Episodes

Stefano Catino is the very definition of the consummate host. Walk into Maybe Sammy when he’s on duty — or in any of the Maybe Group’s other venues, be it the coffee-focused Sammy Jr, pizza joint Maybe Frank, or the luxe surrounds of cocktail bar Dean & Nancy on 22 — and he’s commands the room. So on this episode, Stefano talks to me about why he does what he does, what it is that he thinks makes Maybe Sammy special, his hopes for their next bar, El Primo Sanchez, and we even break some news ar...

Today I’m talking to Orlando Marzo. Ever since landing in London in 2009, Orlando has worked hard at some very good bars: he talks here a bit about The Player and Milk & Honey in London, two very consequential bars, and you get an insight into just how much work and preparation went into those roles, not just for Orlando but for everyone who worked at the group that owned it, The Rushmore Group. I’ve met a few people with Rushmore group training, and they’re invariably very good at whatever they...

Today I’m talking to Ryan Chetiyawardana. You may have heard of him. The London-based bartender and creative is behind the Mr Lyan group of venues, which began in 2013 with White Lyan in Hoxton — he closed that in 2017 to launch two venues in its place: Cub, and Super Lyan. In 2014 he launched Dandelyan in London — before killing that venue in 2019 to relaunch as Lyaness, one of my favourite bars in the world. He moved Super Lyan to Amsterdam in 2019, and launched Silver Lyan in the US in Washin...

Today I’m talking to the talented Kayla Reid. This award-winning bartender and bar manager has just begun a new role created specifically for her at the Speakeasy Group. She's their new beverage creative and mentor and in this chat, we talk about the how she came to get this role, and her advice for bartenders wanting to craft an interesting role for themselves in the creative side of the bar business. We also get some insight into what's coming for new Speakeasy Group venues, The Sanderson, and...

Today I’m talking to Lauren Mote. She's the Global Director of On-Trade Excellence for Patrón Tequila, and oversees the brand's advocacy and education with bartenders across the globe. She's also behind the revamp of their Patrón Perfectionists Global Cocktail Competition, and today she talks about her journey to this one of a kind role, what's changed in the Patrón Perfectionists program, her advice for entering and succeeding and more. www.academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists https://www....

Today I’m talking to Lauren Mote. She's the Global Director of On-Trade Excellence for Patrón Tequila, and oversees the brand's advocacy and education with bartenders across the globe. She's also behind the revamp of their Patrón Perfectionists Global Cocktail Competition, and today she talks about her journey to this one of a kind role, what's changed in the Patrón Perfectionists program, her advice for entering and succeeding and more. www.academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists https://www....

Today I’m talking to Lauren Mote. She's the Global Director of On-Trade Excellence for Patrón Tequila, and oversees the brand's advocacy and education with bartenders across the globe. She's also behind the revamp of their Patrón Perfectionists Global Cocktail Competition, and today she talks about her journey to this one of a kind role, what's changed in the Patrón Perfectionists program, her advice for entering and succeeding and more. www.academiapatron.com/patronperfectionists https://www....

Today I’m talking to Jordan Blackman. He's the group beverage manager for Sydney's Odd Culture Group, and has spent the last decade working in and running some of Sydney's best known bars. Here he tells us just what a group beverage role entails, how he got to the job, and loads more.

Today I’m talking to Jordan Blackman. He's the group beverage manager for Sydney's Odd Culture Group, and has spent the last decade working in and running some of Sydney's best known bars. Here he tells us just what a group beverage role entails, how he got to the job, and loads more.

Today I’m talking to Jordan Blackman. He's the group beverage manager for Sydney's Odd Culture Group, and has spent the last decade working in and running some of Sydney's best known bars. Here he tells us just what a group beverage role entails, how he got to the job, and loads more.

My guest on this episode is ERIK LORINCZ. He’s as big name bartender as you get: he won the global World Class final in 2010, was the 10th head bartender at the American Bar at the storied Savoy Hotel in London, taking it to number 1 on the world’s 50 best bars list in 2017, before opening his own bar, Quaint — which also found itself on The World’s 50 Best Bars the year it debuted. He even has his own line of premium shakers and bar tools which are just beautiful. Erik will be in Australia nex...

My guest on this episode is ERIK LORINCZ. He’s as big name bartender as you get: he won the global World Class final in 2010, was the 10th head bartender at the American Bar at the storied Savoy Hotel in London, taking it to number 1 on the world’s 50 best bars list in 2017, before opening his own bar, Quaint — which also found itself on The World’s 50 Best Bars the year it debuted. He even has his own line of premium shakers and bar tools which are just beautiful. Erik will be in Australia nex...

