from the wall beds.

Boutique hotel, motel, lodge, and glamping site operators looking to maximize space should look into this inventive item.

Accessories + Specialty Products

Winner: BUILD WALLS by Samuelson Furniture

Runner-up: Armoire Kitchen from Functional Furnishings

Runner-up: Circa Bar Cart from Forbes Industeries

Bath

 

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A post shared by Native Trails Home (@nativetrails)

Winner: Winemaker Series from Native Trails

Runner-up: Allegro from Hastings Bath Collection

Runner-up: Mixed Metal Bath Accessories from WingIts

Casegoods + Furniture

 

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A post shared by OMET (@ometdesign)

Winner: Il Console from OMET

Runner-up: Cafe Collection from Fyrn

Runner-up: NRxTMH self-stabilizing table base from NOROCK

Custom Art + Installations

Winner: Braids by Beth Kahmi from Kevin Barry Art Advisory

Runner-up: Art Installation at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort from Local Language

Runner-up: Chain Portrait from DAC Art Consulting

Runner-up: Feature Art Wall at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando from Art and Objects

Flooring

 

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A post shared by Nemo Tile + Stone (@nemotile)

Winner: Leon from Nemo Tile + Stone

 

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A post shared by Brintons Americas (@brintonsamericas)

Winner: Wanderwell from Brintons

Runner-up: Invictus Series from Arizona Tile

Lighting

 

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A post shared by LedsC4 (@leds_c4)

Winner: Tubs Modular from LedsC4

Runner-up: Avalon from CTO Lighting

Runner-up: Baton Reader LED from Astro Lighting

Runner-up: PushUp Pro Zafferano America

Outdoor Furnishings

 

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A post shared by Azzurro Living (@azzurroliving)

Winner: Cozumel Club Chair by Brandon Kershner from Azzurro Living

Runner-up: Milano Lounge Chair from Paulduan Creations Inc.

Runner-up: Nit from Bover Barcelona

Runner-up: Wave Chaise Lounge by Brandon Kershner from Azzurro Living

Seating

 

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A post shared by DesignByThem (@designbythem)

Winner: Twill by Gibson Karlo from DesignByThem

Runner-up: Avila Dining Chair from Charter Furniture

Runner-up: Bao from HBF

Runner-up: Skald Lounge Chair from Blu Dot

Surfaces

Winner: Pose by Defne Koz from AKDO

Runner-up: Botanicus by Allison Eden from AKDO

Runner-up: Dylan from Nemo Tile + Stone

Runner-up: Spectra from Emser Tile

Sustainable Solutions

 

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A post shared by bläanks (@blaankshospitality)

Winner: Honeycomb and Cane from bläanks

Runner-up: Cork Furniture from Greenmood USA

Runner-up: Otratex from Fil Doux Textiles

Technology

Winner: Maestro from MODIO Guestroom Acoustic Control

Runner-up: FreePower for Countertop from FreePower

Textiles + Fabrics

 

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A post shared by United Fabrics (@unitedfabrics)

Winner: Chessie from United Fabrics

Runner-up: Currents: Sunbrella x David Rockwell Collection

Runner-up: The Finnegan Wool Collection from Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering

Runner-up: The Kimono Collection by Studio Twist

Wallcoverings

 

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A post shared by Maya Romanoff (@mayaromanoff)

Winner: Conduit from Maya Romanoff

Runner-up: Perfectly Plush from Phillip Jeffries

Runner-up: Tapestry from Calico Wallpaper

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

Prototype Layouts Bars Restaurants Hotels Test Drawing KRG Hospitality

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Be the RTD You Want to See in the World

Juan, Please: Be the RTD You Want to See in the World

by David Klemt

Pete Flores, the founder of brand-new ready-to-drink cocktail brand Juan, Please, is on a mission to bring the TLT to the world.

And what is a TLT? It’s Tequila, Lemonade, Tea, the first expression in the Juan, Please RTD portfolio.

You may be familiar with a different name for this particular cocktail. Like the John Daly is a vodka-spiked version of the iconic Arnold Palmer, a Juan Daly is an Arnold Palmer made with tequila.

As it turns out, the Arnold Palmer is Flores’ favorite alcohol-free beverage. He explains on an upcoming episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Flores added tequila to an AriZona Arnold Palmer several years ago.

You’ll learn on his episode that Flores assumed someone would surely bring a Juan Daly RTD to market. However, after a couple of years of waiting, he realized he and his business partners were going to be those someones.

In fact, by the time you read this, Flores and his team will be fresh off the official Juan, Please launch party that took place in Hoboken, New Jersey. And really, what day could’ve been better than Cinco de Mayo to launch this brand?

 

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A post shared by Juan, Please (@drinkjuanplease)

For now, Juan, Please is available only in New Jersey. However, New York is next, possibly as early as June 1 of this year. With any luck (and interest by you and other operators and bar professionals), major markets throughout the US will follow before year’s end.

Keep your ears out for our upcoming chat with Flores, and keep an eye out for your opportunity to taste Juan, Please.

Cheers!

Introducing Juan, Please Set to Disrupt the Canned Cocktail Market with Tequila-Infused Innovations

Juan Please is poised to redefine the category with its inaugural product: the T.L.T.—Tequila, Lemonade, and Tea Launching May 5th, 2024, in New Jersey.

New York, NY – April 23, 2024 – Today marks the unveiling of Juan, Please, a bold new player in the world of Ready-to-Drink cocktails, set to make waves with its unique lineup of tequila-based beverages launching on Cinco de Mayo in New Jersey. Juan, Please is poised to redefine the category with its inaugural product: the T.L.T. – Tequila, Lemonade, Tea, a non-carbonated drink with only Juan gram of sugar and 7% ABV.

The inspiration for Juan, Please struck when founder Peter Flores, a tequila enthusiast and fan of Arnold Palmers, noticed a glaring gap in the market for tequila-based canned cocktails. After years of waiting for someone to introduce this concept, Peter decided to take matters into his own hands, building a team with like-minded colleagues to embark on this spirited venture.

“Flores emphasizes that ‘Juan, Please’ embodies the essence of joy—laughter, dancing, and life—sealed within each can, reflecting his life’s cherished moments.” “As we embark on the brand’s journey in our home state of New Jersey, it feels like all of the friends we grew up with are on the ride with us.”

Since its soft launch in early 2024, Juan, Please has already gained traction in select venues across New Jersey, including notable Mexican restaurants and prestigious country clubs. The brand is now gearing up for its official launch on Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, 2024, at Pier 13 in Hoboken, promising attendees a taste of innovation and celebration.

Peter Flores, the visionary behind Juan, Please, brings over two decades of experience in hospitality, entertainment, and advertising. His mission is clear: to encapsulate the essence of good times, laughter, and joy into every can of Juan, Please.

“The T.L.T marks the pioneering spirit of our venture. Our upcoming expansion into New York City in June 2024 will debut two exciting new flavors: a Mezcal Old Fashioned and a Tequila Reposado Espresso Martini. ‘Juan, Please’ is positioned to establish itself as the premier choice for those seeking innovative twists on classic cocktails, marking just the beginning of our flavorful story. Says Flores”

The launch event will take place on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo, on Pier 13 in Hoboken from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. There will be a Juan on Juan Challenge (game with a giveaway), drink specials, and Juan will be in attendance in the costume for pictures. Attendees will experience the excitement and flavor that Juan, Please brings to the market. Juan, Please is set to carve out its niche as the go-to choice for those seeking a fresh take on classic cocktails.

About Juan, Please

Juan, Please is a dynamic alcohol startup brand reshaping the Ready-to-Drink cocktail market with its innovative lineup of tequila-infused beverages. Founded by Peter Flores, Juan, Please offers a range of premium canned cocktails designed to deliver exceptional flavor and convenience. The flagship product, the T.L.T. Tequila, Lemonade, Tea, is a non-carbonated drink with only Juan gram of sugar and 7% ABV. Juan, Please embodies our commitment to crafting unique combinations that capture the spirit of celebration. Inspired by Peter’s passion for tequila and classic cocktails, Juan, Please introduces a fresh take on familiar favorites, promising unforgettable experiences with every sip. Join us as we redefine the art of cocktail culture, one can at a time.

Image: Juan, Please

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Menu Development Drinks Food

Surfside ready-to-drink canned vodka cocktails 2024 lineup
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Surf Into Summer with These RTDs

Surf into Summer with These RTDs

by David Klemt

Surfside ready-to-drink canned vodka cocktails 2024 lineup

There’s big news coming out of Philadelphia’s Stateside Vodka, the team that crafts the Surfside line of popular vodka-lemonade and vodka-tea RTDs.

In preparation for summer, Surfside is making two huge strides to establish itself in the RTD space.

The brand, which describes itself as “Sunshine in a Can,” launched in 2022. Interestingly, and possibly surprisingly for some, Surfside RTDs don’t feature carbonation. Moreover, they boast just 100 calories, 2 grams of sugar, and are sessionable at just 4.5-percent ABV.

Currently, there are four variations for consumers to enjoy: Iced Tea + Vodka, Peach Tea + Vodka, Half & Half + Vodka and Lemonade + Vodka.

However, that’s about to change…

Spectacular Growth

Since the brand’s launch, Surfside has racked up accolades and achievements. For example, Market Watch bestowed its “2023 Hot Brand Award” upon the RTD lineup last year.

Of particular note is the brand’s sales growth. With distribution in a mere 17 states, Surfside hit the 1.3-million-case mark by the end of last year. That achievement speaks to one of the brand’s announcements directly: Starting this summer, Surfside will be available in 48 US states.

And the second announcement? A lineup expansion in addition to the distribution expansion. Five new flavors will join the lineup: Green Tea + Vodka, Raspberry Tea + Vodka, Raspberry Lemonade + Vodka, Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka, and Black Cherry + Lemonade.

Driving visibility and brand awareness are partnerships with Minor and Major League Baseball. In fact, the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are on board with Surfside.

Taken the together, these announcements show that Surfside is poised to be the RTD of the summer. That means operators and their teams need to keep an ear out for guests asking if their bar or restaurant carries Surfside. Given the brand’s growth, it’s likely that consumers across the US will try it, like it, and expect to find it on-premise.

Or, put more simply: Guests are going to expect to be able to order Surfside when they’re out at bars, restaurants, dayclubs, and nightclubs.

Will this be the brand to challenge White Claw and Truly for RTD dominance? Only time will tell, but 2024 may just prove to be the Summer of Surfside.

You’ll find the official press release below. Cheers!

SURFSIDE KICKS OFF THE SUMMER SEASON WITH FIVE NEW FLAVORS, NATIONWIDE EXPANSION AND MLB + MiLB PARTNERSHIPS

Premium Canned Cocktail Brand Announces New Fruit-Forward Flavors and Availability in 48 States for Summer as Sales Continue to Skyrocket

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 24, 2024) – Surfside, the spirits-based iced tea and lemonade ready-to-drink category leader, proudly announces national expansion and the launch of five new flavors just in time for summer: Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Black Cherry Lemonade, Raspberry Iced Tea and Green Tea. These fruit-forward flavor innovations along with a new Lemonade Variety 8-Pack are a highly anticipated next step for the independently-owned brand to further fuel its meteoric rise in popularity.

Founded by Philadelphia natives and brothers Matt and Bryan Quigley, and Clement and Zach Pappas, Surfside achieved 1.3 million cases sold in 2023, growing +563% versus a year ago. Remarkably, the brand achieved that volume despite only being distributed in seven states at the beginning of 2023. Surfside was also the highest velocity selling spirits-based RTD per retail outlet in 2023,* averaging at about 2.5 cases sold per minute.

Over the course of 2023 and 2024, Surfside has expanded distribution nationwide to 48 states. With the national expansion, Surfside is also reimagining the baseball experience as the official RTD Vodka Iced Tea and Vodka Lemonade of Minor League Baseball. This partnership is a natural evolution since becoming the #1 selling spirits-brand at Citizens Bank Park in 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies.** Additional MLB partnerships kick off this season with the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for us as our mission from day one has been to build Surfside into a true national brand,” said Surfside CEO Clement Pappas. “The addition of the three new lemonade flavors, two new iced teas and the Lemonade Variety 8-pack were highly requested by our fans and is our way of showing love and appreciation for those who have helped us get here. We look forward to taking Surfside across the country and introducing to more new fans this upcoming summer season.”

In addition to the new flavors, the Surfside portfolio includes the classic Iced Tea, Peach Tea, Half and Half and Lemonade. Surfside is made with premium vodka, real tea, and has only 100 calories, 2g of sugar and 0 bubbles. “We take enormous pride in crafting the best-tasting ready-to-drink products in the industry. All of our Surfside Iced Tea and Lemonade flavors have been developed in-house with our team, from the formulation to the branding and packaging,” adds Surfside President Matt Quigley. “Everything fun about the summer is even better with a Surfside in hand.”

The new flavors joining the existing portfolio include the following varieties:

  • Surfside Raspberry Lemonade + Vodka (4.5% ABV): A quintessentially summer combination of natural raspberry flavors and lemonade.
  • Surfside Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka (4.5% ABV): A summer staple for enjoyment at any time, Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka brings the good vibes.
  • Surfside Black Cherry Lemonade + Vodka (4.5% ABV): Natural black cherry flavor and Lemonade, the Surfside way.
  • Surfside Raspberry Tea + Vodka (4.5% ABV): A fruit-forward flavor of the Iced Tea + Vodka that put Surfside on the map.
  • Surfside Green Tea + Vodka (4.5% ABV): Made with premium vodka and real green tea with notes of honey and ginseng, this summer sipper will keep you cool all season.

