Bar Hacks

Hayden Lambert, co-founder of the unique and award-winning Above Board bar in Melbourne, Australia, pops by for an incredible chat.

When Lambert would explain the reductionist philosophy behind the concept for Above Board to others in the industry, he was told it wouldn't work. Well, nearly ten years of operation, a few appearances on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and other accolades later, Above Board continues to prove that its unique approach works.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Lamber discusses his journey through hospitality, traveling the world, still being tested as a bartender, "simplexity," how brands can succeed in a bar without a back bar, the magic that is making guests feel like their experience was easy, and much, much more.

Lambert drops a ton of useful information and experience in this episode that veteran, new, and hopeful bar owners need to hear and consider. Cheers!

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Jackie Williams, event vice president of Bar Convent Brooklyn, pops in to chat about this year's BCB!

If you're listening to this podcast, you're likely well aware of BCB. But, just in case, this annual show, which takes place in New York City, of course, is a chance for hospitality professionals to network with peers and learn about new trends, techniques and products in the domestic and international markets, plus attend demonstrations, keynote addresses, and panel discussions with leading industry experts.

On this episode, host David Klemt sits down with William Brooks, the Global Brand Ambassador for Tequila Herradura. With a background from Johnson & Wales University and extensive experience in the spirits industry, William shares his fascinating journey from whiskey to agave.

Discover the unique qualities of tequila, as William dispels common myths and misconceptions. He dives into the importance of terroir, the differences between lowland and highland agave, and how these factors influence flavor profiles. The conversation also covers the innovative practices at Tequila Herradura, including sustainability efforts, and the creation of the reposado category.

Plus, William shares his favorite tequila cocktails, perfect food pairings, and tips on how to properly taste tequila (hint: replace the lime). Whether you're a seasoned agave enthusiast or just starting to explore, this episode is packed with valuable insights and delicious ideas.

Cheers!

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Suomi Design Works is an award-winning hotel design studio dedicated to approaching every hospitality project with an exceptional level of creativity. In fact, Michael Suomi, president of the studio, actively seeks out unique, challenging projects.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, host David Klemt chats with Michael about a number of these extraordinary projects. Further, Michael shares his approach to onboarding clients, building unique teams for exceptional projects, trends he thinks may stand out in 2025 (and which he'd like to see disappear), and more.

Cheers!

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We're back! Hosts David Klemt and Bradley Knebel tackle two real-life restaurant and bar situations in the first ReFire of 2025.

The two tackle the topic of an operator who's hesitant to believe it when multiple employees claim a culinary team member is rude, hostile, and abusive...but believes that team member when they make the same accusation against a quiet but hard-working back-of-house peer. Don't worry - it gets worse!

Then, David and Bradley take a look at a stunning, on-the-spot termination of a bartender who had been in role since day one. The restaurant was busy, the bar was slammed, and the word of a regular got the bartender of five years fired instantly. Something doesn't add up!

Look, firing someone is never pleasant. However, it's going to happen. Operators and leadership team members need to have standards in place and communicated clearly, a process for terminations, and the understanding that how they fire people speaks to their credibility and reputation.

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In 2008, Barbara Harmon volunteered at an outreach program for individuals with mental illness. Half of the patients attending the program wanted to work but were told by their clinical staff that the stress of working would cause more symptoms and more hospitalization.

Barbara began researching organizations that helped individuals with mental illness find employment. She read an article about Fountain House in New York City. Fountain House is the first Clubhouse and is the blueprint for 320 Clubhouses around the world.

Barbara opened a Clubhouse in Pompano Beach, Florida in 2010. Since starting Foot Print to Success Clubhouse, the organization has offered people with mental illness hope and opportunities to achieve their full potential.

On this episode of Bar Hacks, Barbara shares the Foot Print to Success Clubhouse mission, talks about the benefits to program participants and hospitality operators, addresses the stigma of mental illness, and more. Cheers!

