House Tonic 11 by Soho House

HOUSE

TO N I C Mary Mary!

SOHO HOUSE’S DRINK MAGA ZINE Issue 11 HOUSE TONIC 1

Soho Diner’s Julep 2 HOUSE TONIC

HOUSE TONIC

Editor’s Letter W

Contents

elcome to the autumn 2013 issue of House Tonic – a magazine for bartenders and people who love bars.

In this issue, meet our friendly bartender, Myles Donneky from Shoreditch House, we catch up on all the cocktail competitions our bartenders are competing in, both within Soho House and with brands like Campari and Bombay Sapphire. As part of our focus on speed-of-service, House Tonic also has a new speed bartending competition on thego – find out here how the heats are going. Bloody Mary Sundays are hugely popular at our venues around the world, and now we have two more Marys to whet the appetite, made with beetroot and hoisin sauce. Check ‘em out on page 16. We also have all the drinks news from Soho House around the world. If you'd like to join one of our bar teams around the world, email housetonic@sohohouse.com.

House Tonic covers: Soho Houses New York, Toronto, London, Berlin, West Hollywood and Miami, Shoreditch House, Cafe Boheme, The Electric House and Diner, Soho Diner, High Road House, Pizza Easts Portobello, Kentish Town and Shoreditch, Hoxton Grill, Little House, Dean Street Townhouse, Babington House, Cecconi’s in LA, London and Miami, Chicken Shop and both Dirty Burgers. Editor: Rebecca Seal Design and Art Direction: Plus Agency Publisher: Dan Flower Thanks to: Sophie Roche-Garland, Caroline Boucher, Phoebe Strawson, Chris Ojeda, Dai Williams, Steven Joyce, Jolina Hoang, Tom Kerr, Marcin Liwarski, Jamie Bevan

10 At The Bar Perfect Picnic Competition 11 At The Bar Anatomy of an Ingredient: Apples

13 At The Bar Craft Beers 14 At The Bar The Need for Speed 16 At The Bar Bloody Marys 20 At The Bar What to drink this autumn

Cover image: Jamie Bevan; facing page: Steven Joyce.

housetonic@sohohouse.com

8 At the Bar Myles Donneky

12 At The Bar Dessert Island Drinks

Cheers!

www.housetonic.com

4 Aperitifs Booze news

twitter.com/HouseTonic

22 At The Bar Toronto Film Festival 24 At the Bar Visiting Pisco and Tuscany 28 Digestifs Bottlegreen Barbecue 29 Digestifs The Playlist 30 Digestifs Rising Stars

Negroni at Soho Diner

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APERITIFS

Sipping with salad

Prosecco on draught If you fancy a scrumptious glass of prosecco, make haste to Cecconi’s West Hollywood, where prosecco is now available on draught – there’s no compromise on quality and the sparkle is perfectly maintained. “It keeps each pour fresh, we’re going to use it in cocktails for weekend brunches and it’s the first of it’s kind in California,” says creative bar director Chris Ojeda.

Cookhouse – House Tonic’s foodie twin magazine – and House Tonic came together in a pairing competition to match the perfect cocktail and wine with a special spring salad. The teams met in Pizza East Portobello for the final of the competition, having been whittled down by venue, and for what was to be a very difficult decision for the judges. The calibre of all three menu items was spectacular. Soho House-style salads were plated up, with cocktail pairings to match. The judges found it so tough that after a long discussion they came to the conclusion that they had to have more than one winner: Jess Marshall from Babington House won best salad, along with Aimee Gayle from Dirty Burger; best House cocktail went Shoreditch House’s Antonio Pescatori and his cocktail Fiona May and joint first place for best cocktail goes to Ledi Castro for a wonderful Watermelon Sour. The best combination of salad, cocktail and wine was created by Pizza East Portobello: Alvaro Nevado for his salad, Tatia Merebashvili’s choice of wine and Damian Szyjduk’s Portobello Bridge cocktail. A big congratulations to everyone!