Fans existing and new can continue to enjoy the original portfolio varieties:

  • Surfside Iced Tea + Vodka (4.5% ABV): Crafted with premium vodka and real black tea, for high-quality taste and enjoyment.
  • Surfside Peach Iced Tea + Vodka (4.5% ABV): The first flavored tea from the brand giving the same taste we know and love with a big ol’ punch of peach.
  • Surfside Half & Half + Vodka (4.5% ABV): A refreshing twist on the classic, half iced tea and half lemonade.
  • Surfside Lemonade + Vodka (4.5% ABV): A delicious summer staple made with natural lemon flavors and premium vodka.

The complete Surfside portfolio is available direct-to-consumer in Pennsylvania and in-stores across the United States. Surfside is line priced with an SRP $9.99 for a 4-pack of cans and an SRP of $19.99 for the Variety 8-pack (available in Starter Pack and Lemonade Pack). With Surfside’s national expansion also comes a new website and Instagram handle: visit www.drinksurfside.com for more information and follow along on Instagram @drinksurfside.

*Source: Circana MULO+C L26W ending 11.12.23

**Source: Aramark data, 2023

About Surfside

Surfside is a line of premium iced tea + vodka and lemonade + vodka canned cocktails recognized for its delicious full flavor taste and sunset stripes on the can for good vibes ahead. Founded by two sets of Philadephia-native brothers, Matt and Bryan Quigley and Clement and Zach Pappas, this group of entrepreneurs is also the brains behind the award-winning, independently owned Stateside Vodka (Beverage Testing Institute Gold Medal 2024). Since launching in 2022, Surfside grew from a beloved Philly cocktail to a ready-to-drink brand achieving triple-digit growth within two years, rocketing the category forward nationwide. It has received beverage industry recognition as a 2023 “Hot Brand” in Shanken’s IMPACT Magazine and a 2022 “Rising Star Award ” in Brewbound.

At 4.5% ABV, Surfside is made with premium vodka and real tea with just 2g of sugar, 100 calories and 0 bubbles. Varieties of this “Sunshine in a Can” include Iced Tea + Vodka, Peach Tea + Vodka, Half & Half + Vodka and Lemonade + Vodka. In Summer 2024, the brand will expand to include Raspberry Tea + Vodka, Raspberry Lemonade + Vodka, Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka, Black Cherry Lemonade + Vodka and Green Tea + Vodka. Available in 4-packs (SRP: $10.99) and an 8-can variety pack (SRP: $19.99), Surfside is perfect for a boat day, concert, baseball game or a relaxing day on the beach. To learn more, visit www.drinksurfside.com and follow along on Instagram @drinksurfside.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this post.

Image: Cole Quiqley

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Menu Development Drinks Food

AI-generated image of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award on top of a bar, next to a cocktail
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

TOTCF Reveals Regional Top 10 Honorees

TOTCF Reveals Regional Top 10 Honorees

by David Klemt

AI-generated image of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award on top of a bar, next to a cocktail

This is what Shutterstock’s AI think a Spirited Award looks like. At least the spelling is accurate.

Please join us in raising a glass of your favorite beverage—full-, low-, or no-ABV—to the 18th annual Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honorees.

Overall, New York City lays claim to the most honorees with a staggering 27. In second place among the American cities is Chicago, with 17 honorees. New Orleans comes in at third with 13 honorees dotted throughout the city.

That brings us to Canada. There’s a tie between Montréal, Québec, and Toronto, Ontario, for first place. Each city boasts 15 Regional Top 10 Honorees. Vancouver follows with 11 honorees. Appearing in two categories is Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’s Dear Friend Bar. There are also two honorees in Québec City, Québec.

As you can see, a handful of cities throughout North America are doing very well in terms of the bar scene. Internationally, London is home to 17 honorees, Singapore claims 15, and Mexico City boasts 12 honorees.

You’ll find the entire list of honorees below, starting with America. What can I say? I just have to be different. Cheers!

American Honorees

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

Best US Bar Team: US Central

  • Anna’s (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Best Intentions (Chicago, Illinois)
  • DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
  • Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Jewel of the South (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Meteor (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • Nickel City (Austin, Texas)
  • Sportsman’s Club (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Bar Team: US East

  • Allegory DC (Washington, DC)
  • Bar Belly (New York, New York)
  • Bar Goto (New York, New York)
  • Martiny’s (New York, New York)
  • Milady’s (New York, New York)
  • Mister Paradise (New York, New York)
  • Old Glory (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Overstory (New York, New York)
  • Proof (Charleston, South Carolina)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Bar Team: US West

  • Accomplice Bar (Los Angeles, California)
  • Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Employees Only Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
  • Highball Cocktail Bar (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Navy Strength (Seattle, Washington)
  • Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)
  • Strong Water Anaheim (Anaheim, California)
  • Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
  • True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Del Maguey Mezcal

Best US Cocktail Bar: US Central*

  • Adiõs Bar (Birmingham, Alabama)
  • Bar Tonique (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Best Intentions (Chicago, Illinois)
  • DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
  • Here Nor There (Austin, Texas)
  • Julep (Houston, Texas)
  • Kiesling (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Meadowlark (Chicago, Illinois)
  • MONEYGUN (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Sparrow (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Standby (Detroit, Michigan)

Best US Cocktail Bar: US East

  • Bar Belly (New York, New York)
  • 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)
  • Martiny’s (New York, New York)
  • Milady’s (New York, New York)
  • Mister Paradise (New York, New York)
  • Overstory (New York, New York)
  • Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Cocktail Bar: US West

  • Baby Gee (Long Beach, California)
  • Capri Club (Los Angeles, California)
  • Foreign National (Seattle, Washington)
  • Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
  • Highball Cocktail Bar (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • The Doctor’s Office (Seattle, Washington)
  • Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
  • Trick Dog (San Francisco, California)
  • True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
  • Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

Best US Hotel Bar: US Central

  • Catbird at Thompson Dallas Hotel (Dallas, Texas)
  • Chandelier Bar at Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Dovetail Bar at The Schaeffer Hotel (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Lazy Bird at The Hoxton (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Midnight Rambler at The Joule (Dallas, Texas)
  • Milk Room at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Otoko x Watertrade at South Congress Hotel (Austin, Texas)
  • The Elysian Bar at Hotel Peter and Paul (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Vol. 39 at The Kimpton Gray Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Hotel Bar: US East

  • 27 Restaurant at Freehand Miami (Miami Beach, Florida)
  • Allegory DC (Washington, DC)
  • Champagne Bar at Four Seasons at The Surf Club (Miami, Florida)
  • Dear Irving on Hudson at Aliz Hotel (New York, New York)
  • Frannie & The Fox at Emeline (Charleston, South Carolina)
  • Lobby Bar at The Hotel Chelsea (New York, New York)
  • MATADOR BAR at The Miami Beach EDITION (Miami Beach, Florida)
  • Nubeluz at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad (New York, New York)
  • Raines Law Room at The William (New York, New York)
  • White Limozeen at The Graduate Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee)

Best US Hotel Bar: US West

  • Ardor at The West Hollywood EDITION (West Hollywood, California)
  • Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Mountaineering Club at Graduate Seattle Hotel (Seattle, Washington)
  • Pacific Standard at KEX Portland (Portland, Oregon)
  • Pint + Jigger at the Ala Moana Hotel (Honolulu, Hawaii)
  • Rise Over Run at the LINE Hotel (San Francisco, California)
  • Rudolph’s Bar & Tea at Freehand LA (Los Angeles, California)
  • The Manor Bar at  Rosewood Miramar Beach (Montecito, California)
  • The Maybourne Bar at The Maybourne Hotel Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills, California)
  • The Ski Lodge at Superfrico at The Cosmopolitan (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Best US Restaurant Bar: US Central*

  • Bar Pigalle (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Brennan’s Restaurant (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Coquette (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Daisies (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Espiritu Mezcaleria (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
  • Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Maple & Ash (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Rose Mary (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  • The Loyalist (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US East

  • Amazonia (Washington DC)
  • Blossom Bar (Brookline, Massachusetts)
  • Bresca (Washington, DC)
  • Cosme (New York, New York)
  • 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)
  • The Grey (Savannah, Georgia)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US West

  • Accomplice Bar (Los Angeles, California)
  • Bar Cecil (Palm Springs, California)
  • Cleaver — Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • L’Oursin (Seattle, Washington)
  • Lolo (San Francisco, California
  • Palomar (Portland, Oregon)
  • République (Los Angeles, California)
  • Strong Water Anaheim (Anaheim, California)
  • Valentine (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Viridian (Oakland, California)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US Central

  • Cobra (Columbus, Ohio)
  • daydreamer (Austin, Texas)
  • Equipment Room (Austin, Texas)
  • Good Night John Boy (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Jolie (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Lemon (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Murray’s Tavern (Austin, Texas)
  • Saint Valentine (Dallas, Texas)
  • The Eastman (Rochester, Michigan)
  • Wild Child (Kansas City, Missouri)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US East

  • Bartley Dunne’s (New York, New York)
  • Curean (Greenville, South Carolina)
  • Equal Measure (Boston, Massachusetts)
  • Jac’s On Bond (New York, New York)
  • Medium Cool (Miami Beach, Florida)
  • Papi Portland (Portland, Maine)
  • Paradise Lost (New York, New York)
  • Pretty Decent (Louisville, Kentucky)
  • Superbueno (New York, New York)
  • The Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel (New York, New York)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US West

  • Aphotic (San Francisco, California)
  • Bar Next Door (Los Angeles, California)
  • Cavaña at LUMA Hotel (San Francisco, California)
  • Dark Room (Seattle, Washington)
  • Dirty Pretty (Portland, Oregon)
  • Donna’s (Los Angeles, California)
  • FYPM (Phoenix, Arizona)
  • Hey Kiddo (Denver, Colorado)
  • Ok Yeah (Denver, Colorado)
  • STOA (San Francisco, California)

International Honorees

Best International Bar Team presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Best International Bar Team: Asia Pacific (APAC)

  • ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
  • ATLAS (Singapore)
  • Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina Hotel (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Double Deuce Lounge (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Hope & Sesame Guangzhou (Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)
  • Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
  • Native (Singapore)
  • Night Hawk (Singapore)
  • Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)

Best International Bar Team: Canada*

  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Cry Baby Gallery (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • Laowai (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • The Cloakroom Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • The Coldroom (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Bar Team: Europe

  • 1930 Cocktail Bar (Milan, Italy)
  • Bar 1661 (Dublin, Ireland)
  • Cinquanta Spirito Italiano (Pagani, Italy)
  • Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel (Bratislava, Slovakia)
  • Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Satan’s Whiskers (London, England, UK)
  • Tayēr + Elementary (London, England, UK)
  • The Cambridge Public House (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)

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

  • Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
  • La Uat (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Zapote Bar at Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Best International Bar Team: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

  • COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • fable (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • Front/Back Accra (Accra, Ghana)
  • Lost + Found Drinkery (Nicosia, Cyprus)
  • LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Mimi Kakushi (Dubai, UAE)
  • Salmon Guru Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Sin + Tax (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)
  • The Drinkery (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patrón Tequila

Best International Cocktail Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

  • Above Board (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • BYRDI (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • COA (Hong Kong, China)
  • Hope & Sesame Guangzhou (Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)
  • Maybe Sammy (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
  • The Bellwood (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
  • The Cocktail Club (Jakarta, Javo, Indonesia)
  • ZEST (Seoul, South Korea)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Canada*

  • Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Bar Mordecai (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Bar Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Cocktail Bar (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • Laowai (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Milky Way Cocktail Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • The Cloakroom Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • The Raven Room (Whistler, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Europe

  • 🔶🟥🔵 A Bar with Shapes for a Name (London, UK)
  • Drink Kong (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
  • HIMKOK (Oslo, Østlandet, Norway)
  • Kwãnt (London, UK)
  • Line Athens (Athens, Greece)
  • Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)
  • Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Röda Huset (Stockholm, Södermanland and Uppland, Sweden)
  • Satan’s Whiskers (London, England, UK)
  • Three Sheets Bar (London, England, UK)

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

  • ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena des Indias, Bolívar, Colombia)
  • Bon Vivants (Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas)
  • Carnaval Bar (Lima, Peru)
  • El Barón Cafe & Cocktail Bar (Cartagena des Indias, Bolívar, Colombia)
  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
  • La Uat (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Oh No! Lulu (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • The Liquor Store (São Paulo, Brazil)
  • Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

  • CAUSE | EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • Dead End Paradise (Beirut, Lebanon)
  • Front/Back Accra (Accra, Ghana)
  • Galaxy Bar (Dubai, UAE)
  • Honeycomb Hi-Fi (Dubai, UAE)
  • Salmon Guru Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Shinkō (Cairo, Egypt)
  • Sin + Tax (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)
  • The Drinkery (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • The House of Machines (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Ford’s Gin

Best International Hotel Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

  • ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
  • Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
  • BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Charles H. at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul (Seoul, South Korea)
  • DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
  • Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina Hotel (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore)
  • The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • VIRTÙ at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo Otemachi (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
  • Writers Bar at Raffles Singapore Hotel (Singapore)

Best International Hotel Bar: Canada

  • Bar 1608 at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (Québec City, Québec, Canada)
  • Bar George at Le Mount Stephen Hotel (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Clive’s Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Clockwork Champagne & Cocktails at Fairmont Royal York Hotel (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Marcus Lounge and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Montréal (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Nacarat at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • The Lobby Lounge and RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Writers Room Bar at Park Hyatt (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Best International Hotel Bar: Europe*

  • Atrium Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
  • Avra Bar at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens (Athens, Greece)
  • Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel (Bratislava, Slovakia)
  • Punch Room at The Madrid EDITION (Madrid, Spain)
  • Seed Library at One Hundred Shoreditch Hotel (London, England, UK)
  • Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London (London, England, UK)
  • Super Lyan at Kimpton De Witt (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)
  • The Court at Palazzo Manfredi (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
  • The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel (London, England, UK)
  • Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese at Corinthia London (London, England, UK)

