Bar Hacks

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. Aft...

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 speake...

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 dive...

Finian Sedgwick, the COO of BAXUS , calls into the Bar Hacks podcast to talk about this exciting new platform. He also shares the details of another platform within the BAXUS family: BoozApp . BAXUS is a natural progression of Finian's career path in hospitality and luxury spirits and wines. While he started his journey with Jameson, he followed a path that led him to the luxury segments of wi...

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 passion...

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 Di...

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 h...

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 b...

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...

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...

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, Cu...

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...

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 pro...

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 podc...

Dragos Axinte, the founder of Novo Fogo Organic Cachaça, returns to the Bar Hacks podcast. Axinte and Novo Fogo have been very busy since episode 60 , his first appearance on the pod. On this episode, Axinte shares the details and stories behind three important Novo Fogo initiatives and partnerships: Tree-keeper , with Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei, the Un-endangered Forest , and the bra...

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 thre...

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 everyon...

Austen Asadorian, senior vice president of sales at SevenRooms , and Brian Harper, partner and senior vice president of sales and marketing at Competitive Social Ventures, drop by the Bar Hacks podcast. Hospitality industry heavyweight SevenRooms entered into a partnership with growing hospitality group CSV at the end of 2022. During this conversation the trio discuss what motivates SevenRooms to...

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 Amerikalinje...

We had the honor of sitting down with Anand Virmani, CEO of NAO Spirits and master distiller for Hapusa Gin, the world's first Dry Himalayan Gin. NAO also produces Greater Than, the distillery's first spirit and a traditional London Dry Gin. Anand shares his path through the beverage alcohol world and running a coffee, wine, and cocktail bar of his own. He also explains how he learned about distil...

Industry icon, bar educator, entrepreneur, and bartender Charles Joly drops by the Bar Hacks podcast to chat with host David Klemt. The two discuss Charles' start and his journey from the trenches to opening Chicago's Drawing Room, and also his role at the city's legendary Aviary. Charles also talks about Crafthouse Cocktails , the premium ready-to-serve brand, and his barware label Crafthouse by...

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....

Doug Radkey, co-founder and president of KRG Hospitality, stops by the Bar Hacks . Not only is Doug the co-founder and president of KRG, he's also the author of the book Bar Hacks and its followup Hacking the New Normal , and the creator of the Bar Hacks podcast. During his visit, Doug and David talk about their expectations for 2023, what KRG is working on in the new year so far, the importance o...

Bar Hacks podcast host David Klemt speaks with Ronnen Goren, co-founder and director, and John Wilson, design director, from Studio Ongarato . This international design firm with offices in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Toronto specializes in concept branding, placemaking, and wayfinding. There are several valuable takeaways from this conversation. One standout takeaway comes from Goren, who as...

Attorney Marbet Lewis , a founding partner and team manager of the alcohol industry group of Spiritus Law , calls into the Bar Hacks podcast to speak with co-host David Klemt. Since 2004, Marbet has focused on serving the alcohol and hospitality industries. So, she had a front row seat to the rise and eventual proliferation of the experiential hospitality or "eatertainment" trend. Marbet and David...