July 9, 2025 • 50 mins
Charlotte Voisey has helped redefine how spirits brands connect with the hospitality industry, notably as longtime global brand ambassador for William Grant & Sons. In 2025, Voisey stepped into a new role as Executive Director for the nonprofit Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, where she oversees strategic planning and initiatives to support the evolution of the industry. Voisey shares how her own career has evolved from her roots in England to becoming a global leader in hospitality.
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The Connected Table is broadcast live Wednesdays at 2PM ET and Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
The Connected Table Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-connected-table-live--1277037/support.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:20):
choosing W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hello, and welcome to the Connected Table Live. We're your hosts,
Melanie Young and David Ransom. You're insatiably curious culinary couple.
We travel the world to bring you the amazing people
and places we visit and meet anywhere we go. And
today we're broadcasting live from home base, New Orleans, and
(01:02):
we're raising a glass cheers. It's going to be a
spirited discussion with someone we've been trying to get on
this show for a really long time, and now it
seems like the best time of all to have her.
We're talking about Charlotte Voisse, whose lengthy career working in
spirits has hit every possible high note and brought her
legions of admirers from industry professionals to fans who have
(01:26):
seen her on shows like Iron Chef America and The
Proper Poor. She is renowned and credited for really helping
to find how spirits brands connect with the hospitality industry,
and a lot of this was done for nearly two
decades when she was serving as global ambassador for William
Grant and Sons, overseeing over one hundred people and traveling
(01:48):
the world, which is why we can never get her
on this show. However, she has made this bold, exciting
career change and in January of twenty twenty five, stepped
up to become the executive director of the Tales of
the Cocktail Foundation. Now, if you follow the industry, you
know the Tails of the Cocktail is the premiere gathering
(02:11):
of bar and spirits, indie sury professionals from around the
world that it takes place here in New Orleans. The
twenty third edition is taking place July twenty to twenty five,
twenty twenty five. Of course, we'll be there with our
spirited swizzle sticks. These are from Muses Marti Gral Muses,
Wet Red High heels, and we are so excited to
(02:33):
be able to sit down with Charlotte to have a nice,
proper discussion. So, Charlotte Vosse, welcome to the Connected Table.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Thank you so much. What a wonderful, warm welcome. You
guys are awesome. Thank you so much for having me
on today.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Don't you love? These are high heeled red swizzle sticks
from Muses.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
They need me one of those too.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
We may have a couple extra great although something tells
me you're not lacking in bar where anyhouse? Yeah, you know, Charlotte,
were very excited to have you on the show. I
know I interviewed you about fifteen years ago for a
column that I was writing at the time, and we've
obviously kept in I know.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
It's been that long time.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah right here, then I did.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
But in the meantime we've always kept in touch. We've
seen you with Tales, we've seen you in New York,
we've seen you in asked in various places. But I
want to kind of take it back and we want
to tell our listeners have you tell them about you?
Speaker 5 (03:34):
So why don't you tell us where you were born raised?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
You were raised in London, but tell us about your
background and where you're from and how you got into.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
The spiritus business.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Great, Yeah, thank you and thanks again for having me on.
Super excited to talk with both of you today. So
we've taken it back to the beginning. A great story
starts at the beginning. So, yes, I was. I was
born just outside of London, grew up in the UK
with my parents, obviously my one sister. I went to
university from a young age there didn't really ever know
(04:07):
what I wanted to do for a career, right, you know,
some people kind of know exactly what they want to do.
If you asked me when I was five years old,
I probably would have told you that I wanted to
be like a firefighter or superman or something like that,
but obviously not a serious answer. So went to university
to kind of keep my options open. And I think
(04:28):
one of the things I value so much from my
upbringing was my parents' love of travel. Being in Europe
obviously is a luxury that it's quite easy and in
expensive to travel to different countries and be exposed to
different cultures. So that's something that I think kind of
set me on the path that I've been so lucky
to explore through my career. But yes, really enjoyed that
(04:50):
from a childhood perspective for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
So how did you get into bartending? Were you like that?
Were you like doing it you're in college to earn
money or was it something that you were doing because
you've got out and you were like, I don't know
what I want to do with my life or did
you decide was there a drink that made you say
I want to be in this business.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, the way I got into the industry again very fortunate.
I've had a lot of right place, right time moments,
I like to say, in the industry. So back in
the UK, I went to university in Brighton and studied
International Hospitality Management. So I actually kind of intended to
fall into this industry from a certain aspect. But the
reason I chose the course that I did is they
(05:28):
offered a year in industry, meaning for one year you
didn't go to classes, you actually worked and got life
experience with a company somewhere in hospitality. And the company
I joined was called My Kind of Town Restaurants and
it actually, if you look it up, quite a few
great people in hospitality came from there. It's a London base,
(05:49):
but with franchises all over the world. So I joined
them and I had six months in London, six months
in Barcelona when I graduated. I was in Argentina with
them for two years, having the most fabulous time. And
then I still remember to this day when I got
the call saying we actually want you to come home now.
We want you to come back to London because we're
about to open a classic cocktail bar called Apartment one
(06:10):
ninety five in Chelsea in London and we want you
to head it up. And that was as much as
I didn't want to leave one Is at the time
because it's such a fabulous place to live, made the
decision to go back to London, and that's where the
cocktail part of my career really started. And again right place,
right time. It was a very interesting time in London.
(06:32):
It was when the London cocktail scene was starting to
take off, when cocktail competitions were starting, you know, Dale
d Groth would come over and work with Jonathan Downey
on the match group. It was a really kind of
intimate but exciting time in the London cocktail scene and
I was front and center of that. So I'm very
fortunate to get my start in the industry. In that way, you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Rode the wave.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I'm curious how many languages do you speak since you've
worked all over the world.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Are mostly fluent in Spanish and lacking a little bit
of practice these days, and I speak French to having
learned at school, and a little bit of sort of
German and other European languages, but again definitely helps when
you sort of travel as a child and in the UK,
I think it's a little different. We're exposed to quite
a few languages at school.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, I think languages are great. So you know, was
there you worked at a proper I love the word
proper London bar, proper English breakfast. It's always proper discussion
with Charlotte Foassi. Was there? What was that proper cocktail
that you just loved and learned a master that you
still think is quintessential? I actually curious quintessential London cocktail
(07:45):
versus a quintessential American cocktail.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, gosh, let's see, Well it would have to have
been with Gin, right, because that's the quintessential British spirit
and the one I felt loved. I think that's, you know,
so inspiring for alltenders because of the nature of botanical
and the plethora of ingredients that gin goes with. So
it was probably one of those early drinks just trying
(08:08):
to think now, one of the men. So the bar
that I mentioned, Apartment one ninety five, was really the
first serious cocktail bar I worked in. So that's where
I kind of learned that there was a way to
do drinks properly, to use to use that word again,
but there was actually methodology, and there was culture, and
there was a history that the modern drinks that we
(08:29):
kind of knew at that time and this was the
early two thousands, were actually rooted in the classics. Like
you could take any drink of that era and actually
dial it back and find that sort of family tree
of the drink and oh, this is actually a ref
on a Mohito or a Manhattan or an Old Fashion
or a gen Martini. So that was probably sort of
(08:50):
my education that I that I valued most from my
time at Apartment one five.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
That's really interesting because you know, I rode the wave
in the culinary world, which kind of was maybe fifteen
years before the cocktail revolution. There was an American culinary revolution,
and then all of a sudden. Living in New York,
you had, you know, all these amazing bars popping up
that became status symbols to go to, and people were
rushing to them, whether you know it was PDT or
(09:19):
I mean, there was always the Staples and then all
of a sudden, you know, I would dine out with
I would dine it with restaurant critics, right because at
the time I was running the James Bearder word and
we would just diamond and start having dinner and some wine,
and then all of a sudden we'd all be like, no,
we have to start with a proper cocktail, and suddenly
we were sipping each other's cocktails. It kind of evolved
(09:40):
in that time. It's interesting cocktails really rose up to
be part of the menu for.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Sure, and I think, you know, we have a lot
to thank. We had the colony world to thank a
lot for sort of leading mixology, if you will, because flavors, ingredients, style,
but also just the level of care that chefs would
pay not only to execut of their dishes, but sourcing
of ingredients right, understanding where things came from, how they made.
I think that mixology always sort of trailed gastronomy like
(10:09):
you said, sort of fifteen years or so, so we
learned a lot from that. But you're right, I mean
I remember those years. I came over to the US
then in two thousand and six, so like the middle
of that decade, it was so exciting, especially in New
York where I lived, those iconic bars that are now
kind of almost timeless, right, they're sort of milestones in
the evolution of cocktail culture, But there was It was
(10:31):
so exciting back then because I felt like people bartenders
as well as guests were discovering a lot of this
cocktail culture for the first time. And it was it
was really eye opening. It felt very creative. It was
a real good time. Lots of fun too.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
It certainly was we all.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
I think we all rode that wave and we still
enjoy it to this day obviously.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And renew waves now.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
ANDAs like your.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Career, I mean, you atee it. You know, you listen
whenever we saw you tells you were always orchestrating these
amazing parties for William Grant and Son and notably Hendrix's Chin.
And you know, I think I personally learned more about
that gin because of you.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Oh well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I mean the Roads and the cucumber. And you know,
I learned a lot because you did a lot of
educational programs as well as parties, because listen, Tails of
the Cocktail is not all about parties. It's about learning
and career development and education and networking and supporting each
other because it is the hospitality industry right.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
No, absolutely, it's a balance of all of those things.
You know, Yes, the educational seminars are super important. You
get the unique opportunity to sit down and listen to
the world's experts on all sorts of niche topics that
you can't get anywhere else. You get to taste spirits
that perhaps were limited editions or historic or sort of
the unibuffle left in the world. Like literally, that's the
(11:58):
stuff of Tales right, as much as what's new and
what's happening and what's launching. But for me, the parties
were always that moment for everyone to just relax a little,
come together and chat, right, Yes, against some crazy, fun,
exciting backdrops, but it's the connection at Tales that is
where the magic happens. And it's those conversations you don't
(12:20):
plan that happens spontaneously with people you've seen on social
media or read about or never met before. But Tales
brings people together and I know that's how we've kept
our friendship alive and kept in touch over the years.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
Well, that is certainly true, and you know that kind
of brings us to where you are now as well.
