I’m Just Here For The Drinks
Professional bartender Sother Teague is the partner and Beverage Director of Overthrow Hospitality group which includes renowned bitters bar Amor y Amargo and in addition to several other venues, the newly opened Tequila and Mezcal bar Eterea in New York City. He’s also the charismatic co-host of the award-winning show ‘The Speakeasy’ on Heritage Radio Network. He was named Mixologist of the year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2019 and has been featured as a cocktail expert in countless outlets including Esquire, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out, BuzzFeed, and more. He has written two books (all on his iPhone as he’s always on the go!) about cocktails and cocktail culture, ‘I'm Just Here For The Drinks’ and ‘Let’s Get Blitzen’ and is currently working on a third.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
Why Sother Teague became a chef
When and why Sother moved to the front of house and never moved back
The particular allure of bartending in New York
All the things Sother expects bartenders to be to their customers
The in-depth knowledge the bartenders at Amor Y Amargo possess
The difference between simply drinking and having a cultural drinking experience
Why trying different drinks is so important to experience
The unique aspects of all twelve bars Sother works with through Overthrow
How social media has changed the bar industry
The why of Sother’s involvement in bitters creation
How his book came to be
In this episode…
Sother Teague - bartender, Beverage Director of Overthrow Hospitality Group, podcast co-host, cocktail expert, and author - started his career journey as a chef. He was an instructor at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont for two years at the time when that school was rated the number one culinary school in the country. Sother moved to the front of the house for a friend when he moved to New York, though, and never went back.
Sother’s background in the culinary arts has informed his bar and cocktail expertise in certain ways. He points out that people would not eat the same food every day, but will try things at different restaurants. Yet they insist on having the same drink over and over. Sother’s attention to cocktail and drink crafting goes hand in hand with trying new things, finding a drink to match your mood, and finding a drink that meets your evening experience. Many of the bars owned by Overthrow have very specific themes and drink menus to curate very considered experiences.
In this episode of What CEOs Talk About, host Martin Hunter and guest Sother Teague discuss how bartenders are concierges of their neighborhoods, the emotional connection people seek with experiences and purchases, the importance of ambiance, and how attention to these things create value flow in bars. Sother explains how some of the bitters he created came to be, how social media assists his business, and why he wrote his books. This episode dives into all the best that bars have to offer and shines a light on the pure creativity behind cocktails on offer.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
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