Wine for Autumn in Los Angeles Jaimee Anderson chooses three wines for US members and staff to try. “First up, the 2011 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulee de Serrant from the Savennieres AOC of Loire Valley. Along with the rest of the surrounding appellation of Savennieres, Clos de la Coulee de Serrant must be 100% Chenin Blanc. When most people think of Chenin Blanc they often expect light and crisp tropical expressions of South Africa or the slightly sweet renditions from Vouvray, but I assure you, you have never tasted a Chenin Blanc like this. On the palate it is viscous and glycerol-like. It hits you like a bag of bricks, or more like rocky stones drenched in quince, ginger and beeswax. Second, the 2011 Heinrich Red from Burgenland, Austria. This is a blend of 60% Zweigelt, 30% Blaufrankish, and 10% St. Laurent. Perfect for fall as you can transition from the Gruner Veltliner you’ve been drinking all summer, to a lovely Austrian red to warm you up...and third, the 2011 Cultivar Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley. This wine project was started by sommelier Dan O’Brien and grape grower Jody Harris. Their goal: to produce cult style wines without the hefty price tag. I love and recommend this wine because of its elegant feminine qualities and its versatility in food pairing. On the nose you ﬁnd mint, violet, and lavender with subtle layers of vanilla and clove, great with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the ﬁxin’s that go along with Thanksgiving dinner.

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NEWS

Bombay Sapphire World’s Most Imaginative Bartender Bombay Sapphire World’s Most Imaginative Bartender programme is a global bartending competition which celebrates the power of imagination in cocktail making. The gin brand is currently working with Soho House in the US to support staff to enter the competition. Initially staff from each unit competed against each other, then the winners of the heats faced off and finally the overall winner will attend the finals in Las Vegas.

Grey Goose Seasonal Cocktail This fabulous cocktail was created in honour of Soho House and Grey Goose’s involvement with the Toronto Film Festival. It won’t appear on the menus, but you can get it at any of the UK Soho House venues.

Torontini 35ml / 1oz Grey Goose 35ml / 1oz apricot juice 15ml / 1/2oz lemon juice 10ml / 1/3oz maple syrup 5ml / 1 bar spoon crème d’abricot dash of French absinthe

Molinari and Limoncello House Tonic took over the Electric Cinema for an afternoon of Limoncello and Molinari. Hosted by Account Manager Hazel and her team, we learnt a little more about the story of the Molinari and Limoncello brands, the secret recipes behind them, and drinking Italian style (a dash of Molinari with your morning coffee). Thanks for a great training!

Tasting notes: flavoursome martini with hints of apricot, lemon and maple syrup Method: Shake and strain, garnish with an orange zest.

UKBG Heats UKBG’s national cocktail competition, sponsored by Benedictine, took place this summer at the Primo Bar, Park Plaza Hotel. Three of our bartenders, Michal Buben, Hideyuki Saito and Paolo Lazzarich, were among the 30 competitors taking part. All the competitors were of a very high standards and the selection of cocktails was outstanding. Out of the 30 contestants, 12 made it to the final, including our very own superstars Michal Buben and Hideyuki Saito. Although they didn’t win, they both performed brilliantly. HOUSE TONIC 5

NEWS

Soho Diner Londoners! If you haven’t already experienced Soho Diner, what are you waiting for? The newest Soho House venue is now open, right in the heart of the West End, on Soho’s Old Compton Street, serving up brilliant dishes from a short, focused menu (we love the sticky chicken and the ham and cheese toasted sandwich, the best sarnie you’ll have, anywhere, we reckon). It’s the second Soho House site to serve cocktails on tap, with Negronis and Cosmopolitans available for bartenders to pour from taps. The quality is excellent and everything is freshly made, plus speed of service is better than ever.

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APERITIFS

Twisted Negroni Marianna Piña and Tony Araujo from Soho House London both entered the Campari Twisted Negroni competition. The aim of the comp is to create a classic cocktail like Negroni that could stand the test of time. Marianna infused Mirto with English breakfast tea and Italian cherries and combined that with Hendricks and Campari. Tony took inspiration from Sam Kershaw (at the Electric) and used a Kamm & Sons strawberry infusion and a touch of prosecco. Both have been selected for the final from the 3,500 people who entered – just 35 were chosen for the final, which Salvatore Calebrese judged; well done Tony who came fourth!