You've recently, just earlier this year, took on the executive
director role at the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Yea,
to start the next chapter of your career. Why don't
you tell us about how that came about and what
it entails for.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You and what the foundation is because it's a foundation,
which means it has an important nonprofit mission.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yes, yeah, and thank you for raising that. I think
a lot of people in the industry have heard of Tales.
They know it's this fun week in July in New Orleans.
Great city, you know, lots going on, but not everybody
understands the full scope of the Tails or the Cocktail Foundation.
It's really twofold, right. It is this flagpole, a wonderful
(13:23):
event that we all love in July in New Orleans,
but it's also a three hundred and sixty five day
a year effort to educate, advance, and support the global
drinks industry, which is quite a lofty mission, right and
entails an awful lot of work, but really Tails is
there to support bartenders, bar owners, every sort of member
(13:46):
of our industry through providing the education and the resources
that need that are needed, but moreover to kind of
provide this platform for people to come together, to speak out,
to share ideas and resources, and to be celebrated through
our Spirited Awards program of course, which is a big
(14:07):
part of Tales of the Cocktail. So everything kind of
comes together on that platform that is Tails. It is
non for profit, so everything that we're doing is so
that we can put back into the industry. That's truly
our mission, and it's wonderful to see when we can
make things happen for people, whether it's literally through our
(14:29):
scholarship program, which this year is dedicated to Chris Patino,
who we love and obviously missed terribly. Chris made wonderful
contributions to Tails of the Cocktail over the years, all
the grants programs that we've done in the past, so
it's wonderful to be able to literally give back. But again,
anytime that Tales of the Cocktail brings people together is
(14:52):
so inspiring, and I think for me that was the
impetus for me to take the decision to move over
to Tails of the Cocktail. I just spent eighteen wonderful, exciting,
dream like years literally with the William Grant and sons
with Hendrix, traveling the world, working with just the most
beautiful of people, and I didn't want to leave the industry,
(15:15):
but it was time for a change, and the executive
director of Chelslcockteil Foundation gave me the opportunity to stay
in the industry I love, but to give back perhaps
in a more meaningful way, and to leverage my network,
which had been is quite quite large now of course
after that amount of time, but also my skills and
(15:36):
experience and insight. I could actually leverage that and perhaps
do more good in a more neutral role with a
broader scope and access to people. So that was really
the impetus behind the decision to make the change, and
I'm really looking forward to being able to do that
over the coming years.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
You know, I'm curious, first of all, every time we
would leave a tale, David, I want Charlotte's budget, particularly
for her work rate, because you're always immaculate. I was
like with your travel budget or you're entertaining budget, because
I know you had a big corporate I mean, you
know you always were like on Q in point, how
what is the day in the life of Charlotte Vase?
(16:14):
How is it different now when you're working in a
big corporate environment managing over one hundred people with big budgets,
and now you're moving in the nonprofit it's you're also
managing a huge network. But it's different in the nonprofit world.
What is a day in the life difference? How is
it different? And what are you learning from this experience?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, you're absolutely right. It is very different going from
corporate to non for profit. If anyone out there has
done it, you'll understand it's a very different mindset. First
of all, right, expectations are different, The way that things
have to happen is very different. Budgets are also very different.
To speak candidly, but I'm enjoying the learning process. I
(16:52):
find it an exciting challenge to kind of almost redirect
the way I approach problems and find solutions, and a
lot of it is through perhaps persuasion and influence, but
to truly find the way that goals align. Because if
we can align goals between people or companies, brands, organizations,
(17:12):
the industry at large. That's where everything can come together
and make successful outcomes. So I think my new challenge
is to think almost approach problems or issues or opportunities
in a very different way so that sort of everyone
can hopefully be a winner, because that's sort of the
(17:33):
main way that non for profits can achieve their missions well.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And you deal with numbers differently. And obviously, in the
corporate world, you're selling your marketing and you're selling and
you're that's the end result, and you're also helping in
their social responsibility. In nonprofit you are giving. There is
so much accountability in having worked in it, and you
have to really your dots and tees and whatever have
(18:00):
to be really carefully orchestrated. So that's a big and
you're always looking for more money. So you were a
sponsor and now you're cultivating sponsors.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Right, Yeah, that's right, And I'm still on that learning journey.
But I think one of the reasons that this was
a great fit for me is that I understand the
brand mindset. I understand sort of the larger corporate organizations
of our industry and what they need from organizations like Tales,
So I've sort of been on the other side a
little bit, which in some regards sets me up to
(18:34):
be able to advise and anticipate their needs and better
fulfill again, better find the way that we can align
objectives so that we're all successful.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I think this is a great segue to talk about
Tales twenty five. And we never say next week or
this week because this is evergreen content. So twenty twenty
five Tails has a theme, Yes, evolve. Yeah, great big word.
What does it mean in the context of the theme
of Tales and the direction you want to see the
(19:08):
industry go?
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Yeah, So it's evolve, right, It's not flip the table
and change everything at once. And in some regards you
could argue that evolve fits Tales every year because our content,
what's on at Tales is always evolving, right, every year.
Seminars are different, the tastings are different, the parties mix
things up depending on priorities and trends. But really, I
(19:32):
think Evolve was our opportunity to remind the industry that
things are constantly changing. And while Tales happens every year,
it's almost that annual check in to see how the
industry has been evolve in tales. As a thought leader
in the industry has the opportunity to anticipate how things
are evolving and get ahead of those so that the
(19:52):
education offered is timely, is relevant, and is useful. Right
because if our mission is to advance, educate, support, we
want to make sure that when people spend a lot
of time and money come into tails, that that is
recognized and valued and that they get that return an
investment or return on the time spent. So evolved to
us means continuously checking ourselves and making sure that what's
(20:16):
on our for retails to the cocktail is relevant and
timely and useful and it's not lost. For me. That
evolved for me personally is a wonderful theme this year
because after eighteen years doing one thing that I love dearly,
I'm now evolving myself into a very different landscape, which
is incredibly exciting.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
You know, everybody needs to do that. And in fact,
when we went to the Tails of the Cocktail kickoff
at the Ritz Carlton It's taking place Ports Hotel, I
said to one of the book board members, I love
the theme, love love love it. I think the industry
does need to always look evolved because working behind the
bar and you know this, or working as an ambassador,
there is a excuse of pun shelf life because you
(20:59):
do I hate to say this, you just your body
can't take that pace all the time. It's the same
in the kitchen, same in PR and helping industry professionals
evolve into that next chapter. We're seeing it as all
the industries we work in mature, or maybe we're just maturing,
but you've got to evolve. And I said, I think
(21:19):
this is a great opportunity at twenty three years for
Tales of the Cocktail to start thinking about helping industry
professionals evolve into the next chapter so they still remain
vibrant and relevant and connected, but in different ways, much
like you're doing. So, what are some examples of what
programs you have this year that are underscoring that.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, that's a great insight. It's not just about evolving trends.
It's how we all evolve throughout our careers and have
different things to offer and different needs. Right, So, I
think two of our seminar tracks this year, we have
one called Beyond the Bar, which focuses on wellness right
and in that we have conversations around sort of longevity. So,
(21:59):
if you love this is a career, how do you
keep yourself sort of safe and happy and well physically
and mentally fit in order to enjoy this industry, not
just survive the industry. People often talk about, you know,
how do you get by? It's like, no, we should
be setting people up for success, to thrive and really
enjoy because our industry relies so much on mentorship that
(22:20):
we need great people to be role models and mentor
and inspire next generations. So that track of seminars and
networking opportunities is on the Tales agenda is really important.
And then the second one I would call out in
this space is the business track. A lot of that is,
you know, just tangible, tactical and business advice if you
(22:43):
are setting up a new company, opening a bar, but
it's also things around HR and recruitment. It's also about
how to explore the options that are now available in
the industry. Right it used to be perhaps bartender, bar
owner or sort of get out and look for something else.
But I've been fortunate to sort of be one of
(23:03):
the people that's been able to sort of laser trail
and sort of find, make, create, curate a wonderful career
in this industry, and now it's it's there are more
options than ever before. So it's making sure that people
are aware of those options so that if they're coming
in as a as a younger bartender, which a lot
of our attendees are on the younger side, they're coming
(23:25):
in with options and they know that this can be
for the long term, and then if they want to
stay in beverage for the long term, taking care of
themselves is a really integral part of that. So it's
something we take really seriously.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah, it is, and it's a It's a great concept
and a great thing to do because it is a
punishing business in a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
It really can be.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
You work long hours, you work, you work hard. Obviously
there's the temptation of alcohol in front of you every
day as well, but it's also a very rewarding business
as well. So to be able to keep all of
that in mind and move forward at a pace that's
comfortable for you, I think is a key descriptor for this.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yeah, you know, I even like financial wellness because there's
all this stuff going on with tips and taxes and
stuff and everything's changing. You know a lot of people
with all these young kids are making a lot of
money and getting real famous, and it's much like sports.
They make a lot of money, they're on TV, they
get famous, and then they.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Blow them all.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
And learning how to manage this sudden change and stature
and financial wellness is important too, because you want to
think long term.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Yep. Yeah, we do have a seminar this year again
on financial wellness and what that means again specifically for
the hospitality industry. And you're right, there's sort of new
different topics and patterns that emerge every year specific to
bartenders that that can be addressed by those who have
perhaps lived through it, or financial professionals who have just
great advice that applies to everyone. But I think the
(24:58):
key and understanding sort of one's own path through this
industry and longevity is to truly understand yourself and be
true to what you need in order to survive. There's
a lot of pear pressure out there, you said, David,
there's you know, a lot of sort of temptations that
some people are fine with others it's a little more
dangerous or more precarious for So it's really about knowing
(25:20):
what you need, understanding your parameters first and sticking to
those and not being pressure to sort of let those
go because you're just letting yourself down.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yeah, really really important, and knowing when to step back
if you need to.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yeah, and that's perfect. Okay to step back, it really is,
you know. I think that's important. With the pressure of
social media now, everybody felt that they always have to
be on, on, on you.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
No, it's okay to take a step back.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
So what are you know? Last year we attended tails
and I was gonna, you know, I do little tracks.
