#105, Jonathan Downey, cocktail bar empire builder and hospitality entrepreneur

Without Jonathan and the London-based international Match Bar Group he built, spanning 40+ venues at one time or another, cocktails in the UK would look very different today. Jonathan, a cheerful Mancunian former lawyer, invested heavily in bartending expertise when building his group: his first head bartender for Match bar was the legendary, late Dick Bradsell, he hired Dale de Groff to be a training consultant and partnered with the much-missed Sasha Petraske to open only the second-ever Milk & Honey, in London. Match Bars opened in Ibiza, Chamonix and as far afield as Melbourne, shaping the careers of literally hundreds of bartenders including Kevin Armstrong, Tim Phillips and Sam Jeveons.His second act was pop-up street festivals, and last time we had lunch he was referring to himself as semi-retired - but now he's getting back in the game, opening two big new places in London soon. I love chatting with Jonathan, and this one - uncharacteristically short, as he had to go to his Pilates class at 730pm on a Friday(!) - was pure gold, as ever. Apply for a job with Jonathan: [email protected] on X/Twitter: https://x.com/DowneyJD?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorJonathan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/downeyjd/?hl=en Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

I've known Nico since his time at Experimental Cocktail Club Paris around 2008, and he's very much the mixologist's mixologist; most people would say - I agree - that he's one of the two or three best mixologists working today. He just launched Kota Pandan liqueur with a banging party in Mace NY, so the next day we sat down to talk bars, pandan, awards, the state of the business, how he almost opened a place in Singapore, the importance of hiring, burning out on cocktails, his guest bartending odysseys, and our love of arrack - plus a whole lot more!Nico's website: https://nicodesoto.com/ Nico on IG: https://www.instagram.com/nico2soto/?hl=frKota Pandan Liqueur: https://www.instagram.com/kota.pandan/ Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Few people in the cocktail world are as well known as Salvatore; you don't even have to say his surname before people begin talking about his many achievements in bartending, dating back forty years to his youth on the sun-kissed shores of the Amalfi Coast. He really is the  Maestro, and it's been a privilege to call him a friend for several decades now. From inventing the Direct Martini (while at Dukes Hotel, for guest Stanton Delaplane, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who himself invented/popularised the Irish Coffee, depending on who you ask), to running celebrated bar programs at The Lanesborough Hotel, Salvatore at Fifty, the Playboy Club and (currently) The Donovan Bar at Browns Hotel, Velvet by Salvatore at The Corinthia London, and several projects in his native Italy. He created modern classic cocktails including The Breakfast Martini and Spicy 50, has written many cocktail books (including one that sold a million copies), an award-winning book on cognac, and is a former President of the UK Bartending Guild. And he's a lot of fun. We sat down over coffee to talk about his career, what's changed, how he used to sell five-pound Mai Tais containing 17-year-old Wray & Nephew rum, his womanising bar mentor, advice he'd give a young bartender, the art of hosting and a whole lot more. Enjoy!Salvatore's website: https://salvatore-calabrese.co.uk/Salvatore on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cocktailmaestro/The Donovan Bar on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thedonovanbar/?hl=enVelvet Bar on IG: https://www.instagram.com/velvetbysalvatorecalabrese/?hl=enSalvatore's books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=salvatore+calabrese&crid=2L1S4BQCUS0IP&sprefix=salvatore+calabrese%2Caps%2C82&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Maxwell is an old friend who came to prominence with the drinks program he curated at Brooklyn's amazing Maison Premiere, winning James Beard awards, World's 50 Best Bars listing, and Tales of the Cocktail awards, to name but a few. (It is also, and to this day, a magnificent place for dinner or a cocktail).  He's also co-authored a cocktail book and created one of the first modern-era cocktail recipe apps. Maxwell recently finished working on a great project - more below - plus we'll take any opportunity for a chat and a drink here at the Philip Duff Show, so we got together in Brooklyn at the Ace Hotel. Maxwell's always been drawn to music and movies as well as mixology, and he's just helped produce "BAR" a documentary about the Beverage Alcohol Resource five-day residential spirits education course, originally created by a murderer's row of American liquor- and cocktail luminaries including F. Paul Pacult, Dave Wondrich, Doug Frost and Dale de Groff, to name but a few. The documentary, from KTF Films, follows several of the students preparing studying and being tested at what is one of the world's toughest spirits coursesThe trailer is out now, and the documentary premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in March, hopefully followed by a tour that includes Bar Convent Brooklyn, Aspen Food & Wine and Tales of the Cocktail as well as the Tribeca Film Festival and others. Brands! There are some limited opportunities to sponsor screenings of BAR - get in touch with Maxwell: [email protected] on IG: http://instagram.com/maxwellbrittenMaxwell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwell-britten-25306930Buy Maxwell's book, co-authored with rapper T-Pain: https://bookshop.org/p/books/can-i-mix-you-a-drink-a-cocktail-book-of-50-drink-recipes-inspired-by-t-pain-s-music-t-pain/17156993?ean=9781954220003&next=t&next=tMaxwell's app, The Liquor Cabinet: https://apps.apple.com/bh/app/the-liquor-cabinet/id1073493589 Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