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Giuseppe Gallo has accomplished a lot in his two decades-plus in the hospitality and beverage spaces: he's a respected vermouth and amaro expert, the winner of the 2014 Spirited Award for Best International Brand Ambassador, an educator and drinks historian, and a bartender's bartender.
Among other topics, this episode explores the creation of SAVOIA Americano (and ITALICUS). Giuseppe introduces SAVOIA Orancio, an innovative new aperitivo made with natural orange wine. Throughout the conversation, Gallo emphasizes the importance of bartender insights in shaping successful beverage brands, and the guest experience.
Tune into this informative and engaging episode to be inspired by Giuseppe Gallo's story, and learn how you can elevate your own bar or restaurant business.

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Nancy Kuemper is the founding principal interior designer and creative director at Mabel Design Co. based in Halton Hills, which is located within the Greater Toronto Area.

Similarly to the approach KRG Hospitality takes to projects, Nancy's approach to interior design is transparent, structured, bold, and client-driven. As you'll learn during this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, she's enamored with the idea of telling the story of a client's project.

You'll also hear about the phased structure Mabel Design Co. brings to each project, when to bring on an interior designer, how to maximize the relationship, design trends Nancy thinks will be popular in 2025, and more. Cheers!

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On the second episode of Bar Hacks: ReFire, host David Klemt (KRG Hospitality) and co-host Bradley Knebel (Empowered Hospitality) chat about three real-world restaurant and bar situations.

The duo discuss guest perception, F&B influencer culture and marketing, "firing" problematic customers (a distinction is made between guest and customer), and more through the analysis of three stories pulled from various platforms.

Cheers!

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Welcome to the first episode of Bar Hacks: ReFire! We've changed the standard Bar Hacks format to address real-life hospitality industry issues. We're also introducing a co-host to help provide different insights and perspectives: Bradley Knebel, client services director at Empowered Hospitality. Bradley has 20 years of experience in hospitality, including ten years with Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group.

On this inaugural episode David and Bradley discuss giving a second chance to a part-time employee hired to join a small culinary team; a bartender who may be experiencing imposter syndrome but who was also only given a single training shift at a high-end venue; and owners, operators, and leadership team members pulling pranks on staff.

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Social media can seem daunting to some people. Where do you start? How often should you post? What kind of posts should you put out there? And what channels do you need to use?

To answer these questions (and more), we asked Zachary Helsel if he'd come on the podcast.

Zack will be the first to tell you that he's made all the mistakes one can make when building their social media presence. However, he learned from those mistakes, has sought expert advice, and led his whynot_ride motorcycle page to more than 466,000 engaged followers. He also operates his own social media marketing agency, complete with a digital creator community.

During this conversation, host David Klemt and Zack talk platforms, strategy, mistakes and myths, the importance of learning the fundamentals, two key acronyms Zack has coined, why he's not afraid to pay for expert advice, the services he provides as a social media marketer, and more.

Also, for the riders out there, he's giving away a 2023 Honda Grom and a 2024 CF MOTO Papio. Check out the giveaway on his whynot_ride IG page and Why Not Ride community. Cheers!

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Just weeks after speaking with design legend Roger Thomas we were given the opportunity to speak with Alex Woogmaster. Alex is one of Roger's protégés, and the former creative director for Wynn Resorts.

Toward the end of 2019, Alex founded Woogmaster Studio, the design agency for which he is also creative director. Interestingly, Las Vegas wasn't on his radar. In fact, neither was interior design; he was studying architecture initially.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast you'll hear about how Alex found himself in Vegas, working for one of the most influential and successful gaming and hospitality brands in the world; the Woogmaster Studio "gentle manifestos"; his approach to interior design; maximizing the relationship between operator and designer; and more. Cheers!

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Psychotherapist, soon-to-be organizational psychologist, and former bartender Laura Louise Green drops by the Bar Hacks podcast to talk about a very important topic: burnout.

The hospitality industry has been taking strides to address many of the challenges that affect hospitality professionals' physical, mental, and emotional health. Burnout is one of the many dangerous issues we all face, yet we don't always acknowledge.

Among other important conversations we need to have that are long overdue, Green has been taking on burnout head-on. On this episode, she defines burnout, shares symptoms, explains the truth and myths about burnout, offers some ways to heal from it, and much more.