You know, I was really into the naib love alcohol.
I mean I was really following that because we're getting
bombarded with beverage and I think it's a great development
for the people who cannot or do not choose to
imbibe alcohol. And I know that's continuing. Now, what are
(26:10):
some other in the programming and just in general ongoing development?
So you're seeing that are really significant that are here
to stay versus friends.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yeah. No, that's a great call out. And I think
you know that sort of shifts each each year. But
a lot of people are talking about consumption shifting right
different patterns, the things that people are choosing to drink
when and why and how much and how often This
idea perhaps on the one hand of people drinking less
but drinking better and reflecting that. For this year, for
(26:40):
the first time, we've organized a luxury summit for the
Tails of the Cocktail on Monday, which we'll be looking
at that sector specifically and how brands are performing and
if it's different to the industry at large, what are
the opportunities how spirit brands behave slightly differently, perhaps with
the higher net worth consumer versus the sort of larger
market base. And we're also seeing, yeah, an absolute continued
(27:04):
explosion in the non alcoholic space. And it's interesting because
it's not necessarily an either or. We're hearing and seeing
and understanding that some younger generations are choosing to sometimes
drink alcohol and sometimes drink non alcoholic cocktails, potentially even
in the same evening, you know, in the same bar visit.
(27:25):
So making sure that bartenders are set up to understand,
just as they know spirits, what are the non alcoholic
offerings and how do you create cocktails with a non
alcoholic spirit, which sometimes can be more challenging because it's
not what we're used to. You know, tales is a
really important role again set in the stage, providing the platform,
making sure the right experts are in the room to
(27:46):
share the information and train up the next generation.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
I tended a really good similar on that topic and
also how to create a non alcohol free you know,
you don't use certain words, yes, like mocktail row.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
You know.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
We actually had Hillary Scheinbaum after that talk about her journey,
and it was very well, very popular podcast because there
is a lot of interest in it because again, hospitality
is the word. It's about hospitality, and hospitality is to
make everybody feel comfortable and welcome, no matter what their
(28:25):
background or preferences.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Right, yeah, yeah, And part of that is also not
only the offer in which I think we've done a
great job at progressing recent in recent years, but it's
also around as a culture. Right, do we need to
address some of the stigmas around not drinking? You know,
I don't drink as often these days at all anymore.
And sometimes if I'm drinking like a nice Pellegrino or
(28:49):
something and you sort of go to cheers with the group,
there are still that stigma that it's unlucky to cheers
with water and the little things like this can you know,
can just sort of jar on someone if they've chosen
not to drink, because it just again it sort of
sets you outside of the group, and things like that.
I think we need to just do a bit more
work on being more mindful of just so that if
(29:10):
people are not drinking for whatever reason, and that reason
is theirs, then they're still part of that group. They're
still out and about and having fun and enjoying. So yeah,
progress is a journey. I think we're still on the
journey of just understanding truly how to integrate that into
the larger industry. But that's natural and it's all part
of the evolution.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
It's so true. I think it's so interesting because I
was just reading this really great Bookstuzucchini about Italian nibbles
and they talked about etiquette and they said, never toast
with water, Like really.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Right, what if you're not drinking, Yeah, you're excluded from
the well wishes, you know, Like I understand it has
like a bit of a historic sort of place and
it's cultural, but it can make someone feel excluded. And hospitality,
to your point, is about making people feel welcome.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Yeah, and I think everybody needs I never called the borner,
so you called the hush hospitality industry. To me, it's
more encompassing and not segmenting in this and I think
that's really really important. I think anything changing in the
Spirit Awards, which is the Spirited Words, which came a
little bit later than the founding of Tales and you
(30:18):
received one yourself, I think twenty ten and then shared
it from twenty sixty nine. What's happening there?
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Yeah, So again each year the Spirited Awards, which we
like to think is the oscars of our sector of
the hospitality industry, is it again reflects each year? Right.
One of the things I've loved to see since I
became chair in twenty sixteen, as you've mentioned, is the
growing global nature truly of the Spirited Awards. So the
(30:46):
categories are US and International, and I think probably ten
fifteen years ago you'll both remember that it was kind
of New York London dominated, right, which perhaps did reflect
the industry at the time. But now when you look
through the regional nominees and the top tens and even
the top fours and the winners that eventually come out
(31:07):
of the Spirited Awards. The geographical mix is as it
should be, right, It's diverse. It's the main cities, it's
the smaller market, it's every region of the world is
kind of represented and celebrated. And I think that's a
really important part of how the Spirited Awards continues to
grow and reflect being representative of more and more of
(31:30):
the industry at large. You know, my dream is that
every bartender feels like Tales exists for them in some capacity,
and the idea that strive in to be considered for
a Spirited Award is attainable for a lot more bartenders
then currently is one of those pathways that we're on
(31:53):
with the Awards. So yeah, it's always it's my favorite
night of the week that people get dressed up, have fun,
and we get to celebrate our peers, the best of
the best. It's a wonderful event.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Well, for what I've noticed, people seem to get dressed
up at every event. I've never seen so much fashion
on parade. There should be the whole bar, The whole
fashion aspect of it is amazing these days. It's just
that you're just a little more sparkle for the Spirit
Awards and yes, it is important to have something for
people to attain. I mean, I remember when I started
the James Spruitter wards and there was nothing like that,
(32:28):
and suddenly it was like, oh my god, people actually
want to recognize us and honor us. I mean, I'm
just a cook. I remember Andre a sultan. They're going,
I'm just a cook.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
You want to recognize me? What?
Speaker 2 (32:39):
And now look where we are. There's awards, there's TV shows,
you've had shows, there's some people consult on movies now,
and some people have contracts with fashion lines.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
It's all over the place, it is, but it's so
important and I think you know, certainly, Melanie, your early
work was so inspiring and so important and as a
contribution to how the hospitality industry at large has grown.
Because those things, even if people don't directly participate, it's
something to strive for. It's a goal to reach for.
It's the moon, to shoot for, a new land in
(33:13):
the stars. So be it. But that's still an incredibly
important part of the industry. Especially that's how we attract
young talent, right thinking, wow, that could be me. So
I think these programs are really important and go well
beyond the people that are lucky enough to be in
the room that night.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Let's face it. Growing up, you know, my contact when
I was younger about bartenders was one I wasn't allowed
to go because I was young. But there was Joe
the bartender, who was usually drunk on. Joe the bartender
was on some TV show. And then there was Cheers, Yes,
and that was the cheers and the bartender.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
And all they drank on Cheers was beer, and all
they drank.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Is beer, And everybody seemed to get drug then on
like following off their schools. So we've come a long
way from or or you know, we're watching a show,
or there was people mixing cocktails, you know at the
Moroccan Club, Morocca. We're watching some Elvis Presley show last night,
and they were making like fancy cocktails, you know, at
the bars, and people all dressed up. Those were the
(34:14):
contexts we knew growing up. But nobody, nobody knew the
bartender's name.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Right yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
One day it was like their sale to graph we
have to go to the Rainbow.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Room, right yeah. And you know Dale's story is so
important change everything changed then, And actually one of the
seminars this year, Dale's coming back with Joe Baum's a
son and daughter, I believe, and I've got that correct,
and they're going to tell that story. And we were
so delighted to see the seminar come through because there
(34:42):
is a portion now of bartender's coming through in the
industry that haven't heard this story, and certainly haven't heard
it from Dale himself. So really excited. And that's that again,
that beautiful mix of like the generations coming together and
exchanging information and the you know, the askout to Dale
was like, tell your story, but let's also make it
relevant to today's younger bartender, you know, like what do
(35:05):
I learn from this story? So it's it's really exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I had the great privilege of working with Joe Baum
at Rainbow Room in my office was somewhere over the
Rainbow to start restaurant week for the City of New York,
and Dale was working the bar at the at the
at the at the Beautiful Lounge, and he was there
in that wonderful uniform and we had great memories of that.
Joe had his Joe had his regular seat every night
(35:29):
and right after work sit there with a cigarette bumping
because he could smoke. Nobody else could, and he'd have
his cocktail. I forgot what it is, but I'm going
to go to that because I'm going to ask Dale
about that, because nobody knows who Joe Baum was, and
he was the impresario of hospital.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean thanks to Dale. Thanks to Joe
we have Dale, right, and thanks to Dale we all
have this, we have everything, We have these careers and inspirations.
So what a wonderful era. Yeah, it's incredible to, you know,
live through this evolution of the cocktail sort of renaissance
as we call it. Things are very different these days,
but I do think it's important to know where we've
(36:04):
come from as an industry and understand who helped pave
the way, and just appreciate sort of the classics the
history so we can innovate from here onwards.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Well, you know, historically bars were part of boarding houses
and places people would gather. I mean that, you know
for anyone coming to tails or visiting New Orleans. And
there's like four amazing museums that really pay homage to cocktails.
There's the Dale helped start the Museum of the American Cocktail,
which is in the Southern Food and Beverick Museum. There's
a fabulous Sazaak house which gets into the sazaac and
(36:39):
pre and post prohibition. I said that right New Orleans,
there's a pharmacy museum which really deeps into the medicinal.
And then there's a new, newer one called View, New Orleans,
which is near the It's newer, and it's got this
great cafe bar. You can go up to the bar
and literally there are screens where bartenders come al and
(37:00):
tell the story of specific cocktails that are signature to
New Orleans and the history. And it's near the forest.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
It's marrious. Yeah, I've heard of that one. I'll have
to make time to check it out while I'm in
town for tales. That sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Yeah it is, and we're going to pop those up
on the connected table. But I think they're just so
interesting because you know, they say New Orleans is the
birthplace of a cocktail. I don't know if that's true
or not, but it's certainly a big part of history
in it.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
It certainly has a claim. It had a claim there
for a while. I think a lot of us kind
of hoped that it would be true. But I think
David Wondrich came along and proved us all wrong. However,
as he tends to do, we do know that. Yeah,
it was a very important early home of cocktails, right,
(37:48):
and gave birth to not only some signature drinks that
we still know and love, but you know, just the
early ways of bartending. One of the early places to
get ice sort of shipped down from the Northeast and
how doing a great icing cocktails because of course the
weather down there is always so warm. But things like that,
you know, in the early days, New Orleans had a
massive role to play in how we drink cocktails today,
(38:11):
for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Yeah, you know, you know, So let's talk a little
bit about Charlotte. So I pulled something out. We're gonna
what's the So I pulled that one of the most
unusual things in our bar. You know, people send this
stuff we travel and this one is one of our friends.