Tuscany A group of our managers led Liz Lowe of Liberty Wines took an awe-inspiring trip round the vineyards of Tuscany. Look out for new wines on lists very soon… (Read more on page 24)

In the press West Hollywood’s venues have been getting great press recently. Cecconi’s Affogato al Negroni dessert cocktail and creative bar director Chris Ojeda featured in LA Weekly and Los Angeles Magazine’s blog; the same site included bar manager Kate Grutman from Soho House West Hollywood in an article about what it means to be a female bartender. The new Art Beyond the Glass event was featured on LAist website too – it’s a multi-faceted night that includes cocktails, art, and music entirely created and performed by local bartenders, including Soho House bartenders Chris Ojeda, Kate Grutman and Mia Mastroianni; a piece of Kate’s artwork accompanied the piece. (Zagat and LA Weekly also wrote about the event and the SHWH team’s contributions). Chris Ojeda made it into print once more with a mention in Bon Appetit, which also ran Soho House’s Picante de la Casa recipe.

New opening South Londoners rejoice! Dirty Burger is now open in Vauxhall, serving brilliant burgers and lovely craft beers.

Pinot Noir Romanian Pinot Noir sales are soaring thanks to knowledgable staff and open-minded consumers at Hoxton Grill, Soho House and Shoreditch House… and of course its reasonable price!

Courvoisier training Rebecca from Courvoisier hosted a Cognac history and tasting in the Library of Electric House. The packed-out talk covered Courvousier’s history and production. The training was finished with a tasting of VSOP, Exclusif and XO, with cheese and dessert pairings.

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AT THE BAR

YOUR FRIENDLY BARTENDER Myles Donneky Bars Manager, Shoreditch House Portrait by Dai Williams

started bartending a long time before I should have really, well before I was legally allowed to serve (or drink) alcohol. I joined a catering company doing weddings every weekend when I was 15 and watching the team on the bar, it always looked much more fun than the floor or the kitchen – I mean, there was booze (which was enticing of course because I wasn’t allowed any) and interaction with the guests too. When I was 16 – and still not allowed to serve alcohol – I got a job in a pub and learnt a lot about draft beers, how to kick out forty-yearolds who’d drunk too much and how to break up fights. When I was 17 I got a job in a nightclub – where I definitely wasn’t allowed! – and I loved that too. I think people risked it because I was good at it. I got people home safely if necessary, calmed down people who’d drunk too much and got them water. I was caring towards our clients. When I was 18 I got my personal licence straight away and got into flair bartending, which at the time I really liked. But then I got interested in actual drinks and cocktails and writing cocktail menus. So I moved to London and worked in various places before finding a job at Saf, a raw-food bar and restaurant. Joe McCanta, who is now Grey Goose vodka’s international brand ambassador, was the bar manager and sommelier there. Then he left, leaving a void that needed filling and I got to step into it. Working at Saf was one of the best experiences of my life. Because it was a raw-food restaurant, there was no meat or cheese taking up space in the cellar, just herbs, fruits and spices that I could use in drinks. I was lucky enough to be working with great people there – not just Joe, but also John Clay, who is now Bols Global Ambassador, Amit Sood who is now head of training at Shaker Bar School and Dav Eames, who now runs the bar at the Gilbert Scott in St Pancras. 8 HOUSE TONIC

After Saf, I joined Shaker Bar School as a trainer, teaching bartenders about etiquette, uniforms, how to pour, stir and shake and the importance of understanding the products on their front and back bar. I wanted people to remember we’re in the service industry to serve, to make sure guests leave smiling. I also helped them open Shaker and Co., the company’s first bar, so I got to help build the bar itself. I joined Soho House 18 months ago, first at Soho House itself, then High Road House and now I’m at Shoreditch House. I love it here. It’s by far the biggest challenge of my career. It helps that I have an awesome team who know how hard it is to run so many bars. With the fifth floor opening we have eight bars in the building now, which is a big operation – it used to be six – and now we have 45 bar staff, 22 or 23 on shift at any one time. When I joined it felt like not enough attention was being paid to the people behind the bar. I hope that I’m making them feel a bit more loved. If you want to learn about bars, drink in every bar you can and go to every new opening. Speak to the bartenders and ask questions – we all love it when people are interested in what we are doing. Don’t steal the menu, but take a photo of it so you can really analyse it later. You don’t have to have more than one drink or even spend a lot of money. Don’t go with big groups of mates and get smashed; it’s our profession so go to learn not booze. Read plenty of books, magazines and websites, especially Cocktail Virgin Slut, a blog out of Portland in the USA, Bitters and Twisted and Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