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Real Las Vegas royalty stopped by the Bar Hacks podcast! That's not hyperbole: Roger Thomas truly changed the face of Las Vegas and how people approaching gaming around the world over his 40-year career.

While Roger has made "cameo" appearances on projects for clients here and there, he really worked for a single client, building the Mirage, the Bellagio, and Wynn and Encore resorts and casinos in multiple markets across the globe.

During this conversation, Roger shares how he got his start in interior design in hospitality, his approach to luxury design, how he has mentored other designers, some of his favorite design features, his new book Resort Style: Spaces of Celebration, tips for hiring and working with interior designers, why designers flock to Las Vegas, and so much more. Cheers!

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Let's tech and point-of-sale systems! Adam Howe, solutions engineer at GoTab, popped in to talk to host David Klemt about what the platform can do for operators.

GoTab is a feature-rich, operator- and guest-focused POS that, interestingly, can run on basically any operating system. That means that it's very likely an operator looking to switch POS platforms already has hardware that can run GoTab, and that translates to savings.

It's the company's transparency, ease of use, and cost-saving measures that convinced KRG Hospitality to choose GoTab as a preferred partner. In this episode, Adam shares GoTab's mission and focus, the time it takes to get their system up and running at a given venue, new features, and much more. Cheers!

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Marybeth Shaw is the chief creative officer at Wolf-Gordon, an American design company that provides wallcoverings, wall protection, upholstery, paint, and more. Shaw has achieved an MBA from NYU Stern, an M. Arch. from the Ecole d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville, an MCP from MIT, and, most recently, an MBA. Further, she earned the HiP Award for Creative Direction from Interior Design in 2017, and serves on the Board of the Wallcoverings Association.

For the past couple of years, Shaw has curated intriguing design installations for HD Expo, held in Las Vegas. It was the first installation, HI > AI, that grabbed Bar Hacks host David Klemt's attention. Since then, he has wanted to have her stop by the podcast. Finally, the two made that happen!

Shaw stops by the discuss wallcoverings, wall protection, sustainability, finding and nurturing the careers of designers, her own journey through the worlds of hospitality and commercial design, design trends (some that she'd like see go away), and much more. Cheers!

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When we were given the opportunity to speak with a guest about sake, we jumped at it. Ryan Johnson is the head sommelier at Umu, a Michelin Starred Japanese restaurant in London. He looks after an inventory of more than 140 sakes while also remembering the preferences of guests who expect high-level service.

During this conversation Ryan shares how he went from commis sommelier to head sommelier; achieving his kikisake-shi certification; sake service; and myths about sake. Cheers!

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We're excited to welcome Matthias Ingelmann, bars manager at KOL Mezcaleria in London, back to the Bar Hacks podcast! We first spoke to Matthias on episode 106, mostly about KOL, one of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, and his role as the bars manager. This time, however, we're learning about mezcal.

Matthias breaks down styles of mezcal, regions (including the fact that mezcal is made in countries other than Mexico), and producers. He also dispels a number of myths and misconceptions, shares his approach to introducing guests to mezcal (and sotol and raicilla), and suggests food pairings. Of course, there's so much more, so make sure to give this episode a listen. Cheers!

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We're excited to share some huge news with you! There's a brand-new hospitality industry and F&B conference launching later this month in Cincinnati. So, we thought it would be a fantastic idea to sit down with co-founder Sarah Engstrand to learn all about it.

The inaugural edition of Flyover Conference takes place from Monday, June 24 to Tuesday, June 25. During the day, attendees will have access to two stages of engaging, education sessions at Rhinegeist Brewery. In the evenings, there will be sponsored bar crawls and plenty of time to relax, connect with show speakers, and network with peers. Oh, and the $45 ticket includes both days and ALL the programming. There are no add-ons, the tickets are already fully loaded.

And who will be speaking? Well, we'll be there, for one, with KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey presenting an informative session. Attendees will also hear from Michael Tipps, Chef Brian Duffy, Chef Kayla Robison, Lindsey Johnson, and many more, including local industry professionals. Don't miss out! Listen now!