My guest on this episode is ERIK LORINCZ. He’s as big name bartender as you get: he won the global World Class final in 2010, was the 10th head bartender at the American Bar at the storied Savoy Hotel in London, taking it to number 1 on the world’s 50 best bars list in 2017, before opening his own bar, Quaint — which also found itself on The World’s 50 Best Bars the year it debuted. He even has his own line of premium shakers and bar tools which are just beautiful. Erik will be in Australia nex...

The World’s 50 Best Bars is a big deal. Held each year in October since 2009, when a bar lands on the list it can change their fortunes: they get more press coverage, they receive more trade, and they find it easier to hire good staff. But it’s also something of a lightning rod for criticism. So in this episode, I talk to mark Sansom, content director for 50 Best Bars, and we address some of the criticisms, what it takes to put on an awards show of this magnitude, and loads more.

The World’s 50 Best Bars is a big deal. Held each year in October since 2009, when a bar lands on the list it can change their fortunes: they get more press coverage, they receive more trade, and they find it easier to hire good staff. But it’s also something of a lightning rod for criticism. So in this episode, I talk to mark Sansom, content director for 50 Best Bars, and we address some of the criticisms, what it takes to put on an awards show of this magnitude, and loads more.

The World’s 50 Best Bars is a big deal. Held each year in October since 2009, when a bar lands on the list it can change their fortunes: they get more press coverage, they receive more trade, and they find it easier to hire good staff. But it’s also something of a lightning rod for criticism. So in this episode, I talk to mark Sansom, content director for 50 Best Bars, and we address some of the criticisms, what it takes to put on an awards show of this magnitude, and loads more.

Humans seem to be hard-wired to notice change — we put a big emphasis on new things, and we hate to lose things we value. But when everything is fine, and things are just coasting along — well, we don’t tend to notice them. Perhaps we don’t appreciate them as much as we would if we knew that one day they weren’t going to be there. So on this episode I speak to Lee Potter Cavanagh, to find out what it’s like to close a bar — it’s his first — after four years in business. It’s a bittersweet time ...

Humans seem to be hard-wired to notice change — we put a big emphasis on new things, and we hate to lose things we value. But when everything is fine, and things are just coasting along — well, we don’t tend to notice them. Perhaps we don’t appreciate them as much as we would if we knew that one day they weren’t going to be there. So on this episode I speak to Lee Potter Cavanagh, to find out what it’s like to close a bar — it’s his first — after four years in business. It’s a bittersweet time ...

Humans seem to be hard-wired to notice change — we put a big emphasis on new things, and we hate to lose things we value. But when everything is fine, and things are just coasting along — well, we don’t tend to notice them. Perhaps we don’t appreciate them as much as we would if we knew that one day they weren’t going to be there. So on this episode I speak to Lee Potter Cavanagh, to find out what it’s like to close a bar — it’s his first — after four years in business. It’s a bittersweet time ...

Today I’m talking to Theo Watt. This episode is one for those who have thought about writing about drinks and bars and bartenders. I’m talking to Theo Watt, who is the founder of DRiNK Magazine in Asia, where they publish out of Hong Kong — you may recall his editor Holy Graham on a previous episode of Drinks At Work — and also pout of Shanghai for the Chinese market. He’s also the founder of Thirsty Work Productions, which publishes the website and is something of a trade marketing and activati...

Today I’m talking to Theo Watt. This episode is one for those who have thought about writing about drinks and bars and bartenders. I’m talking to Theo Watt, who is the founder of DRiNK Magazine in Asia, where they publish out of Hong Kong — you may recall his editor Holy Graham on a previous episode of Drinks At Work — and also pout of Shanghai for the Chinese market. He’s also the founder of Thirsty Work Productions, which publishes the website and is something of a trade marketing and activati...

Today I’m talking to Theo Watt. This episode is one for those who have thought about writing about drinks and bars and bartenders. I’m talking to Theo Watt, who is the founder of DRiNK Magazine in Asia, where they publish out of Hong Kong — you may recall his editor Holy Graham on a previous episode of Drinks At Work — and also pout of Shanghai for the Chinese market. He’s also the founder of Thirsty Work Productions, which publishes the website and is something of a trade marketing and activati...

Today I’m talking to Cara Devine. You might know Cara from Melbourne rooftop bar, Bomba, where she is the bar manager; you may also have seen her writing in industry publications like Australian Bartender, or here on Boothby; but it’s more likely you know Cara from her successful and popular YouTube channel, behind the Bar with Cara Devine. That’s where she has amassed over 135,000 subscribers and puts out videos each week, some of which pull in several hundred thousand views. Behind The Bar wi...

Today I’m talking to Cara Devine. You might know Cara from Melbourne rooftop bar, Bomba, where she is the bar manager; you may also have seen her writing in industry publications like Australian Bartender, or here on Boothby; but it’s more likely you know Cara from her successful and popular YouTube channel, behind the Bar with Cara Devine. That’s where she has amassed over 135,000 subscribers and puts out videos each week, some of which pull in several hundred thousand views. Behind The Bar wi...