Want to join one of our bar teams around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or see www.housetonic.com

FRIENDLY BARTENDER

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PERFECT PICNIC

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Hoxton Grill’s Picnic Soho House Picnic Paolo Lazzarich, Pizza East Shoreditch

How to have a

PERFECT PICNIC The Perfect Picnic competition was a combined Cookhouse and House Tonic event, with teams competing to create the best outdoor food and drinks. Phoebe Strawson reports back.

ach team had to present three picnic dishes and a Hendricks gin cocktail or punch to match. As with any picnic, all the food dishes had to be prepared in advance (with only finishing touches needed on the day). Eleven sites took part and the calibre was outstanding! Picnics galore, and the presentation and thought that the competitors put into their picnics was really impressive. The judges were Sophie Roche-Garland, who manages Cookhouse and House Tonic, Ronnie Bonetti, creative executive head chef, Tom Kerr, assistant general manager at Shoreditch House, Duncan McRae, Hendricks gin brand ambassador and Kristian Aiken, national account manager for First Drinks. It was a tough job for the judges to pick just one winner – and eat all those sandwich10 HOUSE TONIC

es! – and in the end we had to have joint winners: well done to Babington House and High Road House. From Babington House, Dave Gerrans and Rhys Couldrake presented the most beautiful picnic with three delicious dishes: lobster with baby gem, avocado and Marierose dressing, a Scotch egg with celery sauce and Western Cheddar with quince and chutney. Their cocktail was presented in a flask and named Babington to Paddington. It was a refreshing pink gin and tonic with homemade vermouth, rose petals, fortified wine and honey. They paired perfectly. From High Road House, Lin Rousseau, Tatiana Brown and Alberto Ercoli created an equally delicious picnic with another three fantastic dishes and a very energetic presenta-

tion: gazpacho, made with red peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and tomato juice, marinated for 24 hours with sherry, salmon en croute (fresh salmon wrapped in smoked salmon and then in pastry) and a quail’s egg salad with cucumber, cumin and yoghurt dressing. Their cocktail was perfectly paired with all the ingredients from the salad. The Back to Berry included cucumber, basil, berry syrup, gin, lime juice, a cumin spirit, cucumber and rose. Well done everyone! Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

Photo: Jamie Bevan

APPLES

HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES? Every issue we like to focus on a seasonal ingredient and how to use it. This autumn we’re all about apples.

here are 7,500 different types of apples grown worldwide in China, Turkey, the USA, India, Poland and Italy, and pretty much anywhere else where the climate suits. Wild apples first grew in Central Asia, where they were cultivated before probably being brought to what is now eastern Turkey by Alexander the Great. In Norse and Germanic mythology, apples symbolised youth and fertility, whereas in Greek and early Christian stories, apples are forbidden fruit. Apples can be made into anything from hard cider or brandy to cakes, preserves or desserts. Great flavours to try with apple include: almonds, beetroot, blueberry, clove, mango, hazelnut, pear, sage and vanilla. How does the House Tonic team like their apples? Sam Kershaw, Electric My favourite. As a West Country lad, cider has always been less than an arm’s reach away. My first alcoholic drink was a bottle of Natch (down the park, aged about 15). My youth was misspent in a haze of Strongbow, Blackthorn and K. Now a tad more respectable and with a much more experienced palate, it pleases me more than anything to see that this humble fruit and the liquids it produces are as tasty and varied as ever. The last few years especially, I’ve been a massive fan of Burrow Hill blended and bottle-fermented ciders and Somerset aged cider brandies, produced by the delightfully eccentric Julian Temperley. In particular, I like his pot-still produced cider brandies, the three-year-old (fiery, young and raw) and the 10-year-old (perfect balance of apple and oak). The three-year-old Royal makes a fantas-

