Brian Miller | Co-Owner, The Polynesian
Clad in a sarong, warpaint, a cast of necklaces, bandana and a pair of tie-dyed Vans, Brian Miller looks like he lives for tiki. And that's because he does. A…
- story: Jason Diamond
- photo: Eric Medsker
Neal Bodenheimer | Owner, Cure and Cane & Table
Though Neal Bodenheimer began his bartending career in New York, working first at Atlantic Grill and then with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality, he's best known for his contributions to…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Lizzie Munro
Dave Arnold | Co-Owner, Existing Conditions
Deemed “the mad scientist of food" by his alma mater, Yale University, Dave Arnold has long been regarded as one of industry's most progressive (and occasionally obsessive) thinkers. With his focus…
- story: Frances Yackel
- photo: Eric Medsker
Jillian Vose | Beverage Director, The Dead Rabbit
Having gotten her start in hospitality at age 17, working as a bartender at Arizona's Four Peaks Brewery, Jillian Vose has put in time at some of New York's most notable…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Eric Medsker
Erick Castro | Owner, Polite Provisions
With a resume spanning nearly two decades, Erick Castro has worked in just about every part of the industry. Having first made a name for himself at San Francisco's Bourbon…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Jim Sullivan
Frank Cisneros | Consulting Bar Director, Bar Moga
The only Westerner to receive a Japanese visa for the express purpose of bartending, Frank Cisneros has been making drinks since he was just 20 years old. Having found a…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Eric Medsker
Sven Kirsten | Cinematographer, Urban Archeologist and Tiki Historian
Despite the seeming pervasiveness of tiki within the modern bar world, the subculture of Polynesian pop owes its very existence to just a few dedicated forefathers. Among the most lauded…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Jochen Hirschfeld
Chris Hannah | Head Bartender, French 75 Bar
Whereas many acclaimed bartenders might assume a place on the national stage, Chris Hannah of New Orleans' historic Arnaud's French 75 Bar might be best known within the industry for his…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Claire Bangser
Dale DeGroff | King Cocktail
A mentor to the nation’s top bartenders and recipient of a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award, Dale DeGroff, in the span of his three decades in the industry, has undoubtedly earned the moniker…
- story: Lizzie Munro
- photo: Eric Medsker
Paul McGee | Co-Owner, Lost Lake
Paul McGee is one of few bartenders to maintain equal footing in both a classical and tiki approach to drink-making. As the beverage director for Land and Sea Dept., McGee helms…
- story: Talia Baiocchi
- photo: Nick Murway