John Zabo, a writer wine writer, hooked us onto Santa
Maria Novella in Florence, which is this historic place that
(38:35):
makes you know, perfumes and a thousand roses in the
tonic and I bought it. But they have a tomorrow
amorrow room really back and this one is the Elisir
de EDINBURGHO like edinburgher. I don't I forgot what it
was when we bought it, and he didn comes to
the bracelet. Oh okay, bracelet, Oh okay, it doesn't come
(38:57):
with the braces, Melanie.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Well, I can't know whose bracelet this is anyway, but
this is like a secret little fine in Florence, Italy
near the train station and you don't know about it,
but you can go in there.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
We tasted every single one of them. So this is
like our little secret fine from Florence. Now what do
you have that you man? It didn't have to be
a product. It could be like a bar tool.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Oh wow, now that's beautiful. I don't know if I
can compete with that. I'm just gonna have a little
look on my shelves. It doesn't actually remind me of
a quick story. I went to Naples for the first
time last year just with four Tales actually doing some
research on olives, which was my seminar last year at
teled the cocktail, and I'd heard about this bar called
Lantiquerrio in Naples, which is one of their best cocktail bars.
(39:45):
She've been around for a while. I want to say
almost ten years, so of course we made plans to
stick to stop in their beautiful cocktail bar, quite classic.
But on the menu they had I forget exactly how
it's worded, it was Negroni and it either said something
like trio or carousel, and I thought, well, that needs
(40:08):
to be ordered, so we ordered the Nigroni. And there
was a darling little miniature carousel that's placed in front
of me that rotates, and of course it brings me
back to the Hotel Monteleone, but it rotates, and it's
got three sort of petite Negronis in the carousel, and
it just continuously sort of swells in front of you
(40:29):
and you and there are all slightly different variations of
the classic Nigroni. But I just thought that was adorable.
So the Italians know how to do things nicely, don't.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
Me, Well they do. I just have one wore Italy
right now, sprits. So we've been to Italy five times
this year and it's just, you know, I'd like to
have stock and apparol and campari. They have so much
of it everywhere, But you know what I like, you
sprints everywhere, and it was so hot we were spristing
all over the place because, as I said, we were schwitzing,
so we had to sprints because we were doing a
(40:59):
trust dobbery too, and we were so hot and row
it was like this heat wave was like a thousand degrees, right,
So we sat down and I actually like, is it
cr sprits? Is ga?
Speaker 3 (41:11):
I like that sprits right?
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Yeah, little dryer perhaps, yeah? I mean no sprits is
are on fire. And that's another example of something that
comes from a classics, right, but then it's almost turned
into a category of drinks. It's turned almost into an occasion. Right.
It's like if it's an a wine glass and it's
got something bubbly on it, it's the sprits. Which I'm
not mad at, right, because there are many beautiful variations
(41:37):
of a sprits and apparo. I think, do just find
on that tread?
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Fine, it is fine. I'm looking for new sprits is.
I'd like to have a I'd like to do a
sprits summer. I love sprits, but I want to try
other things. I want to sprit other things. I actually
I did a Morrow sprits here because we had a
lot of wear on the pack. We're spritsing anything we
have in the in the cellar right now.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
That's nice. I also lot like a rose for moose sprits.
That's a nice one. Again, that's a good one, lower
alcohol nice in the summer. Obviously beautiful color looks great,
So that's another one to try. But yeah, sprits in
all over the place is definitely still a trend, and
I think it helps with that sort of no low
trend as well. That's not a trend, it's part of
(42:21):
it's part of the bar now.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
And the other one that we see all the time
breakfast lunch and dinner breakfast lunch and dinner Espresso martini. Now.
I actually never had an espresso martini because the idea
was weird to me when they had it at this
gallot Wise lunch. It tells the cocktail last year, and
I was like, this is really good. What took me
so long?
Speaker 3 (42:41):
I know, it's like the best worst idea ever? Right,
You're like, no, I really know what's this. I really
need to shut up espresso in my conto right now.
But they are so good and it's kind of trailed
and negroni in that there are so many variations now
and it doesn't matter what spirit you can imagine you
can get an espresso Martin made with it, even though
obviously the classic is with vodka, as created by a
(43:04):
legendary UK bartender, Dick Bradzel back in the late eighties
late nineties. Yeah, so another cocktail that's going crazy now
but has strong credibility in the bartender community, and not
everybody knows that. So it's so interesting.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You should have a who a board game? Who created
this drink? Yeah, it'd be like Jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Yeah, Jeopardy.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
We're like trivial proceeding.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
I think that'd be like, oh, I don't know, it
could be Jeopardy. You know, it would be fairly fun
because there's somebody like the origins of the drink is
this Italian? That would be really really fun.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
It would be to do like sneaking education right for
for younger bartenders. And do you like a game show
at tales of the cocktail? I like that, I do.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
I think that'd be really really pron.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Okay, put it on the list.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Yeah, put it on the list. You know, there's always something.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
You obviously have a lot of options ahead of you.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Yeah, new executive director, we always have to keep it fresh, right,
because you got to keep them come it down here,
you know, because it's like it's it's also great for
the city of New Orleans. July it's dead here. I mean,
I wanted to be alive here, but it's really quiet.
So we're excited to see, you know, a convivium of
people coming down to support our industry and our bars
(44:19):
and restaurants. They were like, please come in, right.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
I mean, it's a really important part of why Tales
is still in New Orleans and it's not going anywhere,
and why it remains in July. You know. Occasionally often
I get that question, especially from international sort of guests,
like why not do you do it when it's so
damn hot down there. But of course it's a really
important economic injection right to the city, and New Orleans
(44:46):
has given Tales of the Cocktail so much. It's not
less than us that people come to Taiales, yes, for
Tales of the Cocktail and what they need to do
and what they want to learn, but also to enjoy
the city of New Orleans. So I think it's only
right that Tales of the Cocktail in turn can give
back to New Orleans in as broader sense as possible,
not just to the local bartenders, but you know, the
(45:07):
local economy, hotels, restaurants, bars, tourism at large. It's a
really important part of what the Foundation stands for.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
Yeah, and it's I'm glad that it's in July because
we could use the infusion of activity and economy. And
there's plenty of pools you can go to. There's almost
every hotel with the pool now rents a pool out.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Anybody can go take it down and it's simp.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
There you go exactly. Yeah, it's set up well. But yeah,
supporting New Orleans is really important to us, of course.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
Yeah, and you know what's really good about New Orleans.
We have really good air conditioning.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
I have a section in my suitcase for sweaters and
rats for those moments right I'm inside, But yeah, it's
easy enough to cool off, whether that's by puffing inside
the hotel lobby or preferably jumping in a pool.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Yeah, that's import of these days.
Speaker 5 (46:03):
We're drinking a well azed contail.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Have we just sweated through Rome? All the bars and
restaurants have these like ancient fans sitting.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Else My goodness. Yeah, the US certainly does air conditioning
much better than Europe and the UK. I can still
attest to that. I'm caught off guard now. I've been
in the US almost twenty years, so anytime I go back,
I'm like, oh.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
That's right, that's right, there's not air conditioning.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
No. And also having a heat wave this summer. You know,
my parents keep in touch obviously, and that Brits love
to talk about the weather, so we always know when
there's a heat wave, and this year it actually was
a heat wave. Often when a British person says a
heat wave, it means it's like, you know, in the seventies,
but this year it got up to the nineties, which
(46:50):
is really quite intense for anywhere, but particularly somewhere that's
not set up for that kind of badly.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
That's happening all over Europe right now in the United States,
so you know, that's why I think sprits is becoming
so popular. I think people are reaching for spritzers and
these lighter alcohol beverages because they're you know, it's hot,
you just want something to cool you off. So I
think that's why it's it's an even more popular trend
right now, not even trend movement and that's a good thing.
(47:19):
That's a good thing. So to describe yourself as a
cocktail if you were, you can do it as ingredients
or a cocktail. But tell us what you would be
or who you would be.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
Well let's see now, Well, since I'm able to you know,
direct this answer myself, I'm going to go for a
French seventy five because it would make me tall and
elegant and you know, with a link to New Orleans,
which is obviously very important to me these days. But
(47:48):
Gin at the heart, I'm going to go Gin, not Cognac.
I know that that might be controversial, especially for you
guys locally, but it's always been my go to cocktail.
I think a lot to hendrixs Gin French seventy five
when working with the brand's it felt like one of
those cocktails where it was never the wrong time to
enjoy seventy five. Yes, so that would be my choice.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
I think it's my favorite cocktail as well, French seventy five.
I do tend to do it with Kangnac and my
favorite one is at the Chandelier Bar, oh with travel
French fries in the four seasons and there's a new
place new Ish place. We've both done write ups on
it called Junebug Great Bar Program, a great bar program,
(48:37):
Great Cocktails Friend seventy five.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I actually profiled them in an upcoming column coming out
and I think a month in som Journal.
Speaker 5 (48:45):
Yeah. So, yeah, we love it.
Speaker 4 (48:47):
They've got a great bar program, they've got a great
food program, wine program as well.
Speaker 2 (48:51):
It's just a fun, very different and we're putting it
in our list of recommendations. We're doing it. We did
a little of all about the museums, you know, and
on Theconnected table dot com and then little places we
like to go around those places and Jim Bugs definitely
should be on everybody's list.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
It's putting it online. You see the tip.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Yeah, and it's in an old record building. It's in
an old building of a record producer, so there's a
lot of architectural history. So we have come to the
end of earthing. What is your final post to everybody?
Charlotte Weissie, executive director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation,
Why don't you send us off with a final toast?
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Well, we are so excited to be back for Tales
of the Cocktail this year. In twenty twenty five, We
look forward to seeing everyone and raising a glass toasting
New Orleans and the global cocktail community. So see you
at tails.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Absolutely happy tales to everybody, and always stay insatiably curious
and always check back with us. Melanie David at the
Connected Table, we keep you connected. Thank you, and have
chinchin a great today.