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

  • BEKEB at Hotel Casa Hoyos (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)
  • Carlotta Reforma at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Fifty Mils at  Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Hotel B at Relais & Châteaux (Lima, Peru)
  • King Cole Bar at The St. Regis Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • La Botica at Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico)
  • Library by the Sea at Kimpton Seafire Resort (Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands)
  • NKIRU Bar at 45 by Director Hotel (Santiago, Chile)
  • Rabo di Galo at Rosewood São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)
  • Zapote Bar at Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Best International Hotel Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)*

  • Blind Tiger at Jumeirah Al Naseem (Dubai, UAE)
  • Electric Pawn Shop at the Dubai Hotel (Dubai, UAE)
  • Flashback Speakeasy Bar & Lounge at Paramount Hotel Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Gigi Rooftop Restaurant & Bar at the Gorgeous George Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • HERO at Trademark Hotel (Nairobi, Kenya)
  • Jiko Restaurant at Tribe Hotel (Nairobi, Kenya)
  • Library Bar at The Abu Dhabi EDITION (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
  • Monkey Bar at 25hours Hotel (Dubai, UAE)
  • Smoke & Mirrors at SLS Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • The Bulgari Bar at the The Bulgari Resort Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • The Leopard Bar at the Twelve Apostles Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Gin Mare

Best International Restaurant Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

  • Alba Bar & Deli (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
  • Burnt Ends (Singapore)
  • Caffe Fernet (Singapore)
  • Gimlet at Cavendish House (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • Neon Pigeon (Singapore)
  • PANTJA (Jakarta, Javo, Indonesia)
  • Ralph’s Bar (Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
  • SG Low (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
  • Sugarhall (Singapore)
  • Vender Bar (Taichung City, Taiwan)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Canada

  • Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • Honō Izakaya (Québec City, Québec, Canada)
  • Le Majestique (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Major Tom (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
  • Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provision (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
  • Quetzal (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Restaurant Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Rouge Gorge (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • SUYO (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Europe

  • Angelita (Madrid, Spain)
  • Bar Lupo (Zürich, Switzerland)
  • Carico Milano (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
  • Danico (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • Galileo (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Gucci Giardino 25 (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
  • Hakkasan (London, England, UK)
  • Le Mary Celeste (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • Locale Firenze (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
  • Sins of Sal (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)

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

  • ARCA Tulum (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  • Aruba Day Drink Bar (Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico)
  • Bar Carmen Medellín (Medellín, Aburrá Valley, Colombia)
  • Casa Prunes (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Jardín Tragos y Pasteles (Bogotá, Colombia)
  • Lady Bee (Lima, Peru)
  • Mamba Negra (Medellín, Aburrá Valley, Colombia)
  • Niño Gordo (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Tan Tan (São Paulo, Brazil)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

  • Amelia Restaurant & Lounge (Dubai, UAE)
  • Asoka (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • Bôndai Restaurant & Bar (Accra, Ghana)
  • COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Funky Monkey (Diani Beach, Kwale County, Kenya)
  • LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Mimi Kakushi (Dubai, UAE)
  • Roka Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • Upper Union (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
  • Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

  • Apollo Inn (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  • Bar Leone (Hong Kong, China)
  • Bar Us (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Cat Bite Club (Singapore)
  • El Primo Sanchez (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Fura (Singapore)
  • Puffy Bois Pizza (Singapore)
  • The Savory Project (Hong Kong, China)
  • The Waratah (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Tokyo Confidential (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Canada

  • Bar Bello (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Bar Bisou Bisou (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Bar Dominion (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Bon Délire (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
  • Charlie’s Watch Repair (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
  • Electric Bill Bar (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Humboldt Bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
  • LE TIGRE (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  • Must be the Place (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
  • Overpressure Club (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Europe*

  • Abstract Bistrot (Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)
  • Bar Llama (Madrid, Spain)
  • Bar Nouveau (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • Dram Bar (London, England, UK)
  • Equal Parts (London, England, UK)
  • Groovy Fluids (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)
  • Rumore (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
  • Savoy Brasserie & Bar at Mandarin Oriental Savoy (Zürich, Switzerland)
  • The Honey Moon (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
  • Twice Shy (London, England, UK)
  • Vesper Bar at The Dorchester (London, England, UK)
  • Viajante87 (London, England, UK)
  • Wacky Wombat (London, England, UK)

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

  • 1929 Cocktail Bar (Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico)
  • Alofah Tiki Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Bijou Drinkery Room (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Booze The Bar Room (Lima, Peru)
  • Cielo Bar (La Paz, Pedro Domingo Murillo, Bolivia)
  • Cocktail & Bites (Bayamón, Puerto Rico)
  • Hoja Santa (Aguascalientes, Mexico)
  • SOFÁ – un bar (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • The Dilly Club (Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas)
  • The M Bar at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

  • 7 Tales at Grosvenor House (Dubai, UAE)
  • Kōzo Kigali (Kigali, Rwanda)
  • Ling Ling at Atlantis The Royal (Dubai, UAE)
  • Mii-Yao (Beirut, Lebanon)
  • Moonshine (Dubai, UAE)
  • No.19 Accra (Accra, Ghana)
  • SOON Izakaya (Dubai, UAE)
  • Soul Kitchen Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
  • The Smiths (Lagos, Nigeria)
  • Uchi DIFC (Dubai, UAE)

Note: An asterisk denotes a category with more than 10 honorees due to a tie.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform.

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

Small campervan made from VW Beetle on the side of the highway
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Campspot’s Top Canadian & US Campgrounds

Campspot’s Top Canadian & US Campgrounds

by David Klemt

Small campervan made from VW Beetle on the side of the highway

Campspot helps campers, road-trippers, and adventurers select their next place to call home when traveling throughout North America.

Visitors to the Campspot site will find reviews and lists of amenities for more than 230,000 campgrounds.

Further, they select ten campgrounds across several categories for their Campspot Awards. Below, the top ten Campspot campgrounds for 2024 in Canada and the US. Oh, and there’s a bonus section for the five glamping sites that earned Campspot Awards.

However, I’ve done more than just share a few awards lists. In this article, I’ve also shared what basics and amenities these campgrounds have in common, and a number of standout features.

It’s important for current and future campground operators to know what guests expect, and what will make their visits memorable (in a good way).

Let’s check out this year’s award winners!

2024 Campspot Awards: Canada

  • Pathfinder Camp Resorts: Agassiz-Harrison, 4.6 stars (Agassiz, British Columbia)
  • Pinnacle Trails Resort, 4.4 stars (Yellowhead County, Alberta)
  • Sun Retreats Sherkston Shores, 4.4 stars (Sherkston, Ontario)
  • Village Des Écluses, 4.4 stars (Pointe-des-Cascades, Québec)
  • River Run Resort & Grill, 4.2 stars (Kingsclear, New Brunswick)
  • Dinosaur Trail RV Resort & Cabins, 4.1 stars (Drumheller, Alberta)
  • Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Kingston, 4.0 stars (Kingston, Nova Scotia)
  • Candle Lake Golf Resort, 4.0 stars (Candle Lake, Saskatchewan)
  • Logos Land Resort, 3.7 stars (Cobden, Ontario)
  • Pacific Playgrounds Oceanside Resort, 3.2 stars (Black Creek, British Columbia)

2024 Campspot Awards: US

  • Brialee Family Campground, 4.9 stars (Ashford, Connecticut)
  • Greenbrier Campground, 4.9 stars (Gatlinburg, Tennessee)
  • Jackson Rancheria Casino & RV Resort, 4.9 stars (Jackson, California)
  • Stonebridge RV Resort, 4.9 stars (Maggie Valley, North Carolina)
  • Ocean Grove RV Resort: St. Augustine, 4.8 stars (St. Augustine, Florida)
  • Paradise by the Sea Beach RV Resort, 4.8 stars (Oceanside, California)
  • Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort, 4.8 stars (Felton, California)
  • Canyon View RV Resort, 4.7 stars (Grand Junction, Colorado)
  • Verde Ranch RV Resort, 4.7 stars (Camp Verde, Arizona)
  • Sun Outdoors Myrtle Beach, 4.5 stars (Conway, South Carolina)

Amenities & Trends

When one takes a good look at both lists, a few commonalities jump out.

Most notably, the inclusion of the word “resort” in most of the above campground names. In fact, eight of the ten campgrounds on Campspot’s Canadian list feature the word. That number drops by just one on the American list.

This makes sense, of course. When people see the word “resort,” it speaks to an elevated guest experience. So, when people are making plans and searching for somewhere to camp, finding a resort may be a more attractive proposition.

One they’re there, though, what’s the actual experience? What are the amenities helping guests make their selections and, hopefully, converting them to repeat guests?

I took a look at each campground and found these in common, starting with the basics:

  • bathrooms
  • dump station
  • garbage
  • general store
  • Internet access
  • laundry
  • showers

Many campgrounds (or RV resorts) also feature experiential amenities:

  • availability of alcohol
  • arcade
  • bike rentals
  • dog park
  • hiking
  • hot tub / sauna
  • ice cream
  • pavilion
  • pool
  • playground
  • snack stand
  • sports (basketball, volleyball, fishing, paddle boats, etc.)

There are, of course, some more unique amenities, such as:

  • arts and crafts (Verde Ranch)
  • gaga ball (Logos Land)
  • golf cart rentals (Candle Lake, Sun Retreats)
  • mini-golf (Pinnacle Trails)
  • outdoor theater (Pinnacle Trails)
  • restaurant (Jackson Rancheria, Ocean Grove, Santa Cruz, Sun Outdoors, Sun Retreats, Village Des Écluses)
  • shuffleboard (Verde Ranch)
  • waterpark (Pinnacle Trails, Sun Retreats, Verde Ranch)

Bonus: 2024 Campspot Awards: Glamping

  • Blue Mesa Adventure Pods at Elk Creek Campground, 5.0 stars (Gunnison, Colorado)
  • Buck Hill Campground, 5.0 stars (Newland, North Carolina)
  • Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Glen Ellis, 4.7 stars (Glen, New Hampshire)
  • Smokiam RV Resort, 4.6 stars (Soap Lake, Washington)
  • Westward Shores Cottages & RV Resorts, 4.2 stars (West Ossipee, New Hampshire)

Notably, the top two glamping campgrounds on this list don’t use the word “resort.”

Moreover, Jellystone Glen Ellis and Westward Shores feature dozens of attractive amenities. For example, both have access to a beach and a restaurant. Guests can also play laser tag, rent golf carts, access cable TV, and take part in arts and crafts.

At Jellystone Glen Ellis, guests can play mini-golf or enjoy a waterpark. People who enjoy boating will be happy that Westward Shores has a boat launch.

Interestingly, none of the campgrounds on the Canada, US, or glamping lists notes cornhole as an amenity. With so many offering horseshoes, I would’ve thought cornhole would also be available.

Image: Tiffany Bauer on Pexels

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

Elote or street corn-style dish on a table
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Put Your Finger on the Culinary TrendPulse

Put Your Finger on the Culinary TrendPulse

by David Klemt

Elote or street corn-style dish on a table

An informative and engaging culinary trend report from Campbell’s Foodservice provides compelling insight that will help operators refresh their menus.

Recently, Campbell’s dropped their Culinary TrendPulse 2024 report. To download your own copy, click here.

Executive chef Gerald Drummond and senior chef Greg Boggs have identified four culinary trends for 2024. The chefs analyzed data provided by Campbell’s Foodservice and the company’s partners.

As has become commonplace, Campbell’s also took note of food and flavor social media mentions and conversations. This makes sense; if people are talking about it on social media, it’s probably growing in demand.

Now, I’m going to share each of the trends below. However, I’m going to laser in on one in particular. My reasoning is simple: It’s a compelling take on segment that has been experiencing growth, along with the accompanying growing pains.

To start, though, a brief look at three of the 2024 culinary trends identified by Chefs Drummond and Boggs.

TrendPulse 2024: Trends 1, 3 and 4

To put it bluntly, I think the first trend in this report is here to stay. It’s safe to say it has reached the proliferation stage.

So, when I see “global cuisine” in reports, I don’t really consider it a trend. What I want to see is specific cuisines, dishes or flavors identified as trending.

Fortunately, Chefs Drummond and Boggs have identified three global cuisines on the rise. Per the chefs and Campbell’s, Mexican, Asian, and North African cuisines are on an upward trend in the US.

In particular, operators should be aware of the following:

  • Asian cuisine: Korean, Souteast Asian, and Thai food are on the rise.
  • Mexican cuisine: birria, quesabirria, birriamen, chamoy, and street corn mentions have grown in menu mentions and social discussions.
  • North African cuisine is projected to grow by more than 12 percent on menus, year over year. Currently, operators should look at harissa, tagine, and peri-peri (a.k.a. piri-piri, or peli-peli).

Another trend from this report is “new nostalgia.” As the term suggests, consumers are showing interest in creative spins on well-known comfort foods.

Likely driven at least in part by global cuisines, heat is also on the rise. I mean that figuratively and literally.

Per a Tastewise data point cited in the Campbell’s report, sweet and spicy mentions—known as “swicy”—have grown nearly 50 percent over the past year.

TrendPulse 2024: Trend 2

Alright, so here’s the trend that stands out to me.

According to Chefs Drummond and Boggs, consumers are still very much interested in plant-based cuisine. However, they want actual plants to be the stars.

Or, as Campbell’s puts it in their report, one of their top trends is “putting plants back in plant-based.” Interestingly, this trend fits with the first one in the Campbell’s report: global cuisine.