It's nomination season!If you enjoy The Philip Duff Show, take a minute to throw our hat in the ring for an award that is guaranteed to annoy everyone - link to nominate us for "Best Broadcast, Podcast Or Online Video" here: https://spiritedawards.secure-platform.com/a (Nominations deadline is February 13th, at 1159pm New Orleans time!)Dolph's been a legend in Hollywood for almost forty years, from his first role in Bond movie "A View To a Kill", to his breakthrough as Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV", and more recently in "The Expendables", "Creed II" and as King Nereus in the "Aquaman" movies. But he also graduated #1 in his class in the masters' degree program in Chemical Engineering, won scholarships in that subject all over the world (including a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT), was a European and Australian karate champion, and - as we hear - almost became a boxer when he first moved to New York.  After two long days of me teaching Dolph mixology, we sat down in West Hollywood over a couple of glasses of the new vodka brand that Dolph and his wife Emma are launching in a month or so (and that I'm helping with), and talked about how he got into acting, why it's no fun to spend your weekends punching Australians, and how he still does a kata every morning, among a whole lot more. This was a lot of fun and we're going to tape a muuuch longer episode next month, after the vodka launch.  Enjoy!Dolph on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dolphlundgren/?hl=enDolph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dolph-lundgren-68983432a  Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Nominate The Philip Duff Show for the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards - “Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series” category: https://spiritedawards.secure-platform.com/aDavid’s a legend in the liquor business, ever since he and his business partner came up with the idea for Baileys Irish Cream, easily the most succesful liquor brand created in the last half-century or so. He followed up with brands like Tanqueray TEN, The Singleton, Smirnoff Black and many more, and wrote about them all - including his failures - in his brilliant and funny book “That Shit Will Never Sell”, of which he just released an updated and expanded second edition.We chatted about non-alcoholic “spirits”, the vodka market, Archer’s and Peachtree, the new temperance movement, what Smirnoff Black, Tanqueray TEN and Absolut Elyx all had in common, and why he’s giving away a genius brand idea to anyone who has the cojones to give it a try. David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/englishauthor?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appBuy “That Shit Will Never Sell” 2nd edition: https://www.amazon.com/That-Will-Never-Sell-Person-ebook/dp/B0BDGDPB2J Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Adam, a native Scot, spent a decade working for the Hawksmoor group, including a five-year stint opening and running the bar at their first-ever US branch here in New York, and he's just moved back to London, so I thought we'd have a chat.It was a lot of fun and we got into a ton of different stuff, including US tipping culture, the "Sopranos"-esque nature of doing deals with American liquor brands, what it was like moving to first, London, and then, NY, plus a bunch more. Enjoy!Adam on IG: https://www.instagram.com/adammontgomerie/Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-montgomerie-a0661192 Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Caitlin makes some of America’s best eaux-des-vie, as well as America’s first-ever single malt whiskey, McCarthy’s. (American Single Malt was only recognized by the US government’s TTB as a legal category about a month ago, but McCarthy’s started distilling in 1985. ) This is a nerdy one.It was a great chat, though, discussing Caitlin’s unconventional path to being a master distiller, who’s drinking eau-de-vie, and wr had a tasting of some of the Clear Creek distillates and a six-year-old McCarthy’s that knocked me on my ass. Enjoy!Caitlin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_bartlemay/Clear Creek Distillery on IG: https://www.instagram.com/clearcreekdistillery/McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt Whiskey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/mccarthyswhiskey/ Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

I'm not sure exactly where me and Oisin met, but we definitely had a drink to hand!Born in New Jersey, he moved to Ireland when he was just 10, so he's lived there for far longer than I have - in fact he moved there more or less precisely as I left - and has done far more cool stuff there than I ever did, from running great Dublin bars and music venues, to writing an award-winning cocktail book, to promoting Irish spirits (especially whiskey) around the world as a consultant and ambassador and, latterly, within Ireland itself (the locals are a TOUGH sell - why do you think I emigrated?!) with a series of festivals, events and education. We had a grand chat over a beer or whiskey or three*, and got onto some interesting topics, like growing up in Sopranos territory, the history of Irish whiskey marketing, how the housing and inflation crisis in Ireland affects hospitality, being a dad, and a bunch more. It was great craic, enjoy - and happy New Year!*Four. Well, five really. Oisin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/oisindavis/?hl=enOisin's firm, Great Irish Beverages on IG: https://www.instagram.com/greatirishbeverages/?hl=enBuy Oisin's book Irish Kitchen Cocktails: https://www.amazon.com/Book-9781739210526-Ois%C3%ADn-Davis/dp/1739210522?gQT=1Oisin's podcast about Irish food & drink:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6AC00zRL749PcV2X6HXZTc?si=d5a3efb400d9488c&nd=1&dlsi=a515fd3fc1dc4427  Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Ever wondered what'd happen if I sat down with Steve Schneider for three hours over half a bottle of whisky and numerous beers?Wonder no more!Steve's been a friend since his time bartending (and later managing) Employees Only NY, and I've had the pleasure of drinking with him in EO Singapore, which he co-founded. His newest place, Sip + Guzzle in Manhattan, is a second project with Shingo Gokan after they opened The Odd Couple in Shanghai. We go into detail of how Steve got into bartending, how he made the step to bar ownership, and why he's happiest now standing behind his own bar, commanding the room and raising the next generation of New York City bartenders. Plus, we catch up and talk a ton of shit about everyone. Happy Holidays, everyone!Steve on IG: https://www.instagram.com/mightyschneidey/?hl=enSip & Guzzle on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sipandguzzlenyc/?hl=enElysian Cafe on IG: https://www.instagram.com/elysiancafehoboken/?hl=enEO Singapore on IG: https://www.instagram.com/employeesonlysg/?hl=enThe Odd Couple on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theoddcoupleshanghai/?hl=en Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...