The topics and opinions express in the following show are
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(00:20):
choosing W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Hello, and welcome to the Connected Table Live. We're your hosts,
Melanie Young and David Ransom. You're insatiably curious culinary couple.
We travel the world to bring you the amazing people
and places we visit and meet anywhere we go. And
today we're broadcasting live from home base, New Orleans, and
(01:02):
we're raising a glass cheers. It's going to be a
spirited discussion with someone we've been trying to get on
this show for a really long time, and now it
seems like the best time of all to have her.
We're talking about Charlotte Voisse, whose lengthy career working in
spirits has hit every possible high note and brought her
legions of admirers from industry professionals to fans who have
(01:26):
seen her on shows like Iron Chef America and The
Proper Poor. She is renowned and credited for really helping
to find how spirits brands connect with the hospitality industry,
and a lot of this was done for nearly two
decades when she was serving as global ambassador for William
Grant and Sons, overseeing over one hundred people and traveling
(01:48):
the world, which is why we can never get her
on this show. However, she has made this bold, exciting
career change and in January of twenty twenty five, stepped
up to become the executive director of the Tales of
the Cocktail Foundation. Now, if you follow the industry, you
know the Tails of the Cocktail is the premiere gathering
(02:11):
of bar and spirits, indie sury professionals from around the
world that it takes place here in New Orleans. The
twenty third edition is taking place July twenty to twenty five,
twenty twenty five. Of course, we'll be there with our
spirited swizzle sticks. These are from Muses Marti Gral Muses,
Wet Red High heels, and we are so excited to
(02:33):
be able to sit down with Charlotte to have a nice,
proper discussion. So, Charlotte Vosse, welcome to the Connected Table.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Thank you so much. What a wonderful, warm welcome. You
guys are awesome. Thank you so much for having me
on today.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Don't you love? These are high heeled red swizzle sticks
from Muses.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
They need me one of those too.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
We may have a couple extra great although something tells
me you're not lacking in bar where anyhouse? Yeah, you know, Charlotte,
were very excited to have you on the show. I
know I interviewed you about fifteen years ago for a
column that I was writing at the time, and we've
obviously kept in I know.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
It's been that long time.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Yeah right here, then I did.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
But in the meantime we've always kept in touch. We've
seen you with Tales, we've seen you in New York,
we've seen you in asked in various places. But I
want to kind of take it back and we want
to tell our listeners have you tell them about you?
Speaker 5 (03:34):
So why don't you tell us where you were born raised?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
You were raised in London, but tell us about your
background and where you're from and how you got into.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
The spiritus business.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Great, Yeah, thank you and thanks again for having me on.
Super excited to talk with both of you today. So
we've taken it back to the beginning. A great story
starts at the beginning. So, yes, I was. I was
born just outside of London, grew up in the UK
with my parents, obviously my one sister. I went to
university from a young age there didn't really ever know
(04:07):
what I wanted to do for a career, right, you know,
some people kind of know exactly what they want to do.
If you asked me when I was five years old,
I probably would have told you that I wanted to
be like a firefighter or superman or something like that,
but obviously not a serious answer. So went to university
to kind of keep my options open. And I think
(04:28):
one of the things I value so much from my
upbringing was my parents' love of travel. Being in Europe
obviously is a luxury that it's quite easy and in
expensive to travel to different countries and be exposed to
different cultures. So that's something that I think kind of
set me on the path that I've been so lucky
to explore through my career. But yes, really enjoyed that
(04:50):
from a childhood perspective for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
So how did you get into bartending? Were you like that?
Were you like doing it you're in college to earn
money or was it something that you were doing because
you've got out and you were like, I don't know
what I want to do with my life or did
you decide was there a drink that made you say
I want to be in this business.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, the way I got into the industry again very fortunate.
I've had a lot of right place, right time moments,
I like to say, in the industry. So back in
the UK, I went to university in Brighton and studied
International Hospitality Management. So I actually kind of intended to
fall into this industry from a certain aspect. But the
reason I chose the course that I did is they
(05:28):
offered a year in industry, meaning for one year you
didn't go to classes, you actually worked and got life
experience with a company somewhere in hospitality. And the company
I joined was called My Kind of Town Restaurants and
it actually, if you look it up, quite a few
great people in hospitality came from there. It's a London base,
(05:49):
but with franchises all over the world. So I joined
them and I had six months in London, six months
in Barcelona when I graduated. I was in Argentina with
them for two years, having the most fabulous time. And
then I still remember to this day when I got
the call saying we actually want you to come home now.
We want you to come back to London because we're
about to open a classic cocktail bar called Apartment one
(06:10):
ninety five in Chelsea in London and we want you
to head it up. And that was as much as
I didn't want to leave one Is at the time
because it's such a fabulous place to live, made the
decision to go back to London, and that's where the
cocktail part of my career really started. And again right place,
right time. It was a very interesting time in London.
(06:32):
It was when the London cocktail scene was starting to
take off, when cocktail competitions were starting, you know, Dale
d Groth would come over and work with Jonathan Downey
on the match group. It was a really kind of
intimate but exciting time in the London cocktail scene and
I was front and center of that. So I'm very
fortunate to get my start in the industry. In that way, you.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Rode the wave.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I'm curious how many languages do you speak since you've
worked all over the world.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Are mostly fluent in Spanish and lacking a little bit
of practice these days, and I speak French to having
learned at school, and a little bit of sort of
German and other European languages, but again definitely helps when
you sort of travel as a child and in the UK,
I think it's a little different. We're exposed to quite
a few languages at school.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, I think languages are great. So you know, was
there you worked at a proper I love the word
proper London bar, proper English breakfast. It's always proper discussion
with Charlotte Foassi. Was there? What was that proper cocktail
that you just loved and learned a master that you
still think is quintessential? I actually curious quintessential London cocktail
(07:45):
versus a quintessential American cocktail.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, gosh, let's see, Well it would have to have
been with Gin, right, because that's the quintessential British spirit
and the one I felt loved. I think that's, you know,
so inspiring for alltenders because of the nature of botanical
and the plethora of ingredients that gin goes with. So
it was probably one of those early drinks just trying
(08:08):
to think now, one of the men. So the bar
that I mentioned, Apartment one ninety five, was really the
first serious cocktail bar I worked in. So that's where
I kind of learned that there was a way to
do drinks properly, to use to use that word again,
but there was actually methodology, and there was culture, and
there was a history that the modern drinks that we
(08:29):
kind of knew at that time and this was the
early two thousands, were actually rooted in the classics. Like
you could take any drink of that era and actually
dial it back and find that sort of family tree
of the drink and oh, this is actually a ref
on a Mohito or a Manhattan or an Old Fashion
or a gen Martini. So that was probably sort of
(08:50):
my education that I that I valued most from my
time at Apartment one five.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
That's really interesting because you know, I rode the wave
in the culinary world, which kind of was maybe fifteen
years before the cocktail revolution. There was an American culinary revolution,
and then all of a sudden. Living in New York,
you had, you know, all these amazing bars popping up
that became status symbols to go to, and people were
rushing to them, whether you know it was PDT or
(09:19):
I mean, there was always the Staples and then all
of a sudden, you know, I would dine out with
I would dine it with restaurant critics, right because at
the time I was running the James Bearder word and
we would just diamond and start having dinner and some wine,
and then all of a sudden we'd all be like, no,
we have to start with a proper cocktail, and suddenly
we were sipping each other's cocktails. It kind of evolved
(09:40):
in that time. It's interesting cocktails really rose up to
be part of the menu for.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Sure, and I think, you know, we have a lot
to thank. We had the colony world to thank a
lot for sort of leading mixology, if you will, because flavors, ingredients, style,
but also just the level of care that chefs would
pay not only to execut of their dishes, but sourcing
of ingredients right, understanding where things came from, how they made.
I think that mixology always sort of trailed gastronomy like
(10:09):
you said, sort of fifteen years or so, so we
learned a lot from that. But you're right, I mean
I remember those years. I came over to the US
then in two thousand and six, so like the middle
of that decade, it was so exciting, especially in New
York where I lived, those iconic bars that are now
kind of almost timeless, right, they're sort of milestones in
the evolution of cocktail culture, But there was It was
(10:31):
so exciting back then because I felt like people bartenders
as well as guests were discovering a lot of this
cocktail culture for the first time. And it was it
was really eye opening. It felt very creative. It was
a real good time. Lots of fun too.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
It certainly was we all.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
I think we all rode that wave and we still
enjoy it to this day obviously.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And renew waves now.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
ANDAs like your.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Career, I mean, you atee it. You know, you listen
whenever we saw you tells you were always orchestrating these
amazing parties for William Grant and Son and notably Hendrix's Chin.
And you know, I think I personally learned more about
that gin because of you.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Oh well, thank you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I mean the Roads and the cucumber. And you know,
I learned a lot because you did a lot of
educational programs as well as parties, because listen, Tails of
the Cocktail is not all about parties. It's about learning
and career development and education and networking and supporting each
other because it is the hospitality industry right.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
No, absolutely, it's a balance of all of those things.
You know, Yes, the educational seminars are super important. You
get the unique opportunity to sit down and listen to
the world's experts on all sorts of niche topics that
you can't get anywhere else. You get to taste spirits
that perhaps were limited editions or historic or sort of
the unibuffle left in the world. Like literally, that's the
(11:58):
stuff of Tales right, as much as what's new and
what's happening and what's launching. But for me, the parties
were always that moment for everyone to just relax a little,
come together and chat, right, Yes, against some crazy, fun,
exciting backdrops, but it's the connection at Tales that is
where the magic happens. And it's those conversations you don't
(12:20):
plan that happens spontaneously with people you've seen on social
media or read about or never met before. But Tales
brings people together and I know that's how we've kept
our friendship alive and kept in touch over the years.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
Well, that is certainly true, and you know that kind
of brings us to where you are now as well.
You've recently, just earlier this year, took on the executive
director role at the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Yea,
to start the next chapter of your career. Why don't
you tell us about how that came about and what
it entails for.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
You and what the foundation is because it's a foundation,
which means it has an important nonprofit mission.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Yes, yeah, and thank you for raising that. I think
a lot of people in the industry have heard of Tales.