Per a Technomic report cited by Campbell’s, 41 percent of consumers eat a vegetarian or vegan dish at least once per week. However, it seems that these same consumers are showing a preference for actual plants.

Most plant-based meat alternatives are processed foods. In fact, some sources designate them “ultra-processed foods.” Today’s consumer is more educated on processed foods and seeks to avoid them.

So, operators should menu more dishes that feature plants. There’s a place for plant-based meat alternatives but their highly processed nature may be putting off a not-insignificant number of consumers.

In their report, Campbell’s suggests offering dishes featuring the following proteins: beans, legumes, and pulses.

Look, trend predictions are guesses. In this case, they’re data-driven and educated, but they’re still guesses. When considering menu changes, operators need to make choices that make sense for their business, guests, and market.

If you’re like me, you’ve noticed that all four of these trends pair well with one another. Operators should encourage their kitchen teams to get creative and craft new dishes that leverage two or more of the above trends.

Image: Aleisha Kalina on Unsplash

A cheeseburger with chicken patties, pizza, and steak on it
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Which Chains are America’s Favorites?

NRN & Technomic Identify America’s Favorite Chains

by David Klemt

A cheeseburger with chicken patties, pizza, and steak on it

Alright, which one of you maniacs out there is going to make this AI-generated chicken-patty-pizza-steak burger a reality and put it on your menu?

Toward the beginning of 2024, Nation’s Restaurant News collaborated with Technomic to identify America’s favorite restaurant chains.

To my understanding, this is the first such partnership between the independent foodservice publication and the foodservice intelligence platform.

Providing more than just a glimpse into America’s favorite chains, the rankings span several categories. For instance, the partnership between NRN and Technomic reveals the top QSRs, along with the country’s favorite fast-casual, family-style, and miscale restaurants.

However, the top three chains across more granular categories are also identified. Examples include America’s favorite chicken, pizza, burger, and Mexican restaurants.

In fact, I’m going to kick things off with the more specific, specialized categories. Then, I’ll move into the broader segments.

That said, I encourage you to review NRN‘s article revealing America’s favorite midscale, casual, QSR, etc. restaurants for yourself. Written by Joanna Fantozzi, the piece is full of valuable insights beyond simple rankings.

Further, you may find it interesting to compare these rankings to the results of BrandVue’s Most Loved Eating Out Brands 2023 report, which we reviewed here.

Cheers to NRN and Technomic! Here’s to hoping that this becomes an annual release.

Beverage or Snack

  1. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
  2. Smoothie King
  3. Jamba

Burger

  1. Culver’s
  2. In-N-Out
  3. Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburger

Chicken

  1. Chick-fil-A
  2. Jollibee
  3. Raising Cane’s

Italian (FSR)

  1. Carrabba’s Italian Grill
  2. Maggiano’s Little Italy
  3. Mellow Mushroom

Mexican

  1. Chuy’s Tex-Mex
  2. Torchy’s Tacos
  3. Moe’s Southwest Grill

Pizza

  1. Papa Murphy’s
  2. Marco’s Pizza
  3. Cici’s Pizza

Sandwich

  1. Jersey Mike’s Subs
  2. Newk’s Eatery
  3. Jason’s Deli

Steak

  1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
  2. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
  3. Longhorn Steakhouse

Varied Menu

  1. Seasons 52
  2. Bahama Breeze Island Grille
  3. Cooper’s Hawk

QSR

  1. Dutch Bros Coffee
  2. Topical Smoothie Cafe
  3. Smoothie King
  4. Cold Stone Creamery
  5. Chik-fil-A

Fast Casual

  1. Jersey Mike’s Subs
  2. Newk’s Eatery
  3. Jason’s Deli
  4. McAlister’s Deli
  5. Sweetgreen

Family Style

  1. First Watch
  2. Cracker Barrel
  3. Golden Corral

Casual

  1. Seasons 52
  2. Bahama Breeze Island Grille
  3. Bonefish Grill
  4. Longhorn Steakhouse
  5. Cooper’s Hawk

Midscale

  1. First Watch
  2. Cracker Barrel
  3. Golden Corral
  4. Shoney’s
  5. Black Bear Diner

Favorite Chains: Overall

  1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
  2. Season 52
  3. Dutch Bros Coffee
  4. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
  5. Bahama Breeze Island Grille
  6. Longhorn Steakhouse
  7. Cooper’s Hawk
  8. Tropical Smoothie Cafe
  9. The Capital Grille
  10. Smoothie King

When it comes to this list of the top-ten favorite chain restaurants, Technomic data scores a number of crucial insights.

Click here to see how each of these industry leaders ranked in:

  • Service and hospitality
  • Unit appearance and ambience
  • F&B
  • Convenience and takeout
  • Value

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant Business Plan. Feasibility Study. Concept. Branding. Consultant. Start-Up.

Slice of pepperoni pizza on a plate, on top of a table
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Slice Releases 2024 Report

Indie Pizzeria App Slice Releases 2024 Report

by David Klemt

Slice of pepperoni pizza on a plate, on top of a table

Still the most popular pizza topping.

It’s finally here, one of our favorite food-forward hospitality industry reports providing operators with valuable insider insights.

In keeping with tradition, Slice released their 2024 Slice of the Union report the day before National Pizza Day. Truly, this is one of the reports I most look forward to each year.

As one would expect, the fifth-annual Slice of the Union is stuffed with helpful information.

Before we dig in, a quick rundown of Slice. The platform serves all 50 states and works with more than 20,000 independent pizzerias. To put that in context, that’s a network of pizzerias in the US larger than Domino’s, Little Caesars, and Pizza Hut combined.

If you’re an independent pizzeria owner and you have yet to partner with Slice, I encourage you to look into doing so. Should a partnership with Slice be feasible, it should increase brand awareness, engagement, traffic, and revenue to a notable degree.

Seasoning

Kicking things off, Slice sprinkles a bit of trivia onto this year’s report.

Last year, consumers apparently gorged themselves on pizza. How much was eaten? Just over 29,000 tons.

Providing context, Slice says to imagine 11,572,064,136 pennies. That’s a Scrooge McDuck dive-worthy pile of coins.

However, one category of pizza experienced a drop in popularity last year. According to Slice, pizzerias saw a 5.21-percent dip in vegan pizza orders.

Now, on to toppings.

Toppings

There’s a reason I chose a photo of a single slice of pepperoni pizza for this article.

Operators who track their data probably already know what I’m about to say: According to Slice, pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping in the US.

This is followed by, in descending order of popularity, mushrooms, sausage, extra cheese, onions, bacon, and black olives. For those wondering, kale was one of the “least-loved” toppings last year.

If you read through the 2023 Slice of the Union report or read our article reviewing it, you know they made a couple of trend predictions. Last year, Slice guessed that pickle pizzas would be in demand. Well, they were right. Orders for pickle pizzas jumped by 32 percent in 2023.

So, when Slice makes a pizza-based prediction, it’s probably in your best interest to take it to heart. Oh, wait—Slice has a prediction for 2024. According to the platform, tinned fish will be a standout pizza topping this year.

Sauce

In case you’re wondering about how much data Slice has at their fingertips, here’s an interesting bit of trivia. Last year, 4,744 people ordered pizzas with anchovies, garlic, or onions on Valentine’s Day. Alrighty, then.

They also know that orders for pizza with pineapple as a topping saw an increase of nearly six percent in 2023.

Further, the 2024 Slice of the Union reveals the most and least “pizzaful” days of 2023. The former? December 1. And the latter? Thanksgiving.

Last year, Fridays accounted for the most orders, at 23.5 percent. However, only 8.7 percent of pizza orders were placed on Mondays.

For data that’s a bit more esoteric, what if Slice could reveal which Zodiac signs order the most and least pizza? Would this be useful to operators? Honestly, it could be, I suppose. Particularly for those who have loyalty programs and engage with their guests via email and text marketing.

Apparently, a Taurus (April 20 to May 20) is the most likely to order pizza. Conversely, Capricorns (December 22 to January 19) either don’t like placing food orders in general or don’t like eating pizza specifically, because they ordered the least amount last year.

By the way, if you happen to operate a pizzeria in New Jersey, you may want to search for a guest named Dominic. According to Slice, someone named Dominic in NJ placed 348 pizza orders in 2023. Sounds like Dom has earned a special perk from his favorite pizza joint.

Extra Cheese

Pizzeria owners and their teams in Hawaii, Alabama, Oregon, South Carolina, and Montana may have the happiest wallets. That’s because people who ordered pizza for delivery in those five states tipped their drivers the most.

However, people who order pizza in Washington may have slightly lighter wallets than their fellow Americans. That’s because while the average price for a large cheese pizza in the US is $18.33, that number jumps to $25.75 in the Evergreen State.

If you’d like to see the average price for a large cheese pizza in each of the 50 states, click here. As an example, the average price in Nevada (KRG Hospitality’s American HQ is in Las Vegas) is $21.09.

Speaking of price, while Dom in NJ placed the most pizza orders, Frances in New York placed the most expensive order last year: $2,867.07. Frances, I want to attend one of your pizza parties (I think).

Finally, let’s end on data that can help operators when reviewing their labor costs. On average, pizza delivery distance was 9.14 miles in 2023. And, on average, pizzerias completed the process of producing an order and delivering it in 42.5 minutes.

For more insights from the 2024 Slice of the Union, click here.

Image: Sydney Troxell on Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant Business Plan. Feasibility Study. Concept. Branding. Consultant. Start-Up.

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

What are You Changing in 2024?

What are You Changing in Your Restaurant or Bar in 2024?

by David Klemt

Restaurant owner reviewing their menu

More fun with AI-generated images. That’s quite the busy bar setup.

Toward the end of last year, Nation’s Restaurant News identified what changes operators chose to make after analyzing their operational data.

The publication surveyed hundreds of operators about how data drove their decisions. This survey was an element of their year-end report, Market Leader Report: The Data-driven Restaurant.

As one would imagine, this report focuses on data collection, analysis, and usage. However, NRN‘s report doesn’t just address the importance of data collection in the F&B space. Rather, they seek to understand if operators are collecting the “right” data; whether they can optimize the data they collect; what metrics they’re tracking; and how they’re acting on all that data.

Simply put, it’s an important report addressing a topic crucial to today’s restaurant and bar operations. Those who want their own copy of The Data-driven Restaurant can download it free here.

While entire report is valuable, the focus of this article is one question and the answers provided. Below, to provide context, is a breakdown of the survey respondents.

The Who

Most of the respondents identified as independent restaurant operators.

  • Indie: 37 percent
  • Chain (franchisee): 21 percent
  • Chain (company owned): 18 percent
  • Multi-concept: 15 percent
  • Single-site operator: 6 percent
  • HQ or brand level of foodservice company: 3 percent

By a slim margin, most survey respondents categorized their restaurants as full service or casual dining.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the fewest respondents operate in the upscale or fine dining category.

  • Full service / casual dining: 30 percent
  • Fast casual: 28 percent
  • Quick service: 20 percent
  • Midscale / family dining: 15 percent
  • Upscale / fine dining: 7 percent

The What

So, what question caught our attention at KRG Hospitality?

“In the past 12 months, which initiatives did your organization undertake after analyzing data?”

NRN conducted this survey in November 2023. Not surprisingly, respondents mostly made changes to their menus after reviewing their data. Streamlining menus and adjusting prices were two of the biggest operational trends last year, as many operators are no doubt well aware.

That theory is supported by the survey results. Below, the top four answers to the question above.

  • Changed menu prices (48 percent)
  • Removed items from or added items to our menu (47 percent)
  • Improved the way we trained our staff (26 percent)
  • Adjusted our loyalty program’s rewards and/or incentives (24 percent)

Honestly, it’s heartening to see that training is among the top-three data-driven actions operators took last year. And, of course, it’s not shocking that the menu was the focus of the most attention. Streamlining is an effective way to reduce food and labor costs. Further, pricing is always (please excuse the pun) on the menu.

Our question is: What changes, if any, do you plan to implement this year now that we’re headed into Q3?

The What: The Sequel

If the menu received the most attention after operators reviewed their data, what received the least?

Well, it appears marketing fell to the wayside, along with the kitchen. The following are the bottom four answers to the question in the section above:

  • A/B tested marketing campaigns and increased ROI (6 percent)
  • Changed specs on our kitchen equipment or technology (10 percent)
  • Identified lapsed customers and marketed to them (11 percent)
  • Increased throughput in our kitchen during peak periods (13 percent)

Now, I’ll concede that one marketing action found itself in the middle of the pack when it came to this survey question. Upon analyzing their data, 18 percent of respondents identified new potential guests and marketed to those people.

Still, in comparison to making changes to menus, the fewest respondents took marketing action or made changes to the kitchen directly.

Does this mean that menu changes have the greatest impact on guests and ROI? Well, that’s possible. However, I think something else is at play.

Personally, I think collecting data is the easy part. At this point, most platforms serving our industry are collecting data for operators.

But tracking the correct metrics, analyzing the associated data, and knowing what to do after analyzing said data? That’s difficult. It can be overwhelming, which is why it’s so important to build and implement the proper tech stack for a specific concept. This is why one of the services we offer our clients is tech-stack development.

Further, the tech stack needs to be built around an operator and their leadership team. If nobody knows how to use it or what to do with the data they’re collecting, it’s useless.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

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Black and white photo of hotel sign hanging vertically on hotel exterior
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Good News from the AHLAF and Lightcast

Good News from the AHLAF and Lightcast

by David Klemt

Black and white photo of hotel sign hanging vertically on hotel exterior

A new report from Lightcast, in collaboration with the AHLAF, reveals positive news about the strength of the hotel and lodging industry.

