Living Proof: Conversations for Bartenders

The Message Pod

The podcast for bartenders and anyone who likes to drink well. Broadcaster Nicole Haack and accomplished bartender Marcus Motteram - 'The Admiral' - aim to keep you at the edge of the cocktail, bartending and spirit trends by connecting you with producers, drink historians and mixologists globally.

  1. The Masters Series | Salvatore Calabrese

    04/04/2021

    The Masters Series | Salvatore Calabrese

    Our final installment of the Masters Series features Salvatore Calabrese. Known as the Maestro, Salvatore has been mixing drinks for over 40 years. He's served the likes of US Presidents, Fidel Castro, Mick Jagger, Princess Diana and even Nelson Mandela.  He also knows what it's like to being in every corner of the bartending industry. Over his career he's written books, sold barware, judged competitions, consulted for bars and brands, created his own products and mixed drinks to the point of mastery.  In our 2019 chat with The Maestro, we discuss what it means to create a classic and reflect on 100 years of the negroni. “Simplicity is one of the [keys] of a great classic. And the name. Simple name, simple ingredients- ingredients you can find all over the world.”  "It is worrying- we go further into our industry but we create less and less classics.”  Salvatore also reflects on being mentored by Signor Rafaello in the early stages of his career. The lesson he learnt then has stayed with him throughout his career: perfect the art of reading a guest. It was a lesson he learnt after having a fish thrown at him. "Every customer is different. So before you bring your sunshine to somebody else, try to understand what they want… It’s about making him feel comfortable in his own shell. And then maybe eventually bring him the sunshine.” In conclusion? "Remember that a great bar is made by people. It’s not the place that makes the place, it’s the people inside.” Tune in to hear all this and more on part 5 of the Living Proof Masters Series.  In The Master Series, The Living Proof Podcast will be taking in the advice, stories and opinions of those considered to be legends of the industry.  Stay up to date by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    39 min
  2. 12/21/2020

    The Year That Was: 2020 on the Living Proof podcast

    It’s been a year like no other, especially for bartenders and anyone in the hospitality industry. So for our final episode of 2020, we're taking a look back at the year that was on the Living Proof podcast.   You'll be hearing snippets of a few of the conversations we were lucky enough to have in 2020, the first of which focus on the subject of wellness and balance for bartenders. We had some great discussions with Tim Philips-Johansson, Australia's most awarded bartender, and Mark Livings, CEO of Lyre's Spirit Co, about how and why young people are increasingly choosing to drink less.   Then, we cast our minds back to when the pandemic first took hold of cities the world over, spelling a long lay-off for many bars. We hear from Dante's Liana Oster, who we spoke to back in April, and then Big Bar's Eugene Lee and Selene Martinez.   Finally, we explore how the industry might emerge from the challenges of the year with a renewed focus on high quality customer experiences. Alex Ross, who opened the renowned Ginger bar in Melbourne, talks us through how she keeps the customer front-of-mind whenever she's working on a project. And Diageo's Global Cocktailian, Lauren Mote, describes how the front- and back-of-house are coming together to create guest experiences that go beyond the glass.   And we couldn't look back on 2020 without re-visiting our hilarious chat with Artem Peruk of El Copitas Bar in St Petersburg - the bar that went from scrounging around to find enough chairs to open, to sitting proudly on the World's 50 Best Bars list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The podcast for bartenders and anyone who likes to drink well. Broadcaster Nicole Haack and accomplished bartender Marcus Motteram - 'The Admiral' - aim to keep you at the edge of the cocktail, bartending and spirit trends by connecting you with producers, drink historians and mixologists globally.