tic mule with homemade ginger syrup and a few dashes of something smoky like Laphroaig whereas the 10-year-old is perfect on its own once it’s limbered up a bit. Gert lush! Tom Kerr, assistant general manager, Shoreditch House I really like apples because the Apple Martini (pictured above) was the first cocktail I was taught to make and the first cocktail I ever mastered. Apples give off fantastic and elegant acidic flavours that combine really well and are also very versatile with other ingredients John Kamel, Bar Super visor, Soho House Berlin I love making Johnny’s Incider – calvados, lemon juice, a cinnamon stick, ice and topped up with cider. The combination of all ingredients pair perfectly. It’s a great drink all year round. Sophie Roche-Garland, Cookhouse and House Tonic manager Did you know when St Patrick came to Ireland he planted hundreds of apple trees? Well, that’s a good enough reason for me to drink cider. Sebastian Price, Chicken Shop The apple pie we serve in Chicken Shop is quite possibly the best apple pie in the world, no bias of course. It’s made using Bramley apples, which have a lovely tartness to them but are complemented delightfully by cinnamon. It is made with a sweet cobbler dough, very rich in butter, that brings out the Bramley flavour. They are perfect to cook with as they hold their shape once baked. HOUSE TONIC 11

DESERT ISLAND DRINKS

DESERT ISLAND DRINKS If you had to choose one drink, your favourite one, to drink forever, what would it be? We asked our bar teams and front-of-house staff what their desert island drink would be.

Paul Cowlishaw, Soho House Toronto Bourbon old fashioned. Lately I have been fascinated with all things bourbon and when you add it to a classic cocktail like an Old Fashioned, nothing is more perfect.

Alex Cassano, Pizza East Shoreditch It’s got to be Deuchars IPA from Caledonia, simply because it tastes like heaven and is the most thirst-quenching beer I have ever tried.

Jaimee Anderson, sommelier, Soho House West Hollywood I’m going with Krug on this one, anything and everything they produce, whether it be Grand Cuvee, Vintage, Collection, “Clos du Mesnil”, etc. Beggars can’t be choosers!

Ben Fitzgerald, Dean Street Townhouse I’d go for a Palermo cocktail. Strong, bitter, sweet and refreshing. Perfect for a hot and lonely stint on a deserted island.

Christopher Cooper, UK sommelier I just adore Riesling so I would probably have to choose one from Germany, possibly Rheingau or from Pfalz. Either that or an enormous bottle of Krug!! Sam Kershaw, Electric I’d have to go with the quintessentially British G &T. Specifically, Portobello Road gin & Fever Tree tonic water. Assuming I’m stranded in the Caribbean, there should be plenty of fresh citrus fruit around to spruce the thing up; and I could happily sip away while waving my Union Jack aloft hoping for a rescue vessel to come along... Linus Axing, assistant general manager, Cafe Boheme Depends on which island I’m stranded on. If it’s one in Stockholm’s archipelago, I’ve been to many and they always seem to have Akvavit (herbal spiced vodka) on them. Strange that. I would bring a bottle (ice cold) because it goes amazingly well with raw fish! Matt Sloper, Little House For me a Daiquiri. Crisp, clean and refreshing. It’d make me forget I was stranded. 12 HOUSE TONIC

Alex Ghalleb, general manager, High Road House A Tommy’s Margarita because it’s sour but sweet and refreshing. A perfect sunshine cocktail. Michael Burke, assistant general manager, Pizza East Kentish Town An Old Fashioned for me. Hard, yet easy going like the island! Kelly Taylor, general manager, Shoreditch House Cold vintage champagne. Bella epoque. For obvious reasons. Mer vi Lehtinen, manager, Electric Diner Campari spritz to add some sparkle, and I’d die happy. Francesco Del Prete, floor manager, Shoreditch House Eastern standard, I won’t die thirsty!! Rafal Reinholz, waiter, Soho House Berlin Belvedere Vodka with sparkling water, a little bit of lime with pepper on top. It is a drink I have whenever I go back to my hometown. It really wakes me up. It’s the starter drink to a good night and also the best hangover drink.