To clarify for those new to or outside of the hotel industry, the AHLAF stands for the American Hotel and Lodging Association Foundation. Drilling down, the Foundation is the charitable branch of the AHLA.

Representing the entirety of the hotel and lodging industry in the USA, the AHLA is the largest association in the business. Through advocacy, industry resources and reports, and other initiatives, the AHLA supports B&Bs to major hotel groups.

Their charitable arm, the AHLAF, “aim[s] to support the recruitment, retention and advancement of employees throughout the industry.” The branch seeks to accomplish this goal through career development, education, scholarships, and empowerment.

In an effort to better understand the state of the hotel industry, the AHLAF commissioned Lightcast for a report. Projections from the global leader in labor market analytics show the industry in a positive light.

The full report can be accessed via a link in the press release below. However, I’ll share Lightcast’s top finding: Demand for jobs in the hotel industry should be, according to the analytics firm, in serious demand.

In fact, Lightcast finds that demand for hotel jobs will be up to 50 percent higher than the national average over the next five years. This is excellent news for the hotel industry, hotel operators, and anyone seeking a career in the hotel space.

Report: Hospitality Careers Are in Demand, Outpacing National Projected Growth

Over the next five years, demand for hotel industry jobs projected to be 50% higher than national average 

WASHINGTON (March 11, 2024) – Recent research commissioned by AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), projects robust demand for hotel industry jobs over the next five years, outpacing overall market job growth. 

The AHLA Foundation asked Lightcast, a leading labor market analytic firm, for data on demographic and growth trends that would help identify and map career pathways in the hotel and lodging industry. In addition to a report, the result of the research is a dynamic, interactive dashboard that allows job seekers to explore and compare roles, requirements, and compensation across a range of hospitality careers. 

The hotel industry currently employs 1.8 million workers in the United States. The AHLA Foundation report projects job growth of 12% in the hotel industry over the next five years, compared to 8.0% for the nation overall. A large share of this demand is at the entry level or in roles that don’t require college degrees, validating the hotel industry’s potential as an engine for mobility. The full report is available at https://www.ahlafoundation.org/funded-research/.

“It’s an attractive time to enter the hotel industry,” said Anna Blue, President of AHLA Foundation. “A key part of our work at AHLA Foundation is supporting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of people in our industry. Understanding the entry points where careers begin, where they lead, and what paths they take is a critical step to helping find their home in hospitality.” 

Lightcast used its real-time, proprietary databases and industry parsing to create the interactive dashboard for understanding career pathways in the hotel and lodging industry from 2010 – 2023. The interactive dashboard is available here.  

About The AHLA Foundation 

The AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, works to support the hotel and lodging industry’s greatest asset – our people. By connecting employees, employers, and their communities, we seek to continuously nurture a culture of professional growth and belonging. When the people who work in our industry thrive, the industry thrives along with them. The Foundation is funded by grants and charitable contributions from generous individuals and organizations who want to support individuals seeking opportunities to thrive in the hotel and lodging industry. Learn more at www.ahlafoundation.org. 

Image: Roman Ska on Pexels

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

Woodford Reserve 2024 "Adorned with Flowers" bottle
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Woodford Reserve 2024 Derby Bottle

Woodford Reserve Unveils 2024 Kentucky Derby Bottle

by David Klemt

Woodford Reserve 2024 "Adorned with Flowers" bottle

Commemorating the 150th running of the iconic Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve’s 2024 Derby bottle is now available for purchase.

In keeping with tradition, the bottle’s label features a Kentucky artist’s work.

For 2024, Woodford Reserve collaborated with artist Wylie Caudill, who crafted the painting “Adorned with Roses.” The art is a clear nod to another tradition: adorning the winning horse with a garland consisting of hundreds of roses, the Derby’s official flower.

This should grab an operator’s attention for a few reasons. To start, some operators enjoy collecting bottles. So, they can now get their hands on this annual release.

Further, it’s time to start thinking about this year’s Derby, which takes place on May 4. Millions of people watch the Kentucky Derby every year. Operators need to ensure their Mint Juleps and riffs are dialed in, including the appropriate drinkware.

Impressively, while it has been postponed twice, it has never been cancelled.

Traditionally, the Derby is run on the first Saturday in May. The race was run in June in 1945 due to World War II. And in 2020, Covid-19 restrictions pushed the race to September. Incredibly, a world war and a pandemic couldn’t thwart the Derby.

2024’s race is the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. It stands to reason that even more people will show an interest in watching and celebrating this year’s race. Woodford’s commemorative bottle at least be on the back bar of any venue running a Derby promotion. It would also make for a great raffle item on race day.

Finally, we celebrate International Whiskey Day this month. The more special edition whiskeys available on March 27, the better.

Learn more about this year’s Woodford Reserve Derby bottle below. Cheers!

Woodford Reserve Releases 2024 Bottle Celebrating 150th Anniversary of the Kentucky Derby

Bottle features the art of Kentuckian Wylie Caudill 

Versailles, KY (March 5, 2024) — Woodford Reserve®, the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby®, is honoring “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports®” with the release of its 2024 commemorative Derby bottle.

This year’s special release celebrates the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby® and features the artwork of Kentucky native Wylie Caudill, known for his bold, repetitive patterns, and his signature roses. His painting, “Adorned in Roses,” depicts a racing thoroughbred covered with red roses, with a background of multi-colored roses.

The one-liter bottle retails for $55 and is available for purchase globally. A special presale on ReserveBar begins March 5. It also is for sale at Woodford Reserve Distillery and in the Woodford Reserve online store starting March 5.

“Wylie’s artwork embodies the spirit of Woodford Reserve, the liveliness of Churchill Downs during race day, and the heart of Kentucky,” Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall said. “We’re thrilled to have a Kentuckian’s artwork on our bottle during this monumental year.”

Caudill grew up drawing and painting in Cynthiana, Kentucky. During college, he spent his free time creating chalk drawings, leaving his mark around campus and leading to his title ‘chalk guy’ among locals. He expanded his public street art to painting murals in Lexington after college, and many of his murals can be seen across Kentucky today. Caudill also created the Official Art of the Kentucky Derby for Churchill Downs for the 150th Derby, marking the first year that Woodford Reserve and Churchill Downs used the same artist.

“As a Kentucky native, I am honored to be a part of this milestone celebration,” Caudill said. “I have painted my signature roses many times over the years, but this one is truly special. The colorful roses symbolize the diverse Derby fans from around the world, connecting people beyond the track.”

Woodford Reserve’s Derby bottle has been an annual collector’s item anticipated by bourbon and racing fans since 1999.

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve, “Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby,” is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery, tucked in the heart of thoroughbred country in Versailles, Kentucky. A National Historic Landmark, the Woodford Reserve Distillery represents craftsmanship with a balance of historic heritage and modern practices. Woodford Reserve is a product of the Brown-Forman Corporation, a premier producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands including Jack Daniel’s, Finlandia, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Old Forester, Sonoma-Cutrer and Chambord. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. To learn more about Woodford Reserve, visit us www.woodfordreserve.com  or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodfordreserve.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., produced and bottled by the Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2024

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this post.

Image provided by Woodford Reserve

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Menu Development Drinks Food

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

This Design Prediction has Our Attention

This Restaurant Design Prediction has Our Attention

by David Klemt

All of Hospitality Design‘s recently revealed 2024 restaurant design predictions are compelling but one in particular really stood out to us.

That’s not to imply that the other predictions are “less than,” of course. Each trend prediction, put forth by highly regarded designers and architects, provides insight into the direction of restaurant design.

As an example, the image atop this article references one of the trend predictions Dala Al-Fuwaires. Per the House of Form owner and principal, retro design is experiencing “a fresh transformation.” In particular, according to Al-Fuwaires, designers are giving materials such as glass brick or block and dark wood tones a modern spin.

Another trend prediction comes from Larry Traxler, the senior vice president of global design at Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Traxler has said in the past that hotels aren’t “just hotels” anymore.

For 2024, he foresees foodie tourism driving significant changes to restaurant and hotel design. Speaking with Hospitality Design, Traxler points to “connection to the outdoors, farm-to-table concepts, biodynamic farming features, biophilia, and bold uses of color and art to create a memorable environment to connect with the food and culture where these hotels are located” as growing trends.

Another trend prediction involves restaurants and kitchens. Specifically, Gulla Jónsdóttir, the owner and principal of Atelier Gulla Jónsdóttir, believes we’ll see more open kitchens in 2024. As Jónsdóttir explains, this design feature creates a more engaging dining experience.

Ed Ng, the founder of AB Concept, has a simple but exciting trend prediction: more concepts embracing secret menus.

But there’s another 2024 prediction that really captured our attention.

Pop-up Collaborations

Operators who put in the time, energy, and strategy to develop buzz around their restaurant experience several benefits.

The most obvious, of course, are increases in traffic, revenue, and profits.

There’s also the recruitment benefit. A restaurant generating local and regional buzz will likely find it much easier to recruit new team members. That is, of course, if ownership and leadership are also generating positive word of mouth in the area.

However, there’s another perhaps lesser-known benefit of developing and operating a cool concept: opportunities to collaborate.

According to Dan Mazzarini, creative director and principal at BHDM Design, hotel groups will seek to partner with local restaurants (and bars, I assume) for pop-ups. These will be on hotel property and will help to provide guests a deeper sense of place during their visits. Another benefit will be locals viewing hotels that partner with independents in the area as respectful of the community.

Most KRG Hospitality clients are indies, regional concepts, and boutique hotels. Consequently, we find Mazzarini’s prediction to be the most captivating. However, each of these trend predictions seem likely to come to fruition.

Image: Ekaterina Astakhova on Pexels

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

Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal bottle on a drinks tray
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Update Your Margs with Mezcal and Sotol

Update Your Margaritas with Mezcal, Sotol, and More!

by David Klemt

Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal bottle on a drinks tray

We all know how to make a classic Margarita, so for this National Margarita Day we want to put some new recipes and ingredients on your radar.

The cocktail recipes below swap out the tequila for mezcal and sotol.

For a quick refresher, all tequila is mezcal in a technical sense. Mezcal is made with agave plants. Tequila producers use a specific agave plant, Blue Weber. Further, tequila must be produced in one of five Mexican states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas.

Then we have sotol. You may have seen sotol thrown in with agave spirits on cocktail or spirits roundups. To clarify, however, sotol is a typo of shrub known as the desert spoon, and it’s not an agave plant.

So, all tequila is mezcal, mezcal is agave, and sotol is…sotol.

Swap Out the Tequila

Being National Margarita Day, you certainly need to have a classic Margarita on your menu. It’s all the better if your bar team makes them so well and so consistently that really, your top-selling Marg is one of your signature cocktails.

That said, it’s also a good idea to play with classics to give your guests new drinks to discover. The two recipes below are two great examples of riffs on the classic Margarita that should get your and your bar team’s creative wheels turning.

Allow me to introduce you to Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal and Nocheluna Sotol, if you’re not already acquainted.

Contraluz lays claim to the title of “world’s first cristalino mezcal.” Made from 100 percent espadín agave, this is a crystal-clear, small-batch reposado mezcal. On the nose, expect aromas of agave, along with citrus and floral notes. You may also detect smoke, cedar, and honey. In terms of flavor, Contraluz delivers notes of vanilla, clove, cacao, and cooked agave, with a sweet, long finish.

The second cocktail below is made with Nocheluna Sotol, which is crafted using 100-percent wild sotol from Chihuahuan desert. This particular sotol is the result of a collaboration between a fourth-generation master vintner, and a master distiller.

A unique spirit, Nocheluna delivers a delicate balance of sweet, herbal, dried fruit, and mineral notes. These notes come through via both the aroma and taste, although you may detect oak and smoke as well. Interestingly, Nocheluna says the finish may include a taste of pecan wood, along with wet earth.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nocheluna Sotol (@nochelunasotol)

But Wait, There’s More!

Along with Contraluz and Nocheluna, you’ll see three bottles that may be new to you below. The Light and Soul cocktail calls for Alma Finca Orange Liqueur, Nixta Licor de Elote, and HAGAVE Spiced Nectar.

The first is an orange liqueur produced by the same company that makes Montelobos Mezcal. The second liqueur, Nixta Elote, is essentially liquid elote seasoning, and it comes in a fantastic corn-shaped bottle. Finally, HAGAVE is exactly what it says on the label: a premium, spiced agave mixer.

I don’t know about you, but I definitely plan to get my hands on each of these bottles. Just imagine what you can do to engage with your guests by introducing them to a crystal-clear, artisanal mezcal, an expertly crafted sotol, and liquid elote in a corn bottle.

Cheers!

Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal, Light and Soul cocktail

Light and Soul

  • 2.0 oz. Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal
  • 0.5 oz. Alma Finca Orange Liqueur (or a triple sec or different orange liqueur if unavailable)
  • 0.5 oz. Nixta Licor de Elote
  • 1 oz. Lime cordial
  • 0.5 oz. HAGAVE Spiced Nectar

Place a large ice cube or sphere in a rocks glass. Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into the prepared rocks glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.

Nocheluna Sotol cocktail, the Sotolita

Sotolita

  • 1.5 oz. Nocheluna Sotol
  • 1.0 oz. Triple sec
  • 1.0 oz. Fresh lime juice
  • 1.5 oz. Apple juice
  • Apple slices to garnish
  • Chiltepin salt for rim (sea salt blend with chiltepin peppers)

Prepare a rocks glass by adding quality ice and rimming it with chiltepin salt. Add ice to a shaker, then add all liquid ingredients. Shake well, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with an apple-slice fan.

Images provided by LaFORCE

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A pint glass overflowing with beer
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Did This Beer Win Super Bowl LVIII?