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We love a savvy operator here at Bar Hacks and KRG Hospitality. Juan Please Drink Company co-founder Pete Flores certainly falls into that category.

For several years, Flores was sure someone would bring a simple-but-delicious drink to the RTD space: lemonade and tea with a tequila base. Yet, that prediction never did come to pass. So, as Flores says, realizing that door was open, he stepped through it with a small team and brought the TLT (tequila, lemonade, tea) to market under the Juan Please Drink Company portfolio.

During this conversation you'll learn about Flores' experience in the hospitality world, how his vision for an RTD became reality, the challenges he and the team have faced and overcome, plans for future expressions, and much more. Cheers!

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We had the opportunity to speak with Ana Rosenstein, the CEO of Amante 1530, and leapt at the chance. This new amaro is an interesting entry into the space, hitting more than one sweet spot.

For example, Aperol is 11% ABV, while Campari ranges from 24-29% ABV. Amante 1530 is bottled at 15-percent ABV (and there could be a higher-proof version in the cards as the brand grows). Further, Amante 1530 isn't as sweet as Aperol or bitter as Campari. Intriguingly, this amaro performs equally well as an aperitivo or a digestivo.

During this conversation you'll hear the brand's origin story, learn how the recipe was created, hear about the challenges Ana and her team faced and overcome while navigating the spirits space, and even get advice for getting in front of and succeeding with investors. Cheers!

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The New Orleans Spirits Competition returns to Tales of the Cocktail for its third edition! NOSC's competition has an interesting and unique element born from a focus on transparency: public tasting and feedback.

To learn more about this competition we sat down with Wayne Curtis, head judge and spirits writer, and Matthew Sharpe, director of operations and hospitality veteran.

During this conversation you'll learn about how the NOSC is conducted; how Tales of the Cocktail 2024 attendees can participate; what spirits trends Curtis and Sharpe believe are taking hold this year; favorite NOLA restaurants and bars; and more. Cheers!

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The fantastic Anne Becerra returns to the Bar Hacks podcast! Anne is also returning to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, this year. That incredible event takes place from June 14 to June 16.

In addition to talking about the Food & Wine Classic, Anne and Bar Hacks host David Klemt chat about beer styles to check out and put on your menu now; service and turning non-beer drinkers on to beer; a few brewers you should have on your radar; whether 2024 is (finally) the Year of Lager; and more. Cheers!

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Sponsored by Perrier, North America's 50 Best Bars is returning to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on April 23. The 2024 ceremony represents the third edition of North America's 50 Best Bars.

And who better to share details about the upcoming ranking than Emma Sleight, Head of Content: Bars & Hotels for World's 50 Best? Emma dropped by the Bar Hacks podcast to talk about the 2024 ceremony, the Voting Academy, special awards, and more. In fact, listeners will get to learn a bit about Emma herself, including her being a sommelier and Associate of Cheese.

We're looking forward to this year's list! Be sure to stream the ceremony on YouTube or Facebook if you won't be attending in person. Cheers!

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We know, we know—it's April 1 and we usually only release episodes on Tuesdays. However, this isn't a joke episode. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation really does want your help on an important research project.

The TOTCF began studying the relationship between bartenders and brands last year. Now, they're partnering with IWSR, Drinks Market Research to dive even further into this topic.

Bar professionals who are interested in contributing to this project can do so very easily by completing a short survey (it should only take about 5 minutes). As a bonus incentive, two $100 Amazon gift cards are up for grabs. Hit the link below to learn more and take the survey by April 8. Cheers!

It has taken a while but it has finally happened! Michael Tipps, friend of KRG Hospitality and podcast host David Klemt, dropped by Bar Hacks.

The two kick this episode off by discussing the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo. Both Tipps and KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey are speaking at this year's show. In fact, they're teaching back to back during a bootcamp on Monday, March 18. After the bootcamp, Tipps is presenting a workshop titled "Elevated Guest Experiences."

Tipps also gives his thoughts on the state of the industry and consulting; speaks about creating cool concepts; makes a big announcement; and more. Cheers!

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James Grant, World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2021 and Canada’s 100 Best Bartender of the Year 2022, stops into the Bar Hacks podcast!

