Spirited Business - Elad Zvi and

What is the difference between a mixologist and a bartender? Well, a bartender serves drinks and serves customers, the mixologist creates new drinks, in addition to pouring them. Kind of like a bar chef. This is the spirit that is Bar Lab. Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi, both with a background in culinary arts have turned their creative gastronomic expertise to the cocktail community. Since the start of their company, Bar Lab, they are indeed “mixing shit up”.

Orta and Zvi, who both share a passion for bartending as well as cooking, met while working behind the bar at Devito’s in South Beach. They embarked on a catering business that serviced parties with food and drink. Eventually they dropped the food. Creating drink menus for restaurants while consulting and training in cocktail design turned out to be more of their forte. Their latest endeavor is designing the cocktail menu for Carnival Cruise Liners.

So, how do they come up with a signature drink recipe or a unique cocktail menu for different establishments? According to Gabriel, “We approach each project like a painter; we focus on the environ-ment, the flavors used in the dishes, and the style of the establishment. We create menus and drinks from a fresh perspective every time, always designing outside of the box.”

ELAD ZVI GABRIEL ORTA

WINTER IN IPANEMA

1 1/2 oz. Cabana Cachaca 3/4 oz. Apricot puree 1/2 oz. Aperol 2 thyme sprigs 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/4 oz. simple syrup Add all ingredients into a shaker, add Ice, shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an edible flower.

Using their food-pairing expertise, the award winning duo craft drinks that enhance and compliment the food being served. For example, dishes that use basil and black pepper as spices go well with the taste of strawberries. The formula begins with these complimentary ingredients as a foundation and then layers in other elements, possibly gin, bourbon, or vodka, to create a drink. The trick is in knowing which gin, bourbon, or vodka to choose, a gift Gabriel chalks up to years of experience.

To Gabriel, “Knowing how to create a drink professionally and performing the skill perfectly brings craftsmanship to your bar. People will show up just to watch you work.” He adds, “Something as trivial as the type of ice used, or shaking versus stirring certain drink recipes, makes all the difference in the taste as well as the presentation of a cocktail”. This is one of many tricks of the trade Bar Lab teaches their bartender clients. Gabriel’s advice for bartenders is to know the classics. “Bartenders should learn the classic cocktails, learn these basic techniques, and then layer in their own creative style. For instance, create a new margarita by starting with the classic recipe as a foundation and then layer in fresh new ingredients like cucumbers to craft a new drink.” In this way bartenders can give the same old cocktails a brand new perspective.

Gabriel and Elad use fresh ingredients, exotic herbs and spices, plus exciting spirits in their recipes. They incorporate bartending techniques from the most advanced, like molecular mixology, to the more basic concepts of layering. It all depends on the atmosphere and event they are trying to inspire. They take pride in their craft and provide a unique service. Their extraordinary cocktail menus can be found in Social Miami, O Asian Grill, Domo Japones, and the Gansevoort Hotel in South Beach. Currently, they are creating one-of-a-kind concoctions at the W South Beach’s Living Room.