Did This Beer Win Super Bowl LVIII?

by David Klemt

A pint glass overflowing with beer

Now that the Super Bowl is over, behavioral insight platform Veylinx is revealing the impact on brands that advertised during this year’s big game.

If Veylinx sounds familiar to you, you may be a regular KRG Hospitality news reader. Last month we looked at their dive into alcohol-free canned cocktails. Last year, we shared a Veylinx report with a focus on whether Super Bowl ads really work on consumers. And in 2022, Veylinx wondered if the interest in zero-proof drinks was all hype or worth leveraging.

This month, Veylinx is at it again. This time, however, they’re revealing which brands—those that advertised during Super Bowl LVIII—saw the biggest ROI. For context, a 30-second spot during the big game cost approximately $7 million this year.

That’s a ton of cash to shell out in the hopes of seeing a sales increase on- and off-premise.

Speaking of on-premise, Veylinx’s findings should be of interest to operators. The beer that Veylinx says “won” the Super Bowl will likely be top of mind among your guests who watched the game and the accompanying ads.

So, it stands to reason that they’ll either expect to find that beer on a menu. Likewise, they may be swayed to order the beer if they see it when scanning a bar’s taps, menu, or fridges.

With that in mind, operators may want to watch their sales of Michelob Ultra.

Study Methodology

For their latest report, Veylinx used similar methodology to their Elixir non-alcoholic canned cocktail study.

A mix of 50 percent men and fifty percent women participated in the study. All 1,604 participants were US residents aged 21 or older. Looking deeper into the participants, the age breakdown is as follows:

  • 21 to 27: 30 percent
  • 28 to 43: 25 percent
  • 44 to 59: 25 percent
  • 60 and older: 20 percent

Like the Elixir (a fake brand invented by Veylinx) study, participants bid on products with their own money. The auction mix consisted of products that advertised during Super Bowl LVIII and those that did not advertise during the game.

Study Results

Among all viewers of Super Bowl LVIII, brands that advertised during the game saw an average lift of 16 percent.

However, those brands saw the biggest boost in demand—24 percent—among men. Gen Z followed, with demand in advertised brands growing by 11 percent. Among women, brands that advertised saw just a nine-percent boost in demand.

While Doritos Dinamita was the number-one brand among all viewers in general, and men and Gen Z in particular, Michelob Ultra is a close second. Interestingly, the beer brand was the top-performer among women in terms of demand growth.

For those wondering, no alcohol brands were among the top three performers for Gen Z.

So, operators who have noticed in uptick in Michelob Ultra sales may have Super Bowl LVIII to thank. If that’s the case, if sales of Michelob Ultra have increased in bars and restaurants since this year’s big game, it appears that yes, Super Bowl ads still work on consumers.

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A bunch of limes and lemons
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The Batching Superpower of Sūpāsawā

The Batching Superpower of Sūpāsawā

by David Klemt

A bunch of limes and lemons

One of our favorite products from WSWA’s Access LIVE 2024 event in Las Vegas can save operators and bar teams time and money.

Access LIVE, the annual Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of America (WSWA) event is always chock full of notable items. However, this one in particular stood out to me and my colleagues.

Coming out of Deluxe Distillery in Belgium, Sūpāsawā Seriously Sour Cocktail Mixer is here to make lives easier.

Of course, it’s not surprising that this mixer is so impressive. Sūpāsawā is produced alongside high-quality stablemates, after all: Blind Tiger Handcrafted Gin, Mary White Premium Vodka, and Yusibi Honey Based Aperitif.

 

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In short, this innovative mixer can replace citrus. Importantly, it’s also widely available around the world. Speaking to the core of our audience and clients, it’s available in Canada and the US. When I asked about availability in the US, I was told it’s in 30 states currently.

Operators in the UK, Europe, Australia, and many more regions should also be able to get their hands on Sūpāsawā.

So, what is this magical mixer, exactly? It’s a simple and clean stand-in for expensive and time-consuming citrus.

Deluxe’s super sour mixer is distilled water, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and succinic acid. The liquid is crystal clear, aroma-free, and an incredibly convenient substitute for lemons and limes.

Real-life Scenario

Consider the following real-life hypothetical that shines a light on Sūpāsawā’s real-life benefits.

Let’s say someone hires an operator for a catered event. Included in this event is bar service, and involves more than pouring wine and beer.

Along with a handful of calls, the client and their guests expect a signature cocktail. Well, batching a cocktail or two ahead of the event would be a smart move.

However, we all know what that means: purchasing and juicing citrus. And we also all know what else that means: labor costs for all that prep.

What if one bartender or bar back could batch a cocktail in less than five minutes? Yes, I’m talking under five minutes for the entire batching process.

That scenario is nearly identical to Deluxe Distillery’s Access LIVE 2024 situation.

Deluxe showed the convenience and superpower of Sūpāsawā at their booth via batching. According to the bartender and ambassador who prepared the standout cocktail, he added all the ingredients—including the super sour mixer—to a jug, shook it, and it was ready to go in less than five minutes.

Real-life Benefits

Does this mean you’ll never have to buy lemons and/or limes again? For the vast majority of bars, no. However, the more drinks you can make with Sūpāsawā, the more you can plan for and control the cost of citrus.

Per Deluxe, operators can expect to save 15 minutes per liter of citrus juiced. The distillery also says each bottle of Sūpāsawā represents 35 pieces of fruit an operator won’t have to purchase. On average, a single cocktail requires just 20 ml of Sūpāsawā, or 2/3 of an ounce. With each bottle coming in at 700 ml, that’s 35 individual cocktails per.

When I asked about unit cost at their Access Live 2024 booth, Deluxe said operators can expect a price of $9 per unit. People who do the math can see the benefit of getting their hands on Sūpāsawā for individual, kegged, and batched cocktails.

In terms of storage, the slim bottle can last for about two years unopened. After it’s opened, Sūpāsawā should last for up to a year. Compare that to the two- to three-day shelf life of lemon or lime juice.

Notably, using Sūpāsawā leads to consistency. Because it always tastes the same, drink consistency is improved. And, of course, using this super sour mixer leads to producing less food waste.

Click here to learn more about Sūpāsawā and what it can do for an operator’s bar program, catering, and bottom line. Oh, and click here for recipes. Cheers!

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, from Deluxe Distillery, WSWA, or any other entity in exchange for this post.

Image: Irina on Unsplash

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Sepulto Mezcal bottle
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

WSWA Access LIVE 2024: Product Roundup

A Few of Our Favorite WSWA Access LIVE Things

by David Klemt

Sepulto Mezcal bottle

We attended WSWA’s Access LIVE 2024 event in Las Vegas, Nevada, and found quite a few products we think will pique the interest of restaurant and bar operators.

Agave spirits, perhaps unsurprisingly, seemed to dominate the floor. In particular, tequila was very well represented.

However, we also found notable vodkas, gins, whiskeys, sake, liqueurs, zero-proof beverages, and more. Below, several portfolios and items that really stood out to us.

Cheers!

Portfolio

Deluxe Distillery

This distillery, operating out of Belgium, has some of the most striking packaging I’ve seen in a while. I’m confident in saying that guests scanning a back bar would find Deluxe Distillery‘s bottles intriguing.

More importantly, of course, the liquid is just as outstanding. Deluxe produces three gins under the Blind Tiger label: Piper Cubeba, Imperial Secrets, and barrel-aged Liquid Gold. Their vodka, Mary White, pays homage to a famous bootlegger. And then there’s Yusibi, a honey-based aperitif in a unique bottle.

However, it’s Deluxe’s Sūpāsawā that really grabbed my attention at Access LIVE. This product, available in 30 states in the US already, makes batching not just a breeze but a more budget-friendly proposition. Cost per bottle should run around $9. The prebatched cocktail Deluxe Distillery was serving at their booth took less than five minutes to make.

As far as entire portfolios, Deluxe stood out the most to me.

Agave

Inspiro Tequila

This is clean tequila brand needs to be on your radar. There are currently two Inspiro Tequila expressions, Luna Blanco and Rosa Reposado. Both premium tequilas can be enjoyed neat, and Rosa is rested in rosé wine barrels sourced from France.

Inspiro is woman-owned, confirmed additive-free, certified Kosher, gluten-free, sugar-free, and zero carb. Oh, and the bottles are eye-catching.

Sepulto Mezcal Artesanal

This artisanal mezcal launched at this year’s Access Live event. And yes, this is another case of the bottle catching my eye and drawing me in.

Sepulto is aged for one year in glass, underground. As a result of the distiller’s cooking process, the complex notes of espadín, sahuayo, and papalote agaves come through with each sip. This is definitely a mezcal you’ll want to add to your super-premium agave spirits. In fact, it will be right at home on your back bar and menu next to your Don Julio 1942.

Vodka

Tenjaku Japanese Vodka

Don’t let the clean label fool you: Tenjaku is as fun a brand as it is a premium vodka. Click here to check out their packaging, which drives home my point.

Speaking of premium quality, Tenjaku Vodka is made from Yamada Nishiki rice, which is also used to make some of the best sake in the world. Further, the liquid is filtered not just through birch charcoal but also bamboo charcoal. The result is a vodka that tastes fresh and is delicate on the palate.

Herbesco Pepper Vodka

Looking for a great vodka that can serve as a spicy base for Bloody Marys and other hot cocktails straight from the bottle?

Herbesco Pepper Vodka is made with jalapeño, japones, chile de árbol, and bell pepper. Along with heat, expect herbal, fruity, and even chocolatey notes.

Gin

The Illusionist Dry Gin

Those familiar with Empress are familiar with what gives the gin its hue and color-shifting capability: butterfly pea flower. That botanical is also present in The Illusionist, which comes in a stylish, black Art Nouveau bottle.

Certified organic, The Illusionist delivers more than just visual impact. On the nose, licorice and citrus. Those notes are also present on the palate, along with fruity and floral flavors.

Whiskey

Yame Whisky

This Japanese whisky was introduced to me by Wine of Japan, an incredible portfolio of ultra-premium sake, beer, and spirits. Anyone who wants to add the highest quality sake from Japan need look no further. (In fact, I’ve been looking for a specific sake for over a decade. The VP or Wine of Japan knew exactly what I was talking about and had a sample at the booth. Amazing.)

Two expressions were available to try at Access LIVE, the 10 Year and 15 Year. The 10 Year features a 100-percent barley mashbill and is very easy to drink, delivering notes of vanilla and citrus. Think an easy-sipping bourbon. I found the 15 Year to a bit more complex, delivering dried fruit and grain on the palate. However, I had also sampled quite a few sake before trying this whisky.

In other words, you’re going to have to reach out to Wine of Japan and get tasted on both Yame expressions.

Tenjaku Whisky

There are two Tenjaku Whisky expressions currently: Blended and Pure Malt.

The former is sweet on the nose, with a touch of smoke. On the palate, Tenjaku Blended delivers grain, dried fruit, and a bit of spice.

The latter, Pure Malt, has nutty aroma with herbal notes. Expect wood and vanilla on the palate.

Niche

Wheyward Spirit

I could include woman-owned, operated, and distilled Wheyward in the whiskey category, but it’s too unique for that. The two available expressions are produced by upcycling whey.

Wheyward Spirit, the original expression, can stand in for vodka, gin, rum, sake, and even blanco tequila. The brand itself explains this innovative spirit quite succinctly: “Wheyward Spirit is one of a kind and was designed to take the best elements of vodka, sake, gin, and rum to be both a versatile and sippable clear spirit.”

There’s also Wheyward Spirit Wheyskey. Now that you’re familiar with the original, you can probably guess that this is a whey-based alternative to whiskey. This expression is barrel-aged Wheyward Spirit, and, like the original, is additive-, grain-, gluten-, and lactose-free. When I tasted Wheyskey, it most closely resembled a rye whiskey to me.

Alcohol-free

De Soi

“Savor the flavor, lose the booze, put the ‘fun’ in ‘functionality,’ and embrace the pleasure of restraint,” says non-alcohol brand De Soi.

This range of zero-proof apéritifs is loaded with interesting flavors, such as sparkling Très Rosé, citrusy and herbaceous Golden Hour, and jammy and bitter Champignon Dreams.

Operators looking to add sophisticated and unique non-alcohol beverage options should definitely look into De Soi.

Sparkling Wine

Rozoy Picot

If the production of this French sparkling wine didn’t involve a unique twist, I’m told Rozoy Picot would legally be Champagne.

However, these sparkling wines are blended with terpenes, the aromatic elements of cannabis. (Remember, terpenes don’t contain psychoactive elements, so this product doesn’t get you high.)

There’s a white varietal, Rozoy Picot OG Kush, and a red, Punch Rosé. I can only say that these must be smelled and tasted to be understood fully. Additionally, I can see these performing well at nightclubs as a unique bottle service option.

Image provided by author.

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Menu Development Drinks Food

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TOTCF Unveils National Policy Initiative

TOTCF Unveils National Policy Initiative

by David Klemt

Tales of the Cocktail 2023 Singapore x Tales Residency

Yesterday, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announced the launch of their Policy Initiative, intended to update outdated labor standards and pay.

Along with advocating for both bartenders and servers, the initiative seeks to raise the subminimum wage to $2.13.

This news comes on the heels of the completion of an in-depth survey. The TOTCF surveyed more than 510 bartenders and other hospitality industry professionals about pay and other compensation.

In particular, more than half of bar workers want employers to provide health insurance. On the restaurant side, servers want to say increases in pay.

There’s much more, of course. Please visit this link to discover the finer details of the TOTCF Policy Initiative. Additionally, you’ll find TOTCF’s press release in its entirety below.