As the director of mixology at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, James oversees three distinct concepts: CLOCKWORK, REIGN, and The Library Bar. As he explains, this role is quite a step up from bartending at and managing an 18-seat speakeasy in Edmonton, Alberta.

On this episode, James talks about his journey through hospitality to his current role; his approach to developing the Fairmont Royal York's cocktail programs; tips for speakeasy operators; advice for new operators; what it means to have The Library Bar recognized by World's 50 Best Bars; and more. Cheers!

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Happy new year, and welcome to 2024! We wanted to kick off season five of the Bar Hacks podcast with an amazing guest.

Host David Klemt had the opportunity to chat with Colin Asare-Appiah, an industry icon he's wanted to talk to for many years. Colin is Bacardí's trade director of multiculture and lifestyle, and the brand's LGBTQIA+ advocate. Not only does he spread the message of diversity, equity, and inclusion, he believes (as does KRG Hospitality and Bar Hacks) that diversity is necessary for our industry to thrive.

In this episode you'll learn about Colin's journey through hospitality, which includes saying he'd never be a bartender to becoming a bartender and creating a bartending school; his thoughts on what makes a successful operator and team; cocktail and spirits trends for 2024; the AJABU cocktail festival coming to South Africa in March of this year, spearheaded by Colin and his partner Mark Talbot Holmes; and more. Cheers!

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When it comes to curating a beer program, creating a complementary cocktail program, and delivering an incredible beer program, we can't think of anyone better than Anne Becerra. And lucky for us, she stopped by the Bar Hacks podcast!

Anne is the first female Certified Cicerone in New York City and has been working in beer for more than a decade. More importantly, however, she's as passionate as she is educated about beer. Anne's also passionate about hospitality, which comes across in this conversation. Truly, she loves hospitality, the beverage world, and how the two pair to make people feel amazing.

On this episode Anne talks introducing guests to beer; serving beer aficionados, beer neophytes, and the beer wary; how to make guests feel comfortable in a beer-centric concept; what she's excited about in the beer world; tips for operators who want to succeed with a beer-forward venue; and much, much more. Cheers!

There are those who say that, in comparison to cities in Canada and the United States of America, London has been slow to pursue agave spirits. However, KOL Mezcaleria has been changing that at a rapid pace over the past few years.

Since opening their doors, KOL Restaurant has found its way onto the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, and Kol Mezcaleria can be found on the World's 50 Best Disovery tool. The upscale Mexican restaurant and bar, co-owned by Chef Santiago Lastra, celebrates Mexican culture and traditions hand in hand with British ingredients. They're also currently participating in the 14th annual London Cocktail Week.

KOL bar manager Matthias Ingelmann dropped by the Bar Hacks podcast while he and the team prepared for service. On this episode, Matthias talks agave spirits; introducing guests to artisanal and ancestral agave spirits along with Mexican rum, gin, and whiskey; planning for seasonality and menu changes; maintaining the familiar while offering new menu items; honoring Mexican culture with this fusion concept; what he looks for in team members; and more. Cheers!

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Just ahead of an incredibly busy but rewarding and exciting trade and consumer gathering of thousands of people, London Cocktail Week co-founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne drop by the Bar Hacks podcast.

Unlike most of our guests, Hannah and Siobhan aren't bartenders or bar operators. However, they're every bit as passionate about hospitality and the bar world as the people who have dedicated their professional lives to serving others. On this episode, this dynamic duo discuss the ins and outs of London Cocktail Week, including several innovative initiatives and activations. For example, lucky trade applicants will have the opportunity to spend time with the Connaught Bar team to see how they prepare for service.

Hannah and Siobhan also share the details of what should prove to be an global industry game changer: the Pinnacle Guide. Think the Michelin Guide for bars, though the recognition system will approach awarding venues across the world differently. Oh, and there's also the pair's brand consultancy, because they're not busy enough. Cheers!

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Simone Caporale, an internationally renowned bartender and operator, swings by the Bar Hacks podcast to talk spirits, branding, the guest experience, and operations.

