Interview | KRG Hospitality

Meet Your Next Love: Amante 1530

by David Klemt

A beautiful new luxury amaro from Italy is committing to becoming your next—and best—lover, whether you enjoy it straight up or in a fabulous cocktail.

Produced in Tuscany, Italy, at the Il Palagio 1530 estate, Amante 1530 hits a multitude of sweet spots.

Whereas Aperol comes in at 11-percent ABV and Campari hits between 24- and 29-percent ABV, Amante 1530 rings in at 15 percent. Further, this amaro has less sweetness than the former and less bitterness than the latter.

I sat down with Ana Rosenstein, the brand’s CEO, for an episode of the Bar Hacks podcast. Declaring herself a nerd, she explains that Amante 1530 falls in between Aperol and Campari, and can serve as an aperitivo or a digestivo.

Notably, the team behind Amante 1530 isn’t out to replace Aperol, Campari, or other well-established amari on the market. During our conversation, Rosenstein shares that she believes the brand speaks to an amaro consumer that hasn’t, until now, found the product that truly speaks to them. (You’ll also gain some invaluable insight into succeeding with investors during this episode.)

Below, four recipes that highlight Amante 1530’s key flavor notes of citrus, ginger, and honeysuckle. That said, I think you’ll find that Rosenstein’s recommendation of enjoying it neat or on the rocks with a slice of Amalfi lemon delivers an elegant and refreshing experience. Cheers!

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The Last Lover

1.5 oz. Amante 1530
1 oz. Blanco tequila
0.5 oz. Fresh lime juice
2 oz. Quality soda water
4 cucumber rounds
1 barspoon Agave nectar (optional)

Muddle the cucumber rounds in a shaker, then add ice and the first three ingredients. As an option, you can add a barspoon of agave nectar. Shake, then strain into a Collins or highball glass. Top with soda water.

Moonraker

1.5 oz. Gin
0.75 oz. Amante 1530
0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. Green tea simple syrup
3 Cucumber rounds
2 Cucumber ribbons to garnish

Muddle the cucumber rounds in a shaker. Fill shaker with ice. Add gin, Amante 1530, lemon juice, and green tea simple syrup. Shake well, then double-strain into cocktail coupe. Garnish with ribbons/lengthwise slices of cucumber, and serve.

Amante Spritz

2 parts Amante 1530
3 parts Prosecco
1 part High-quality soda water
1 Amalfi lemon wedge to garnish

Prepare a stemmed balloon glass or goblet by adding ice. Next, add the Prosecco to the glass, followed by Amante 1530. Top with soda water, then squeeze the juice from the Amalfi lemon and drop in the wedge to garnish.

Palombo

1.5 oz. Reposado tequila
0.75 oz. Amante 1530
0.25 oz. Fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz. Fresh lime juice
0.5 oz. Simple syrup
3 oz. Soda water
Lemon wheel to garnish

Prepare a Collins or highball glass by adding quality ice. To a shaker filled with ice add all the liquid ingredients except the soda water. Shake, then strain into the prepared glass. Top with the soda water, then garnish with the lemon wheel and serve.

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

Images: Amante 1530

This Simple Test Reveals Process Problems

by David Klemt

There’s an easy way to identify whether there are changes that need to be made to processes and practices that only requires observation and time.

Luckily, it doesn’t take much time, either. In less than a week, an operator can determine if there are issues relating to onboarding new hires.

This simple test was shared during the 2022 Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale.

Interviews are Just the Start

It should go without saying but here we go: The hiring process doesn’t end with the interview.

An operator or their leadership team found an amazing job candidate? Awesome! That’s no small feat these days.

However, that’s just the first step in hiring and building a rock star restaurant, bar or hotel team.

Step two is onboarding, step three is training, and step four is advancement.

For KRG Hospitality, onboarding goes far beyond filling out federal and state paperwork. There’s more to it than setting up direct deposit and getting a new hire on the schedule.

Rather, operators need to implement a fully developed onboarding process. The key word there is “process.”

True onboarding includes the review of an employee handbook and an introduction to the business. During this process new hires should become familiar with the brand’s history, vision, culture, mission, and core values.

By the end of this process, a new team member should understand what’s expected of them, both in their individual role and behaviorally. Additionally, they should be introduced to the entire team.

In reality, the onboarding process is the development of a professional relationship.

The Test

Technically, the actual test for operators is for them to have in-depth hiring, onboarding and training processes in place.

So, operators should take a moment to review whether they have those processes.

However, the test I’m talking about here relates to onboarding directly. It’s simple and it was shared during RLC 2022 by Jim Thompson, COO of Chicken Salad Chick.

The only requirement is a few days’ time and an observant operator and/or leadership team.

Let’s say a candidate nails the interview. In particular, their personality is perfect for the available role. As the the hospitality industry maxim goes, hire for personality, train for skills.

The new hire works their first shift but their personality doesn’t shine through. However, that could be first-day jitters. Unfortunately, that personality the leadership team hired for is nowhere to be seen during their next few shifts.

According to Thompson, if a new hire’s personality doesn’t shine through within four shifts, there’s likely a process and practices issue. The lack of personality is an indicator that the new team member doesn’t feel confident in their role.

The onboarding process—either too shallow or nonexistent—is a likely culprit. Operators can use this test, a simple four-shift observation of a new hire, to determine if there’s a problem.

Once identified, the operator and their leaders can put their heads together, review the issue, and implement effective, positive change.

Image: Caroline Attwood on Unsplash