They know it's this fun week in July in New Orleans.
Great city, you know, lots going on, but not everybody
understands the full scope of the Tails or the Cocktail Foundation.
It's really twofold, right. It is this flagpole, a wonderful
(13:23):
event that we all love in July in New Orleans,
but it's also a three hundred and sixty five day
a year effort to educate, advance, and support the global
drinks industry, which is quite a lofty mission, right and
entails an awful lot of work, but really Tails is
there to support bartenders, bar owners, every sort of member
(13:46):
of our industry through providing the education and the resources
that need that are needed, but moreover to kind of
provide this platform for people to come together, to speak out,
to share ideas and resources, and to be celebrated through
our Spirited Awards program of course, which is a big
(14:07):
part of Tales of the Cocktail. So everything kind of
comes together on that platform that is Tails. It is
non for profit, so everything that we're doing is so
that we can put back into the industry. That's truly
our mission, and it's wonderful to see when we can
make things happen for people, whether it's literally through our
(14:29):
scholarship program, which this year is dedicated to Chris Patino,
who we love and obviously missed terribly. Chris made wonderful
contributions to Tails of the Cocktail over the years, all
the grants programs that we've done in the past, so
it's wonderful to be able to literally give back. But again,
anytime that Tales of the Cocktail brings people together is
(14:52):
so inspiring, and I think for me that was the
impetus for me to take the decision to move over
to Tails of the Cocktail. I just spent eighteen wonderful, exciting,
dream like years literally with the William Grant and sons
with Hendrix, traveling the world, working with just the most
beautiful of people, and I didn't want to leave the industry,
(15:15):
but it was time for a change, and the executive
director of Chelslcockteil Foundation gave me the opportunity to stay
in the industry I love, but to give back perhaps
in a more meaningful way, and to leverage my network,
which had been is quite quite large now of course
after that amount of time, but also my skills and
(15:36):
experience and insight. I could actually leverage that and perhaps
do more good in a more neutral role with a
broader scope and access to people. So that was really
the impetus behind the decision to make the change, and
I'm really looking forward to being able to do that
over the coming years.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
You know, I'm curious, first of all, every time we
would leave a tale, David, I want Charlotte's budget, particularly
for her work rate, because you're always immaculate. I was
like with your travel budget or you're entertaining budget, because
I know you had a big corporate I mean, you
know you always were like on Q in point, how
what is the day in the life of Charlotte Vase?
(16:14):
How is it different now when you're working in a
big corporate environment managing over one hundred people with big budgets,
and now you're moving in the nonprofit it's you're also
managing a huge network. But it's different in the nonprofit world.
What is a day in the life difference? How is
it different? And what are you learning from this experience?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, you're absolutely right. It is very different going from
corporate to non for profit. If anyone out there has
done it, you'll understand it's a very different mindset. First
of all, right, expectations are different, The way that things
have to happen is very different. Budgets are also very different.
To speak candidly, but I'm enjoying the learning process. I
(16:52):
find it an exciting challenge to kind of almost redirect
the way I approach problems and find solutions, and a
lot of it is through perhaps persuasion and influence, but
to truly find the way that goals align. Because if
we can align goals between people or companies, brands, organizations,
(17:12):
the industry at large. That's where everything can come together
and make successful outcomes. So I think my new challenge
is to think almost approach problems or issues or opportunities
in a very different way so that sort of everyone
can hopefully be a winner, because that's sort of the
(17:33):
main way that non for profits can achieve their missions well.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
And you deal with numbers differently. And obviously, in the
corporate world, you're selling your marketing and you're selling and
you're that's the end result, and you're also helping in
their social responsibility. In nonprofit you are giving. There is
so much accountability in having worked in it, and you
have to really your dots and tees and whatever have
(18:00):
to be really carefully orchestrated. So that's a big and
you're always looking for more money. So you were a
sponsor and now you're cultivating sponsors.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Right, Yeah, that's right, And I'm still on that learning journey.
But I think one of the reasons that this was
a great fit for me is that I understand the
brand mindset. I understand sort of the larger corporate organizations
of our industry and what they need from organizations like Tales,
So I've sort of been on the other side a
little bit, which in some regards sets me up to
(18:34):
be able to advise and anticipate their needs and better
fulfill again, better find the way that we can align
objectives so that we're all successful.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I think this is a great segue to talk about
Tales twenty five. And we never say next week or
this week because this is evergreen content. So twenty twenty
five Tails has a theme, Yes, evolve. Yeah, great big word.
What does it mean in the context of the theme
of Tales and the direction you want to see the
(19:08):
industry go?
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Yeah, So it's evolve, right, It's not flip the table
and change everything at once. And in some regards you
could argue that evolve fits Tales every year because our content,
what's on at Tales is always evolving, right, every year.
Seminars are different, the tastings are different, the parties mix
things up depending on priorities and trends. But really, I
(19:32):
think Evolve was our opportunity to remind the industry that
things are constantly changing. And while Tales happens every year,
it's almost that annual check in to see how the
industry has been evolve in tales. As a thought leader
in the industry has the opportunity to anticipate how things
are evolving and get ahead of those so that the
(19:52):
education offered is timely, is relevant, and is useful. Right
because if our mission is to advance, educate, support, we
want to make sure that when people spend a lot
of time and money come into tails, that that is
recognized and valued and that they get that return an
investment or return on the time spent. So evolved to
us means continuously checking ourselves and making sure that what's
(20:16):
on our for retails to the cocktail is relevant and
timely and useful and it's not lost. For me. That
evolved for me personally is a wonderful theme this year
because after eighteen years doing one thing that I love dearly,
I'm now evolving myself into a very different landscape, which
is incredibly exciting.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
You know, everybody needs to do that. And in fact,
when we went to the Tails of the Cocktail kickoff
at the Ritz Carlton It's taking place Ports Hotel, I
said to one of the book board members, I love
the theme, love love love it. I think the industry
does need to always look evolved because working behind the
bar and you know this, or working as an ambassador,
there is a excuse of pun shelf life because you
(20:59):
do I hate to say this, you just your body
can't take that pace all the time. It's the same
in the kitchen, same in PR and helping industry professionals
evolve into that next chapter. We're seeing it as all
the industries we work in mature, or maybe we're just maturing,
but you've got to evolve. And I said, I think
(21:19):
this is a great opportunity at twenty three years for
Tales of the Cocktail to start thinking about helping industry
professionals evolve into the next chapter so they still remain
vibrant and relevant and connected, but in different ways, much
like you're doing. So, what are some examples of what
programs you have this year that are underscoring that.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah, that's a great insight. It's not just about evolving trends.
It's how we all evolve throughout our careers and have
different things to offer and different needs. Right, So, I
think two of our seminar tracks this year, we have
one called Beyond the Bar, which focuses on wellness right
and in that we have conversations around sort of longevity. So,
(21:59):
if you love this is a career, how do you
keep yourself sort of safe and happy and well physically
and mentally fit in order to enjoy this industry, not
just survive the industry. People often talk about, you know,
how do you get by? It's like, no, we should
be setting people up for success, to thrive and really
enjoy because our industry relies so much on mentorship that
(22:20):
we need great people to be role models and mentor
and inspire next generations. So that track of seminars and
networking opportunities is on the Tales agenda is really important.
And then the second one I would call out in
this space is the business track. A lot of that is,
you know, just tangible, tactical and business advice if you
(22:43):
are setting up a new company, opening a bar, but
it's also things around HR and recruitment. It's also about
how to explore the options that are now available in
the industry. Right it used to be perhaps bartender, bar
owner or sort of get out and look for something else.
But I've been fortunate to sort of be one of
(23:03):
the people that's been able to sort of laser trail
and sort of find, make, create, curate a wonderful career
in this industry, and now it's it's there are more
options than ever before. So it's making sure that people
are aware of those options so that if they're coming
in as a as a younger bartender, which a lot
of our attendees are on the younger side, they're coming
(23:25):
in with options and they know that this can be
for the long term, and then if they want to
stay in beverage for the long term, taking care of
themselves is a really integral part of that. So it's
something we take really seriously.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah, it is, and it's a It's a great concept
and a great thing to do because it is a
punishing business in a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
It really can be.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
You work long hours, you work, you work hard. Obviously
there's the temptation of alcohol in front of you every
day as well, but it's also a very rewarding business
as well. So to be able to keep all of
that in mind and move forward at a pace that's
comfortable for you, I think is a key descriptor for this.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yeah, you know, I even like financial wellness because there's
all this stuff going on with tips and taxes and
stuff and everything's changing. You know a lot of people
with all these young kids are making a lot of
money and getting real famous, and it's much like sports.
They make a lot of money, they're on TV, they
get famous, and then they.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Blow them all.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
And learning how to manage this sudden change and stature
and financial wellness is important too, because you want to
think long term.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Yep. Yeah, we do have a seminar this year again
on financial wellness and what that means again specifically for
the hospitality industry. And you're right, there's sort of new
different topics and patterns that emerge every year specific to
bartenders that that can be addressed by those who have
perhaps lived through it, or financial professionals who have just
great advice that applies to everyone. But I think the
(24:58):
key and understanding sort of one's own path through this
industry and longevity is to truly understand yourself and be
true to what you need in order to survive. There's
a lot of pear pressure out there, you said, David,
there's you know, a lot of sort of temptations that
some people are fine with others it's a little more
dangerous or more precarious for So it's really about knowing
(25:20):
what you need, understanding your parameters first and sticking to
those and not being pressure to sort of let those
go because you're just letting yourself down.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yeah, really really important, and knowing when to step back
if you need to.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Yeah, and that's perfect. Okay to step back, it really is,
you know. I think that's important. With the pressure of
social media now, everybody felt that they always have to
be on, on, on you.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
No, it's okay to take a step back.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
So what are you know? Last year we attended tails
and I was gonna, you know, I do little tracks.
You know, I was really into the naib love alcohol.
I mean I was really following that because we're getting
bombarded with beverage and I think it's a great development
for the people who cannot or do not choose to
imbibe alcohol. And I know that's continuing. Now, what are
(26:10):
some other in the programming and just in general ongoing development?