Noticing a gap in the industry and seeing a way to lend his expertise to help grow spirits brands, Simone and Luca Missagli founded Cocktail Concierge, a brand-building agency focusing on craft spirits brands. One of the most recent brands Cocktail Concierge has helped introduce to the world is Amaro Santoni.

Of course, Simone is also one of forces behind SIPS Drinkery House, number three on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and the World's Best Bar according to Tales of the Cocktail. Simone shares his thoughts on what he thinks makes SIPS so successful, why he views service as a privilege, three tips operators can implement today to plant the seeds for long-term success, and more!

Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan, returns to the Bar Hacks podcast! Ten years ago, Ryan opened the first bar in what would become the Mr. Lyan empire, White Lyan. This innovative venue set the tone for Ryan and the team's approach to creating bars.

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Ryan shares details of the ten-year celebrations; what it means to him to have reached the ten-year operator milestone; lessons learned over the course of more than ten years running bars; what people can expect from the re-release of his book Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends, now with brand-new content and a new title, Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends; and more! Cheers!

Be sure to visit the links below to keep up to date on the Mr. Lyan celebrations, pick up his new book, and connect with Bar Hacks and KRG Hospitality.

Thank you for being patient during our summer hiatus. We're back with a great conversation with an awesome guest.

Global Hennessy brand ambassador Jordan Bushell returns to the Bar Hacks podcast. While Jordan may know people with more Cognac knowledge, we don't know anyone who knows more about this spirit category. More importantly, he's as generous with his time as he is knowledgeable about Cognac. If you have a question about the spirit of Hennessy you can reach out to him and he'll answer you.

On this episode of Bar Hacks, Jordan talks about special Hennessy releases, initiatives, collaborations, and what sets the maison apart from others in the Cognac region of France. He also talks about how operators can introduce guests to Cognac and Hennessy, including paying attention how they price their menus. Cheers!

Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan, is one of the bar world's true visionaries. He opened his first bar, White Lyan, in 2013 and the venue immediately achieved its intended purpose. Beyond being an award-winning bar and one of London's best places to grab a drink, White Lyan started a much-needed conversation about sustainability in the industry.

Dandelyan, Lyaness, Super Lyan, Cub, and Silver Lyan would follow shortly after, making an even bigger splash not only in London but also Amsterdam and Washington, DC. All Mr. Lyan venues, while showcasing incredible innovation, accomplish something just as important: each bar is a place people to want to spend their time and money, and where professionals want to work.

During this fantastic conversation, Ryan shares insights into the menu programming processes at each venue; discusses seasonality; provides a look into hiring and engaging each team; the reissue of his book and his foray into the RTD cocktail space; and much more. Cheers!

We can hardly believe that we've reached 100 main episodes! Thank you so much for listening, supporting, spreading the word, and helping us reach this milestone. We're honored and humbled to be able to celebrate 100 episodes with you. To really mark this occasion, we're thrilled to bring you an amazing guest representing an incredible venue.

Tako Chang is the manager of brand marketing & PR communication for the award-winning Double Chicken Please in New York City. DCP has gone from a wandering pop-up concept touring the US in a VW bus to one of the hottest reservations to score in NYC, and has won several awards. For example, DCP achieved the number one spot on World's 50 Best Bars, North America list. And just days ago, DCP won the Spirited Award for World's Best Cocktail Menu.

During this chat, Tako shares her approach to building the DCP brand, going from zero hospitality industry experience to overseeing the front of house, how the guest experience and marketing relate to one another, ongoing team training, building an incredible team, and more.

Bartender Michele Mariotti leads an illustrious career. He has worked behind the bars at some of the best hotels around the world, including the Savoy in London and Mandarin Oriental in Singapore.

As of 2020, Michele has held the title head of bars at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland. In this role, he heads the programs at 11 F&B venues on the property, overseeing dozens of bar professionals.

On this episode, Michele and Bar Hacks podcast host David Klemt talk about mentorship, interviewing potential bartenders, menu development, using a flavor map when assigning new cocktail builds to bar team members, finding inspiration, interesting hotel guests, bespoke glassware, investing in platforms and programs that boost staff retention, and more.