INTRODUCING THE TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION® POLICY INITIATIVE

TOTCF introduces a national initiative aimed at policy change in support of the hospitality community with first priority centered on improving labor standards for bar professionals

NEW ORLEANS, LA (February 13, 2024) — Tales of the Cocktail Foundation® (TOTCF) is pleased to announce the launch of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Policy Initiative, a multi-faceted effort designed to amplify and advocate for improved benefits and resources for hospitality professionals in the United States. The TOTCF Policy Initiative – which includes a robust nationwide survey and research project, coupled with support from the initiative’s advocacy committee members and partners – will catalyze an extensive campaign to create policy reform and positive change within the food and beverage community.

“Supporting an industry that has been historically underserved – from lack of industry research, common resources to educate and inform, and funding for coalitions – is crucial in breaking the cycles that have made it difficult to build a lifelong career in hospitality,” said Tales of the Cocktail Foundation CEO Eileen Wayner.

Intended to shift antiquated and subpar labor standards through industry support of positive policy action, the TOTCF Policy Initiative’s objectives include providing resources for employees and employers on labor standards and protections, conducting research and supporting efforts toward effective policy changes, information on healthcare access and benefits, sexual harassment training, and youth worker engagement – all with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. The TOTCF Policy Initiative, along with its Bar Professional Policy Network Hub, will assist with the organization of grassroots development and advocacy efforts in industry professionals’ local communities, providing opportunities for advocates to be directly involved in policy and reform in their own communities.

“Given our unique position within the industry, we want to offer platforms and resources for productive conversations between policymakers, industry executives, bar owners and operators, and bar professionals, to ensure existing and future policy changes are reflective and inclusive,” said Tammera Catchings, Government Affairs Manager for Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. “For TOTCF, the process begins with supportive research data and intricate data analysis of bar industry professionals and their work.”

The Policy Initiative is centered around improving labor standards for hospitality professionals around the country and supporting increased protections that will help ensure bartending and serving are viable, long-term careers. One of the first priorities of the TOTCF Policy Initiative is to support efforts to increase the subminimum wage of $2.13 for bartenders and servers. Since 1990, employment in the hospitality industry has grown over 85%, while overall private-sector employment grew by only 24%. With more than one in ten U.S. workers employed in the hospitality industry, increasing the wage floor and improving labor standards would significantly improve the well-being of millions of Americans and their families and help reduce long-standing race and gender-based wage inequities.

Launched in spring 2022, Phase One of the Policy Initiative consisted of a robust research project, which culminated with an industry-specific data collection completed by more than 500 bartenders and servers nationwide, targeting topics such as job quality, compensation, tip culture, health benefits, and more. This research, which was analyzed by Dynata, the nation’s largest first-party data company, resulted in a compilation of data that highlights key trends in the hospitality community. By effectively utilizing the survey data to start a progressive dialog amongst hospitality executives, politicians, and advocates, the TOTCF Policy Initiative will encourage significant changes in the economic and labor standards for all bartenders and servers in the country. Research results will be published as analyzed on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Policy website in April 2024. In Phase Two of the initiative to support positive policy reform, TOTCF is partnering with Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to conduct further research and analysis into industry labor standards, culminating in research publication at the end of 2024.

TOTCF Policy Initiative Committee Members

TOTCF is pleased to share the collective of industry professionals who are dedicated to advancing and overseeing the Policy Initiative: 
  • Zen Castro: New Orleans, LA – Espiritu Mezcaleria Restaurant, Bartender; BeachBum Berry’s Latitude 29, Bar Back
  • Jayanthi Daniel: Los Angeles, CA – Restaurant Workers Community Foundation, Executive Director 
  • Lauren Darnell: New Orleans, LA – Made IN New Orleans, Executive Director
  • Amanda Gunderson: Los Angeles, CA – Another Round Another Rally, Co-Founder
  • Kaiden Hope: New York, NY – Beam Suntory, Multicultural Portfolio Associate
  • Alex Jump: Denver, CO – Focus on Health, Co-Founder and Director of Operations
  • Jesse Maguire: New York, NY – Beam Suntory, U.S. Trade Engagement Manager 
  • Lynnette Marrero: New York, NY – American Bartender, Mixologist, and Philanthropist 
  • Robin Nance: Albany, IN – Strategic Branding Expert
  • John Reyna: Dallas, TX – Texas Hospitality and Non-profit Law Center, Managing Attorney

Government Affairs Manager

  • Tammera Catchings, J.D., M.S.: Ridgeland, MS – Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
To learn more about the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Policy Initiative and get involved, join the Bar Professional Policy Network. You can learn more about The Foundation via the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates, advances, and supports the global hospitality industry and creates lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in communities that host our events. This year, TOTCF hosts its 22nd Tales of the Cocktail® (TOTC) conference in New Orleans from July 21-26, 2024, and celebrates the theme Inspire.

Image: Cory Fontenot

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Aerial photograph of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at night
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Best and Worst Cities for Servers

Service Wins and Woes: Best and Worst Cities for Servers

by David Klemt

Aerial photograph of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at night

A recent survey from gaming industry site Casinos.US identifies the 25 best and two-dozen worst cities for servers in America.

I can share two details about the methodology that Casinos.US employed.

One, they surveyed 2,000 current and former hospitality professionals. And two, they were asked to rate the overall rudeness of their guests on a scale of one to ten. One is the kindest, ten is the rudest.

Further, I can share that the average rudeness of guests being served in the US is 4.9 out of ten. Unfortunately, the three worst cities on the Casinos.US list rank between 7.0 and 7.6 on the rudeness scale. In fact, 22 of the 24 worst cities come in at 5.0 or above.

No city is perfect. The best of the best earns a score of 2.0, with the next best hitting a 3.0. Still, not bad at all.

Sadly, 45 percent of respondents reported finding themselves interacting with rude guests at least twice per day. As far as the worst of the worst, respondents identified “older adults” as the rudest, and Sunday as the day of the week with the most incidents. Do with that information as you will.

There are two sides to the coin, of course. Impressively, 24 percent of respondents “rarely” encounter rudeness from guests. Even better, 28 percent don’t expect to come across rude guests on a daily basis at work. So, there’s some hope out there.

To review the results of this survey for yourself, click here.

The Worst

Alright, let’s get it out of the way. Below, the worst cities in America for servers, according to Casinos.us.

To the right, their rudeness score. Again, the score is out of ten, with ten being the absolute worst.

  1. Washington, DC (4.9)
  2. Orlando, Florida (4.9)
  3. San Antonio, Texas (5.0)
  4. Sacramento, California (5.0)
  5. Columbus, Ohio (5.0)
  6. Buffalo, New York (5.0)
  7. Houston, Texas (5.1)
  8. St. Louis, Missouri (5.1)
  9. Atlanta, Georgia (5.1)
  10. Louisville, Kentucky (5.3)
  11. Miami, Florida (5.3)
  12. Nashville, Tennessee (5.4)
  13. New York, New York (5.4)
  14. Phoenix, Arizona (5.6)
  15. Detroit, Michigan (5.7)
  16. San Diego, California (5.8)
  17. Las Vegas, Nevada (5.8)
  18. New Orleans, Louisiana (5.8)
  19. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (6.0)
  20. Providence, Rhode Island (6.3)
  21. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (6.3)
  22. Jacksonville, Florida (7.0)
  23. Cincinnati, Ohio (7.0)
  24. Virginia Beach, Virginia (7.6)

This list, if accurate, leaves me with one question: What’s going on, Virginia Beach? Sheesh. Calm down—your side of ranch isn’t that important, I promise.

It’s tempting to label this a tourist issue. Well over 10 million people—nearly 20 million in 2019—visit Virginia Beach annually.

And, hey, look at the rest of the list; it’s loaded with destination cities that draw millions upon millions of tourists each year.

However, when you look at the list of the best cities for servers below you’ll find more destination cities.

The Best

Now that we know the worst, let’s check out the best.

The cities below rank the lowest as far as rude behavior from guests.

  1. Dallas, Texas (4.8)
  2. Minneapolis, Minnesota (4.8)
  3. Boston, Massachusetts (4.8)
  4. Birmingham, Alabama (4.8)
  5. Salt Lake City, Utah (4.8)
  6. Los Angeles, California (4.7)
  7. San Francisco, California (4.7)
  8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4.7)
  9. Raleigh, North Carolina (4.6)
  10. Riverside, California (4.5)
  11. Kansas City, Missouri (4.5)
  12. Seattle, Washington (4.5)
  13. Charlotte, North Carolina (4.4)
  14. Richmond, Virginia (4.3)
  15. Cleveland, Ohio (4.3)
  16. Indianapolis, Indiana (4.2)
  17. Chicago, Illinois (4.1)
  18. Denver, Colorado (4.1)
  19. Portland, Oregon (4.0)
  20. Tampa, Florida (3.8)
  21. Hartford, Connecticut (3.8)
  22. Austin, Texas (3.8)
  23. Baltimore, Maryland (3.7)
  24. Memphis, Tennessee (3.0)
  25. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2.0)

Philly may be the City of Brotherly Love but the Steel City, Pittsburgh, is the best for servers in terms of guest behavior. At least, according to Casinos.US.

If you live in one of the cities above, go out to bars and restaurants, and aren’t a jerk to your servers, congratulations on being a decent person.

Takeaway

Let’s say you’re an owner, operator, or leadership team member. And let’s say you operate or work in one of the cities above, whether the best or worst.

If your service team routinely on edge, regularly upset, find out why. Leaders look out for their teams and strive to provide a healthy work environment.

I’m not saying you need to get into the details of their personal lives. What I am saying is that if there are issues in the workplace, you need to get to the bottom of them. More importantly, you then need to engage the team and get their feedback.

How do they want guest issues handled by the leadership team? Are their problematic regulars who need to be “fired” to protect the team? Some guests simply aren’t worth the revenue and tips in exchange for the emotional and mental distress they’re inflicting on the team.

That is, however, something that must be discussed. Most importantly, when the feedback is taken into account and a procedure is put in place, leadership must adhere to it and act accordingly. Any deviation will result in a loss of trust, and that will decimate team morale even more quickly than an encounter with a rude guest.

Lose trust from your team, lose the business.

Image: Venti Views on Unsplash

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Cheese pull from cheese pizza
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Pizza Today’s 2024 Report Reveals Most Popular Cheeses

Pizza Today‘s informative 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report is full of useful information, from top styles and toppings to new cheeses guests can choose.

Two weeks ago we did a deep dive into the top eleven pizza styles going into 2024, per Pizza Today. Click here to read that article.

Last week we checked out what the pizza publication had to say about top pizza styles by region. Additionally, we looked at the top toppings nationally and regionally. You can read that article here.

Now, we’re going to talk about what Pizza Today has learned about the top cheeses operators are putting on their menus.

by David Klemt

Cheese pull from cheese pizza

Top Pizza Styles, Nationally and Regionally

Before we jump into the cheeses, a quick recap of the top pizza styles in America.

  1. New York
  2. Traditional American
  3. Sicilian
  4. Deep Dish
  5. Neapolitan / Napoletana
  6. Chicago Thin / Tavern-style
  7. Detroit
  8. Grandma
  9. California / American Artisan
  10. NEOpolitan / Neo-Neapolitan and Chicago Thick (tie)

And now, the top trending pizza styles.

  1. Detroit
  2. Deep Dish and Grandma (tie)
  3. Sicilian
  4. New York
  5. Chicago Thin

Finally, the top pizza styles by region. For a more detailed explanation of each region, click here.

The West

  1. New York Style
  2. Traditional America
  3. California/American Artisan
  4. Sicilian
  5. Neapolitan

The South

  1. New York Style
  2. Traditional America
  3. Sicilian
  4. Deep Dish
  5. Neapolitan

The Midwest

  1. Traditional America
  2. Chicago Thin
  3. New York Style
  4. Deep Dish
  5. Detroit

The Northeast

  1. New York Style
  2. Sicilian
  3. Traditional America
  4. Neapolitan
  5. Grandma

Top Pizza Toppings, Nationally and Regionally

We’re almost to the cheeses. First, a recap of the most popular items to put on top of cheese.

Well, unless we’re talking a stuffed pizza. Click here and scroll to Deep Dish to see what I mean.

Now, the top toppings across the US.

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Extra Cheese
  5. Bacon
  6. Chicken
  7. Onion
  8. Red/Green Bell Pepper
  9. Ham
  10. Black Olives
  11. Meatballs
  12. Canadian Bacon
  13. Jalapenos
  14. Pineapple
  15. Beef
  16. Basil
  17. Banana Peppers
  18. Fresh garlic
  19. Tomatoes
  20. Spinach

Below, how toppings break down regionally.

The West

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Chicken
  5. Bacon

The South

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Extra cheese
  5. Bacon

The Midwest

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Bacon
  5. Onion

The Northeast

  • Pepperoni
  • Sausage
  • Mushroom
  • Extra cheese
  • Bacon

Top “New” Cheeses

Okay, so we’ve reviewed top pizza styles. We’ve done a recap for toppings.

So, what are some of the top “new” cheeses going onto those pizza styles and being covered in all those toppings?

It may seem odd the refer to the cheeses below as “new.” In this context, “new” means, “not mozzarella” or “not provolone,” for the most part. Or, if you’re in St. Louis, “not Provel.”

  • Ricotta
  • Cheddar
  • Fresh Mozzarella
  • Goat Cheese
  • Parmigiano Crema
  • Cotija Cheese
  • Scamorza
  • Vegan Cheese
  • Blue Cheese
  • Feta

Guests love personalization, and they love the opportunity to try new foods and new takes on foods they know.

Scamorza

For the most part, you’re likely familiar with all the cheeses above. However, if you’re like me, you may be unfamiliar with scamorza. If that’s the case, I looked into it for both of us.