So you're seeing that are really significant that are here
to stay versus friends.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
Yeah. No, that's a great call out. And I think
you know that sort of shifts each each year. But
a lot of people are talking about consumption shifting right
different patterns, the things that people are choosing to drink
when and why and how much and how often This
idea perhaps on the one hand of people drinking less
but drinking better and reflecting that. For this year, for
(26:40):
the first time, we've organized a luxury summit for the
Tails of the Cocktail on Monday, which we'll be looking
at that sector specifically and how brands are performing and
if it's different to the industry at large, what are
the opportunities how spirit brands behave slightly differently, perhaps with
the higher net worth consumer versus the sort of larger
market base. And we're also seeing, yeah, an absolute continued
(27:04):
explosion in the non alcoholic space. And it's interesting because
it's not necessarily an either or. We're hearing and seeing
and understanding that some younger generations are choosing to sometimes
drink alcohol and sometimes drink non alcoholic cocktails, potentially even
in the same evening, you know, in the same bar visit.
(27:25):
So making sure that bartenders are set up to understand,
just as they know spirits, what are the non alcoholic
offerings and how do you create cocktails with a non
alcoholic spirit, which sometimes can be more challenging because it's
not what we're used to. You know, tales is a
really important role again set in the stage, providing the platform,
making sure the right experts are in the room to
(27:46):
share the information and train up the next generation.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
I tended a really good similar on that topic and
also how to create a non alcohol free you know,
you don't use certain words, yes, like mocktail row.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
You know.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
We actually had Hillary Scheinbaum after that talk about her journey,
and it was very well, very popular podcast because there
is a lot of interest in it because again, hospitality
is the word. It's about hospitality, and hospitality is to
make everybody feel comfortable and welcome, no matter what their
(28:25):
background or preferences.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Right, yeah, yeah, And part of that is also not
only the offer in which I think we've done a
great job at progressing recent in recent years, but it's
also around as a culture. Right, do we need to
address some of the stigmas around not drinking? You know,
I don't drink as often these days at all anymore.
And sometimes if I'm drinking like a nice Pellegrino or
(28:49):
something and you sort of go to cheers with the group,
there are still that stigma that it's unlucky to cheers
with water and the little things like this can you know,
can just sort of jar on someone if they've chosen
not to drink, because it just again it sort of
sets you outside of the group, and things like that.
I think we need to just do a bit more
work on being more mindful of just so that if
(29:10):
people are not drinking for whatever reason, and that reason
is theirs, then they're still part of that group. They're
still out and about and having fun and enjoying. So yeah,
progress is a journey. I think we're still on the
journey of just understanding truly how to integrate that into
the larger industry. But that's natural and it's all part
of the evolution.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
It's so true. I think it's so interesting because I
was just reading this really great Bookstuzucchini about Italian nibbles
and they talked about etiquette and they said, never toast
with water, Like really.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Right, what if you're not drinking, Yeah, you're excluded from
the well wishes, you know, Like I understand it has
like a bit of a historic sort of place and
it's cultural, but it can make someone feel excluded. And hospitality,
to your point, is about making people feel welcome.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Yeah, and I think everybody needs I never called the borner,
so you called the hush hospitality industry. To me, it's
more encompassing and not segmenting in this and I think
that's really really important. I think anything changing in the
Spirit Awards, which is the Spirited Words, which came a
little bit later than the founding of Tales and you
(30:18):
received one yourself, I think twenty ten and then shared
it from twenty sixty nine. What's happening there?
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Yeah, So again each year the Spirited Awards, which we
like to think is the oscars of our sector of
the hospitality industry, is it again reflects each year? Right.
One of the things I've loved to see since I
became chair in twenty sixteen, as you've mentioned, is the
growing global nature truly of the Spirited Awards. So the
(30:46):
categories are US and International, and I think probably ten
fifteen years ago you'll both remember that it was kind
of New York London dominated, right, which perhaps did reflect
the industry at the time. But now when you look
through the regional nominees and the top tens and even
the top fours and the winners that eventually come out
(31:07):
of the Spirited Awards. The geographical mix is as it
should be, right, It's diverse. It's the main cities, it's
the smaller market, it's every region of the world is
kind of represented and celebrated. And I think that's a
really important part of how the Spirited Awards continues to
grow and reflect being representative of more and more of
(31:30):
the industry at large. You know, my dream is that
every bartender feels like Tales exists for them in some capacity,
and the idea that strive in to be considered for
a Spirited Award is attainable for a lot more bartenders
then currently is one of those pathways that we're on
(31:53):
with the Awards. So yeah, it's always it's my favorite
night of the week that people get dressed up, have fun,
and we get to celebrate our peers, the best of
the best. It's a wonderful event.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Well, for what I've noticed, people seem to get dressed
up at every event. I've never seen so much fashion
on parade. There should be the whole bar, The whole
fashion aspect of it is amazing these days. It's just
that you're just a little more sparkle for the Spirit
Awards and yes, it is important to have something for
people to attain. I mean, I remember when I started
the James Spruitter wards and there was nothing like that,
(32:28):
and suddenly it was like, oh my god, people actually
want to recognize us and honor us. I mean, I'm
just a cook. I remember Andre a sultan. They're going,
I'm just a cook.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
You want to recognize me? What?
Speaker 2 (32:39):
And now look where we are. There's awards, there's TV shows,
you've had shows, there's some people consult on movies now,
and some people have contracts with fashion lines.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
It's all over the place, it is, but it's so
important and I think you know, certainly, Melanie, your early
work was so inspiring and so important and as a
contribution to how the hospitality industry at large has grown.
Because those things, even if people don't directly participate, it's
something to strive for. It's a goal to reach for.
It's the moon, to shoot for, a new land in
(33:13):
the stars. So be it. But that's still an incredibly
important part of the industry. Especially that's how we attract
young talent, right thinking, wow, that could be me. So
I think these programs are really important and go well
beyond the people that are lucky enough to be in
the room that night.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Let's face it. Growing up, you know, my contact when
I was younger about bartenders was one I wasn't allowed
to go because I was young. But there was Joe
the bartender, who was usually drunk on. Joe the bartender
was on some TV show. And then there was Cheers, Yes,
and that was the cheers and the bartender.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
And all they drank on Cheers was beer, and all
they drank.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Is beer, And everybody seemed to get drug then on
like following off their schools. So we've come a long
way from or or you know, we're watching a show,
or there was people mixing cocktails, you know at the
Moroccan Club, Morocca. We're watching some Elvis Presley show last night,
and they were making like fancy cocktails, you know, at
the bars, and people all dressed up. Those were the
(34:14):
contexts we knew growing up. But nobody, nobody knew the
bartender's name.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Right yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
One day it was like their sale to graph we
have to go to the Rainbow.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Room, right yeah. And you know Dale's story is so
important change everything changed then, And actually one of the
seminars this year, Dale's coming back with Joe Baum's a
son and daughter, I believe, and I've got that correct,
and they're going to tell that story. And we were
so delighted to see the seminar come through because there
(34:42):
is a portion now of bartender's coming through in the
industry that haven't heard this story, and certainly haven't heard
it from Dale himself. So really excited. And that's that again,
that beautiful mix of like the generations coming together and
exchanging information and the you know, the askout to Dale
was like, tell your story, but let's also make it
relevant to today's younger bartender, you know, like what do
(35:05):
I learn from this story? So it's it's really exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I had the great privilege of working with Joe Baum
at Rainbow Room in my office was somewhere over the
Rainbow to start restaurant week for the City of New York,
and Dale was working the bar at the at the
at the at the Beautiful Lounge, and he was there
in that wonderful uniform and we had great memories of that.
Joe had his Joe had his regular seat every night
(35:29):
and right after work sit there with a cigarette bumping
because he could smoke. Nobody else could, and he'd have
his cocktail. I forgot what it is, but I'm going
to go to that because I'm going to ask Dale
about that, because nobody knows who Joe Baum was, and
he was the impresario of hospital.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean thanks to Dale. Thanks to Joe
we have Dale, right, and thanks to Dale we all
have this, we have everything, We have these careers and inspirations.
So what a wonderful era. Yeah, it's incredible to, you know,
live through this evolution of the cocktail sort of renaissance
as we call it. Things are very different these days,
but I do think it's important to know where we've
(36:04):
come from as an industry and understand who helped pave
the way, and just appreciate sort of the classics the
history so we can innovate from here onwards.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Well, you know, historically bars were part of boarding houses
and places people would gather. I mean that, you know
for anyone coming to tails or visiting New Orleans. And
there's like four amazing museums that really pay homage to cocktails.
There's the Dale helped start the Museum of the American Cocktail,
which is in the Southern Food and Beverick Museum. There's
a fabulous Sazaak house which gets into the sazaac and
(36:39):
pre and post prohibition. I said that right New Orleans,
there's a pharmacy museum which really deeps into the medicinal.
And then there's a new, newer one called View, New Orleans,
which is near the It's newer, and it's got this
great cafe bar. You can go up to the bar
and literally there are screens where bartenders come al and
(37:00):
tell the story of specific cocktails that are signature to
New Orleans and the history. And it's near the forest.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
It's marrious. Yeah, I've heard of that one. I'll have
to make time to check it out while I'm in
town for tales. That sounds great.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Yeah it is, and we're going to pop those up
on the connected table. But I think they're just so
interesting because you know, they say New Orleans is the
birthplace of a cocktail. I don't know if that's true
or not, but it's certainly a big part of history
in it.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
It certainly has a claim. It had a claim there
for a while. I think a lot of us kind
of hoped that it would be true. But I think
David Wondrich came along and proved us all wrong. However,
as he tends to do, we do know that. Yeah,
it was a very important early home of cocktails, right,
(37:48):
and gave birth to not only some signature drinks that
we still know and love, but you know, just the
early ways of bartending. One of the early places to
get ice sort of shipped down from the Northeast and
how doing a great icing cocktails because of course the
weather down there is always so warm. But things like that,
you know, in the early days, New Orleans had a
massive role to play in how we drink cocktails today,
(38:11):
for sure.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
Yeah, you know, you know, So let's talk a little
bit about Charlotte. So I pulled something out. We're gonna
what's the So I pulled that one of the most
unusual things in our bar. You know, people send this
stuff we travel and this one is one of our friends.