A few months back, Datassential released a report indicating that static photography is no longer the preference for social media consumers. Rather, video content appears to be king for engagement, sharing, and the potential to go viral.

That got us thinking: Who do we know who can help our audience produce video content? The answer: videographer Brooks Quinn!

On this episode of the Bar Hacks podcast, Brooks shares his insight into succeeding with video content, from devices to experimentation. Providing a real-world example all of us can understand, Brooks discusses the videos he shoots with industry icon Bob Peters. And for those of us who would rather outsource this task, he provides insight into finding someone to shoot your video content.

You know about RTDs, but what about RTEs? Lynnette Marrero returns to the Bar Hacks podcast, dialing in from a very cool hybrid restaurant-work concept in Cincinnati to talk about Delola, the recently launched premium ready-to-enjoy cocktail brand.

The House of Delola was founded by Jennifer Lopez with the mission of launching premium, sophisticated RTE cocktails. The core lineup consists of three spritzes crafted in collaboration with bartending, mixology, and hospitality icon Lynnette Marrero. A truly collaborative effort, Lynnette created bold yet refreshing spritzes that resonate with JLo's party personality, Lola.

Delola L'Orange Spritz is unique in the RTD space as it's crafted with amaro. Lynnette's Delola "baby," Bella Berry Spritz, is made with vodka. And Paloma Rosa Spritz uses premium tequila as its base. Not just another celebrity spirits brand, Delola is as hardworking as JLo and Lynnette. Consider the labor issues facing operators and then consider what three RTEs can do to save time while generating revenue and elevating the guest experience.

We know it's been a few weeks. Between client projects and trade shows we had to take a little break. But we're back!

And to make our absence up to you, our loyal listeners, we're bringing you a great chat with an awesome guest. Bob Peters returns to the Bar Hacks podcast for episode 95!

Bob has big news to share, and you can hear in his voice how excited he is to share it with everyone. He's taking on the perfect role. In fact, he calls it his dream job during this episode. Cocktails and cuisine are about to get even better in North Carolina and South Carolina...

But it doesn't stop there! Bob also shares his approach to bar training to make sure everyone is engaged; his assessment of the Charlotte dining and drinking scene; a simple step all restaurants and bars can take today to improve operations, team engagement, and the guest experience; a very cool project he's taking on; and more.

In September 2022, Adrián Michalčík earned the title of Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year. Colloquially, this achievement is known as the Best Bartender in the World. That's a bold and weighty mantle but as you'll learn during this conversation, Adrián is humble and focused on his team and guests.

Adrián is the director of mixology at the award-winning Pier 42 inside the Amerikalinjen hotel in Oslo, Norway. The bar has been recognized by the World's 50 Best and has won Best Bar of Norway twice. In addition to taking home the title of 2022 Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year, Adrián has won several bartending competitions throughout the years.

He popped by the Bar Hacks podcast to chat with host David Klemt about his bartender journey. Adrián has worked in several types of bars and each helped him develop the skills that allowed him to elevate his skills behind the bar. Mentors, his endless quest for knowledge, his passion for hosting others, and his focus on empathy have informed his approach to team building, delivering top-level hospitality, and tapping into his creativity to develop Pier 42's cocktail menus.

Adrián shares the three pillars he believes great bars are built upon, what he looks for in bar team members, transforming people from guests to friends, the importance of storytelling, and much more.

Mark Sansom, content director for the World's 50 Best Bars, drops by the Bar Hacks podcast to share some big news. After years of dialing in the process and waiting out the pandemic, the World's 50 Best Hotels will be revealed at a ceremony in September 2023! If you haven't watched or attended a World's 50 Best Bars ceremony, they truly take great pains to ensure they're the Oscars of bar awards. So, we expect the World's 50 Best Hotel awards ceremony to blow us out of the water.

This list and its accompanying specialty awards completes the hospitality and travel puzzle. Restaurants and bars, after all, are inextricably intertwined with hotels and resorts. Mark shares the details of the World's 50 Best Hotels Academy Chairs, voting panel, and voting process in this episode. As a bonus, you'll also get to hear host David Klemt try and fail to say "inaugural awards" without any issue!