Like mozzarella, scamorza is made from either stretched cow or water buffalo milk cheese curds. This cheese originates from Italy and comes in two styles: scamorza bianca or and scamorza affumicata. The former is white or natural, while the latter is smoked and brownish in appearance.

Further, bianca is a mild, somewhat sweet cheese. Affumicata, being smoked, delivers a more savory and, as one would expect, smoky flavor.

Vegan Cheese

If you aren’t offering vegan or plant-based cheese for your pizzas, you may not know what brands to use.

Well, don’t worry. I’ve also done some legwork into this topic.

Brands to check out are Violife, Diya, Chao, and Miyoko’s. As plant-based alternatives become more commonplace and expected by guests, I expect more commercial vegan-friendly cheeses to become available. Perhaps we’ll see some at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show.

Image: Pablo Pacheco on Unsplash

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Person clawing slice of pepperoni pizza
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Top Pizza Styles & Toppings by Region in the USA

Now that we know the top 11 pizza styles in North America thanks to Pizza Today, let’s see how they break down by region.

Unfortunately, they don’t include regions throughout Canada in their trends report. However, the information is still incredibly valuable.

Pizza Today has put a lot of effort into their 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report. So, make sure to click this link and check it out for yourself.

Before we jump into the regional breakdown, let’s check out which pizza toppings lead the way across the nation. As you’ll see later, while many regions follow national trends, they also deviate in notable ways.

If you read last week’s article, you already know which pizza styles dominate North America. For those of you haven’t yet read that article, click here.

That said, here are the top 20 toppings in America.

by David Klemt

Person clawing slice of pepperoni pizza

That’s one way to pick up a slice of pizza…

Top Toppings: Nationwide

If you operate a pizzeria or pizza is a significant focus of your business, you probably know the number one topping.

The image at the top of this article is a hint.

Per Pizza Today, these are the top 20 toppings in the US:

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Extra Cheese
  5. Bacon
  6. Chicken
  7. Onion
  8. Red/Green Bell Pepper
  9. Ham
  10. Black Olives
  11. Meatballs
  12. Canadian Bacon
  13. Jalapenos
  14. Pineapple
  15. Beef
  16. Basil
  17. Banana Peppers
  18. Fresh garlic
  19. Tomatoes
  20. Spinach

Due to outright bias, I hope to see meatballs break into the top ten one of these days. That’s my number one topping.

Now that we’ve shared the top 20 toppings according to Pizza Today, let’s check out the regional breakdown.

The West

This region includes two subregions, Pacific and Mountain.

In alphabetical order, the Pacific states are Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. The Mountain region includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

So, if you’re in one of those 13 states, the info below is relevant to you.

Top Styles

  1. New York Style
  2. Traditional America
  3. California/American Artisan
  4. Sicilian
  5. Neapolitan

Number three makes sense, given this region includes California. Otherwise, the West follows the top five pizza styles in the US rather closely.

Top Toppings

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Chicken
  5. Bacon
  6. Extra cheese
  7. Black Olives
  8. Onion
  9. Jalapenos
  10. Pineapple

In the West, the top three toppings are the same as the rest of the nation. However, chicken and bacon overtake extra cheese in the this region.

The South

Pizza Today divides the South into three subregions: East South Central, South Atlantic, and West South Central.

The former consists of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The South Atlantic includes Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. And West South Central is made up of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

As you’ll see, the top five pizza styles in the South are the same as the top across the US. Further, the top five toppings in the region are also the same top five nationally. It isn’t until numbers six through ten that we encounter deviations.

Top Styles

  1. New York Style
  2. Traditional America
  3. Sicilian
  4. Deep Dish
  5. Neapolitan

Top Toppings

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Extra cheese
  5. Bacon
  6. Onion
  7. Chicken
  8. Red/Green pepper
  9. Beef
  10. Ham

Beef is number 15 nationally, if you don’t want to scroll up and check for yourself.

The Midwest

The Midwest, per Pizza Today, is organized into two subregions. Those are East North Central and West North Central.

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin make up the former. Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota are the states in the latter subregion.

Top Styles

As a proud Midwesterner, I’m happy to report that the region didn’t disappoint when it comes to the region’s top pizza styles.

  1. Traditional America
  2. Chicago Thin
  3. New York Style
  4. Deep Dish
  5. Detroit

The argument that Chicago Thin (a.k.a. Chicago Tavern) rather than Deep Dish is the true Chicago pizza style is bolstered with these rankings.

Top Toppings

Pizza Today shares only five toppings for this region. Notably, extra cheese doesn’t make it in, kicked out by onion.

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Bacon
  5. Onion

The Northeast

The Middle Atlantic and New England are the two subregions of the Northeast.

For their report, Pizza Today identifies New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania as the three Middle Atlantic states. New England is Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Top Style

Number five, given where it was reportedly created, isn’t a surprise.

In fact, the whole list makes sense:

  1. New York Style
  2. Sicilian
  3. Traditional America
  4. Neapolitan
  5. Grandma

It’s also not a surprise that Deep Dish doesn’t make it into the Northeast’s top five pizza styles.

Top Toppings

Further, the top five of ten top toppings in the Northeast are the same nationally.

  1. Pepperoni
  2. Sausage
  3. Mushroom
  4. Extra cheese
  5. Bacon
  6. Chicken
  7. Onion
  8. Red/Green pepper
  9. Meatballs
  10. Banana Peppers

However, as you can see, meatballs (my favorite) and banana peppers break into the top ten in this region.

Takeaways

Obviously, there are more than just 20 toppings finding their way onto pizzas in the US. Pizza Today reports that birria, fig jam, hot honey, pasilla peppers, and pickled vegetables have earned their way onto menus in at least the past 12 months.

And when it comes the top 20 toppings, there’s nuance. For example, there are multiple styles of pepperoni and preparation, and the same holds true for sausage.

All this is to say the following: A blend of popular, traditional toppings along with the unexpected and new is likely a winning combination. This can include exotic ingredients, plant-based analogs, and international herbs and spices.

Remember, it’s pizza; it’s supposed to tempting and fun.

Image: Maksim Goncharenok on Pexels

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People sharing a plate of nachos
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Nachogate: A Lesson in Standards

Nachogate: A Lesson in Standards

by David Klemt

People sharing a plate of nachos

You wouldn’t think a social media post about a plate of nachos could cause a scandal but that’s exactly what’s happening, and it’s known as Nachogate.

Shockingly, this story comes to us from a luxury casino resort in Las Vegas.

A photo of a meager dish with six entire tortilla chips on it has 1.3 million views already. That’s pretty impressive—or unfortunate, depending on which side of the post you’re on—considering the post is from this Monday.

One of the top comments on the post points out that there’s quite the disparity between chips and accompaniments.

“More condiments than chips. Wow,” reads the comment. To which the original poster responds, “They said it was so you can have the perfect bite.”

It should go without saying that every dish put in front of a guest needs to be as close to perfect as possible. If it’s on the menu, if it leaves the kitchen, it impacts the guest experience. There is no, “Well it’s only [insert item]. It’s not that big of a deal.”

That mindset simply has no place in hospitality.

No, not every dish or drink is perfect. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. The absolute lowest standard should be caring enough to catch mistakes before they affect guests.

Failing that, every operator and leadership team member needs to care enough to acknowledge mistakes that reach guests, handle them gracefully, and fix them. This includes listening to and rewarding servers, bartenders, barbacks, and hosts whenever they catch a mistake.

Of course, there’s another lesson here. When developing non-negotiable standards, aim high. Fountainbleau Las Vegas is a luxury lifestyle brand; I doubt Nachogate reflects the company’s standards.

#Nachogate Fallout

Look, it can feel good to say that we don’t have competitors in this industry, we have peers. In some ways that can be an accurate statement.

However, watch what happens when an operator makes a mistake and it blows up in spectacular fashion.

Case in point, Nachogate. Or, given how the situation went viral, #Nachogate.

It would be bad enough if The Tavern at Fountainbleau Las Vegas took a reputational hit solely with the guests it affected directly. Obviously, it gets exponentially worse when it takes off on social media and alters the perception of potential guests.

But #Nachogate got worse when the venue’s “peers” leveraged the situation to their advantage.

That’s just a handful of posts taking advantage of Fountainbleau Las Vegas’ mistake. And that’s a lot of free marketing leveraging an unforced error that transformed into a viral moment.

Resolution

Alright, so I probably haven’t made any friends at Fountainbleau for sharing this story. Well, allow me to extend an olive branch. After all, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and will make more in the future.

It appears that the issue has been addressed by the property. That says to me that there are indeed standards, and there are people who care enough to respond when they’re not met.

Again, mistakes happen. The key is to correct course and move forward. Fountainbleau has done just that.

That’s a smart move. A mistake was made, people piled on, and instead of ignoring the issue, the company acknowledged and corrected the mistake where it blew up: the public eye.

Fountainbleau Las Vegas is just over a month into serving the public. There are going to be growing pains. Indeed, anyone who has been following the casino resort is aware that there have been much larger issues. For example, the company is dealing with the departures of three high-level executives.

The point of this article isn’t to roast Fountainbleau further. Assuming the viral post is true and the nachos at The Tavern have indeed been improved, a mistake was made and was then addressed.

I’m sharing this story as an example to drive home the need for standards, for non-negotiables. That means sitting down, considering every element of operations and service, writing out standards, and training teams on those non-negotiables. It’s as important as identifying values, sharing them with the team, and adhering to them.

Sit down today and develop your standards. If you’ve done that in the past, review your standards, update them if necessary, and ensure they still have buy-in from your team.

Image: Herson Rodriguez on Unsplash

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A white letter "X" painted on a black wall
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Boutique Brand StandardX to Make Debut

Boutique Brand StandardX to Debut in February

by David Klemt

A white letter "X" painted on a black wall

Like The Standard’s logo, this letter X is upside-down.

Boutique hotel standard The Standard will debut its new brand, StandardX, in Melbourne when its first property opens in February of this year.

Not only will this new hotel be the first StandardX location to open, it’s also the first Standard hotel to open in Australia.

This new boutique hotel brand follows a growing and notable trend within the space. Many hotel groups are focusing on launching brands and imprints that focus on locality.

These brands aim to honor local cultures, striving to serve locals and their communities along with tourists. In fact, some of these brands appear more interested in locals than visitors.

Beyond staycations, these hotels work to gain buy-in from locals in several ways. One of the most obvious is through F&B programs. These new(er) brands seek to menu food and drink items that are authentic to their locations. Likewise, nightlife experiences.

However, it goes deeper than that. Many of these hotels welcome locals to use communal spaces for meetings, art installations, and more. The goal is to establish themselves as a pillars in the communities in which they operate. If done right—deeper than a thin veneer of local support—these hotels prove their locale loyalty.

All that said, only time will tell if StandardX Melbourne will find support in the brand’s chosen Melbourne neighborhood, Fitzroy. On paper, however, it should be a perfect match.

Two Decades of Cool, and Counting

The first Standard opened on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1999. It takes a lot of work be effortlessly cool, and the Standard Hollywood achieved that standard upon opening.

Artists, celebrities, people who wanted to see and be seen… All could be found at the Standard Hollywood. The hotel’s Rooftop bar and pool became one of LA’s hottest hotspots, a seemingly endless party featuring a seemingly endless parade of the cool and connected.

Starting life in 1967 as the Thunderbird Motel, the Standard Hollywood appears in Sex and the City, Entourage, Mortdecai, and Ocean’s Twelve. One of the property’s most notable details, one that undoubtedly generated coverage, whispers, and social media attention, was “The Box.”

This was a living art installation behind reception. Fifteen feet long, it was a box in which models lounged as guests checked in and navigated the lobby.

After a successful and impactful run of over a decade, the Standard Hollywood closed its doors at the start of 2022. While that meant the brand left California completely, the Standard operates seven properties across the globe, with plans for more standard Standards to come.

The StandardX hotels will take a minimalist approach while maximizing the Standard’s view on hospitality.

“This was an opportunity to return to raw, unbridled simplicity that was accessible to the next generation traveler looking to experience a city through the lens of The Standard brand,” said Standard International’s CEO, Amber Asher, in an interview with Travel + Leisure.

Considering how the Standard brand is associated with all things cool, it’s no surprise that their first foray into Australia is one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.

Position, Position, Position

Yes, I know the maxim is, “Location, location, location.” Well, I’m being clever. See? See how clever I am? Am I cool yet?

Clearly, the Standard has put in the work to be positioned as one of the coolest brands in the hospitality, accommodation, travel, and leisure spaces.

So, it makes sense that they’ve done their homework and designed a brand and selected a location in keeping with that position.

We can argue whether or not being deemed “cool” makes or breaks your status as cool some other time. The fact is, Fitzroy is considered more than just one of the coolest neighborhoods in Victoria. It’s held up as more than just one of the coolest neighborhoods in Australia. Fitzroy is one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.

The neighborhood is celebrated for its eclectic nature, local pubs, fantastic indie restaurants and boutiques, and killer nightlife. So, again, the StandardX making its debut there is fitting.

Characterized by 125 minimalist rooms, “cultural programming,” and compelling F&B, the StandardX Melbourne is clearly on a mission to establish itself as the coolest of the cool hotels in Australia.

Two F&B venues, BANG and the Roof, will serve up Thai-inspired dishes and “authentic Mexican,” with the latter accessible only to guests. That exclusivity and of itself will likely make the Roof a sought-after nightlife destination in short order.

Oh, and The Box is back. In a nod to a design feature and installation that separated the Standard from the rest, The Box is the property’s retail venue.

After Melbourne, StandardX is aiming to position itself in Bangkok, with Brooklyn and Austin to follow. Look at where the brand is headed and one thing is clear: their chasing the coolest scenes.

Image: Jen Theodore on Unsplash

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