John Zabo, a writer wine writer, hooked us onto Santa
Maria Novella in Florence, which is this historic place that
(38:35):
makes you know, perfumes and a thousand roses in the
tonic and I bought it. But they have a tomorrow
amorrow room really back and this one is the Elisir
de EDINBURGHO like edinburgher. I don't I forgot what it
was when we bought it, and he didn comes to
the bracelet. Oh okay, bracelet, Oh okay, it doesn't come
(38:57):
with the braces, Melanie.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Well, I can't know whose bracelet this is anyway, but
this is like a secret little fine in Florence, Italy
near the train station and you don't know about it,
but you can go in there.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
We tasted every single one of them. So this is
like our little secret fine from Florence. Now what do
you have that you man? It didn't have to be
a product. It could be like a bar tool.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Oh wow, now that's beautiful. I don't know if I
can compete with that. I'm just gonna have a little
look on my shelves. It doesn't actually remind me of
a quick story. I went to Naples for the first
time last year just with four Tales actually doing some
research on olives, which was my seminar last year at
teled the cocktail, and I'd heard about this bar called
Lantiquerrio in Naples, which is one of their best cocktail bars.
(39:45):
She've been around for a while. I want to say
almost ten years, so of course we made plans to
stick to stop in their beautiful cocktail bar, quite classic.
But on the menu they had I forget exactly how
it's worded, it was Negroni and it either said something
like trio or carousel, and I thought, well, that needs
(40:08):
to be ordered, so we ordered the Nigroni. And there
was a darling little miniature carousel that's placed in front
of me that rotates, and of course it brings me
back to the Hotel Monteleone, but it rotates, and it's
got three sort of petite Negronis in the carousel, and
it just continuously sort of swells in front of you
(40:29):
and you and there are all slightly different variations of
the classic Nigroni. But I just thought that was adorable.
So the Italians know how to do things nicely, don't.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
Me, Well they do. I just have one wore Italy
right now, sprits. So we've been to Italy five times
this year and it's just, you know, I'd like to
have stock and apparol and campari. They have so much
of it everywhere, But you know what I like, you
sprints everywhere, and it was so hot we were spristing
all over the place because, as I said, we were schwitzing,
so we had to sprints because we were doing a
(40:59):
trust dobbery too, and we were so hot and row
it was like this heat wave was like a thousand degrees, right,
So we sat down and I actually like, is it
cr sprits? Is ga?
Speaker 3 (41:11):
I like that sprits right?
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Yeah, little dryer perhaps, yeah? I mean no sprits is
are on fire. And that's another example of something that
comes from a classics, right, but then it's almost turned
into a category of drinks. It's turned almost into an occasion. Right.
It's like if it's an a wine glass and it's
got something bubbly on it, it's the sprits. Which I'm
not mad at, right, because there are many beautiful variations
(41:37):
of a sprits and apparo. I think, do just find
on that tread?
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Fine, it is fine. I'm looking for new sprits is.
I'd like to have a I'd like to do a
sprits summer. I love sprits, but I want to try
other things. I want to sprit other things. I actually
I did a Morrow sprits here because we had a
lot of wear on the pack. We're spritsing anything we
have in the in the cellar right now.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
That's nice. I also lot like a rose for moose sprits.
That's a nice one. Again, that's a good one, lower
alcohol nice in the summer. Obviously beautiful color looks great,
So that's another one to try. But yeah, sprits in
all over the place is definitely still a trend, and
I think it helps with that sort of no low
trend as well. That's not a trend, it's part of
(42:21):
it's part of the bar now.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
And the other one that we see all the time
breakfast lunch and dinner breakfast lunch and dinner Espresso martini. Now.
I actually never had an espresso martini because the idea
was weird to me when they had it at this
gallot Wise lunch. It tells the cocktail last year, and
I was like, this is really good. What took me
so long?
Speaker 3 (42:41):
I know, it's like the best worst idea ever? Right,
You're like, no, I really know what's this. I really
need to shut up espresso in my conto right now.
But they are so good and it's kind of trailed
and negroni in that there are so many variations now
and it doesn't matter what spirit you can imagine you
can get an espresso Martin made with it, even though
obviously the classic is with vodka, as created by a
(43:04):
legendary UK bartender, Dick Bradzel back in the late eighties
late nineties. Yeah, so another cocktail that's going crazy now
but has strong credibility in the bartender community, and not
everybody knows that. So it's so interesting.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You should have a who a board game? Who created
this drink? Yeah, it'd be like Jeopardy.
Speaker 3 (43:27):
Yeah, Jeopardy.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
We're like trivial proceeding.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
I think that'd be like, oh, I don't know, it
could be Jeopardy. You know, it would be fairly fun
because there's somebody like the origins of the drink is
this Italian? That would be really really fun.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
It would be to do like sneaking education right for
for younger bartenders. And do you like a game show
at tales of the cocktail? I like that, I do.
Speaker 2 (43:48):
I think that'd be really really pron.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Okay, put it on the list.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Yeah, put it on the list. You know, there's always something.
Speaker 5 (43:56):
You obviously have a lot of options ahead of you.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Yeah, new executive director, we always have to keep it fresh, right,
because you got to keep them come it down here,
you know, because it's like it's it's also great for
the city of New Orleans. July it's dead here. I mean,
I wanted to be alive here, but it's really quiet.
So we're excited to see, you know, a convivium of
people coming down to support our industry and our bars
(44:19):
and restaurants. They were like, please come in, right.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
I mean, it's a really important part of why Tales
is still in New Orleans and it's not going anywhere,
and why it remains in July. You know. Occasionally often
I get that question, especially from international sort of guests,
like why not do you do it when it's so
damn hot down there. But of course it's a really
important economic injection right to the city, and New Orleans
(44:46):
has given Tales of the Cocktail so much. It's not
less than us that people come to Taiales, yes, for
Tales of the Cocktail and what they need to do
and what they want to learn, but also to enjoy
the city of New Orleans. So I think it's only
right that Tales of the Cocktail in turn can give
back to New Orleans in as broader sense as possible,
not just to the local bartenders, but you know, the
(45:07):
local economy, hotels, restaurants, bars, tourism at large. It's a
really important part of what the Foundation stands for.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
Yeah, and it's I'm glad that it's in July because
we could use the infusion of activity and economy. And
there's plenty of pools you can go to. There's almost
every hotel with the pool now rents a pool out.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Anybody can go take it down and it's simp.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
There you go exactly. Yeah, it's set up well. But yeah,
supporting New Orleans is really important to us, of course.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
Yeah, and you know what's really good about New Orleans.
We have really good air conditioning.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
I have a section in my suitcase for sweaters and
rats for those moments right I'm inside, But yeah, it's
easy enough to cool off, whether that's by puffing inside
the hotel lobby or preferably jumping in a pool.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Yeah, that's import of these days.
Speaker 5 (46:03):
We're drinking a well azed contail.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Have we just sweated through Rome? All the bars and
restaurants have these like ancient fans sitting.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
Else My goodness. Yeah, the US certainly does air conditioning
much better than Europe and the UK. I can still
attest to that. I'm caught off guard now. I've been
in the US almost twenty years, so anytime I go back,
I'm like, oh.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
That's right, that's right, there's not air conditioning.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
No. And also having a heat wave this summer. You know,
my parents keep in touch obviously, and that Brits love
to talk about the weather, so we always know when
there's a heat wave, and this year it actually was
a heat wave. Often when a British person says a
heat wave, it means it's like, you know, in the seventies,
but this year it got up to the nineties, which
(46:50):
is really quite intense for anywhere, but particularly somewhere that's
not set up for that kind of badly.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
That's happening all over Europe right now in the United States,
so you know, that's why I think sprits is becoming
so popular. I think people are reaching for spritzers and
these lighter alcohol beverages because they're you know, it's hot,
you just want something to cool you off. So I
think that's why it's it's an even more popular trend
right now, not even trend movement and that's a good thing.
(47:19):
That's a good thing. So to describe yourself as a
cocktail if you were, you can do it as ingredients
or a cocktail. But tell us what you would be
or who you would be.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
Well let's see now, Well, since I'm able to you know,
direct this answer myself, I'm going to go for a
French seventy five because it would make me tall and
elegant and you know, with a link to New Orleans,
which is obviously very important to me these days. But
(47:48):
Gin at the heart, I'm going to go Gin, not Cognac.
I know that that might be controversial, especially for you
guys locally, but it's always been my go to cocktail.
I think a lot to hendrixs Gin French seventy five
when working with the brand's it felt like one of
those cocktails where it was never the wrong time to
enjoy seventy five. Yes, so that would be my choice.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
I think it's my favorite cocktail as well, French seventy five.
I do tend to do it with Kangnac and my
favorite one is at the Chandelier Bar, oh with travel
French fries in the four seasons and there's a new
place new Ish place. We've both done write ups on
it called Junebug Great Bar Program, a great bar program,
(48:37):
Great Cocktails Friend seventy five.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I actually profiled them in an upcoming column coming out
and I think a month in som Journal.
Speaker 5 (48:45):
Yeah. So, yeah, we love it.
Speaker 4 (48:47):
They've got a great bar program, they've got a great
food program, wine program as well.
Speaker 2 (48:51):
It's just a fun, very different and we're putting it
in our list of recommendations. We're doing it. We did
a little of all about the museums, you know, and
on Theconnected table dot com and then little places we
like to go around those places and Jim Bugs definitely
should be on everybody's list.
Speaker 3 (49:07):
It's putting it online. You see the tip.
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Yeah, and it's in an old record building. It's in
an old building of a record producer, so there's a
lot of architectural history. So we have come to the
end of earthing. What is your final post to everybody?
Charlotte Weissie, executive director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation,
Why don't you send us off with a final toast?
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Well, we are so excited to be back for Tales
of the Cocktail this year. In twenty twenty five, We
look forward to seeing everyone and raising a glass toasting
New Orleans and the global cocktail community. So see you
at tails.
Speaker 2 (49:46):
Absolutely happy tales to everybody, and always stay insatiably curious
and always check back with us. Melanie David at the
Connected Table, we keep you connected. Thank you, and have
chinchin a great today.
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