Alex Farrey, senior sous, Cafe Boheme Whiskey Sours, I can drink them all day, every day. Uncomplicated and clean flavours, I’m a simple fella! Nick Antonopolous, floor manager, Cafe Boheme A Daiquiri – zesty and refreshing and I could probably find the ingredients. Wait….do we have ice...?? Carlo Valdiserri, bartender, Cafe Boheme Guinness, I like it with everything. With food, without food. On an island, off an island. Tom Kerr, assistant general manager, Shoreditch House A Paloma because it’s refreshing, a fantastic balance of flavours and can be drunk any time of the day, anywhere in the world. It makes me feel good and if I was all alone on a desert island, that is what I would want from whatever I was having to drink. Haemish McBeth, bartender, Soho House Berlin Negroni, because it’s my favourite drink, it has the best balance of alcohol, sweetness and bitterness. And it’s a barman’s drink! Juanita Ellen Hard, bartender, Soho House Berlin Rum Zacapa, with lime and ice. Because I grew up with Pirates of the Caribbean, so it seems very fitting. Hamish White, bartender, Soho House Berlin I’d go for a Mai Tai, as it’s simple, nice and very refreshing! Obviously It must come served with an umbrella if I’m on desert island though!

CRAFT BEER

01 Fleur Emery and Jason Avery from Green and Pleasant

02 Green and Pleasant being made

CRAFT BEER More and more, discerning drinkers are on the look out for craft beers, supplied in modest quantities by small local breweries. Knowing that members and guests want to try these brews as well as drink their favourite big brands, Soho House sites around the world have included craft lagers and ales on their drinks list. We take a look at what’s on offer.

t Pizza East Shoreditch Alex Cassano says, “We serve Bethnal Green pale ale from Redchurch brewery, which is literally round the corner. Truly genuine and unfussy ale brewed by young East End entrepreneurs.” At nearby Dean Street Townhouse, Ben Fitzgerald says, “The newest addition to our selection is Harviestoun Sciehallion lager from Alva, Scotland. A great refreshing lager with hints of grapefruit and honey. Perfect paired with the recent fine London weather.” At Pizza East Kentish Town, beers from Camden Brewery are available. “Camden Pale Ale is a really amazing American-style ale,” says Michele Ardu. “Sparkling, aromatic, cold, refreshing and exotic. It sells really well due to its versatility. It is a bit heavier than a lager but still way easier to drink than traditional ales. It’s a great product. Camden Brewery also make a really good lager, really elegant and well balanced.”

In New York Juan Sevilla has led trips to visit breweries like Brooklyn (which from small beginnings is now a big operation). “We serve Brooklyn Lager, the brewery’s flagship label, brewed to a pre-Prohibition recipe that dates back to the days when Brooklyn was the brewing capital of the East Coast. We also have beers from Goose Island Brewery, from Chicago, Illinois, and their IPA is a hop lover’s dream.”

Green and Pleasant Founded by two Every House members following a late night conversation on the roof at Shoreditch House, Green & Pleasant is a a clean and just hoppy-enough craft brew, served at the Electric. “I wondered why all the beer brands that I loved were associated with heavy, flat beer,” says co-founder Jamie Anley. “And why lager

drinkers were getting second best. It was difficult to find a UK lager which was produced by hand in small batches and I wanted to know why, as a nation with a brewing tradition, we were still importing so much.” The answer came through partnering up with Fleur Emery, a brand designer. “I was introduced to Fleur at Shoreditch House and put the same question to her. She set out to find the answer and along the way discovered a beautiful family-owned brewery in the heart of England, which we ended up going into partnership with. A year later, here we are with our own lager and lemon shandy behind the bar.”

Would you like to learn about beers while working behind our bars? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 13

AT THE BAR

The need for

SPEED This year’s 9/10 project, all about making Soho House better in all aspects, means that speed is a major focus for kitchens, bars and front-of-house.

he goal is to serve every guest super fast, using the mantra 3 – 8 – 10, meaning drinks should arrive within three minutes of ordering, starters within eight minutes of ordering and mains within ten minutes of starters being cleared. To help encourage the teams to think about speed, a Europe-wide speed bartending competition, the Speed Match, has taken place – and the hardcore training ran in European venues all summer, led by Tom Kerr, AGM of Shoreditch House and Joey Medrington from Bacardi. Tom explains more. “The speed match training is all about teaching our bar staff about service, preparation, efficiency, speed and how to set up for success. During the first part of the training we do a brainstorming session where we break down the process under three subheadings: yourself; the bar station; service. “Then the bar staff come up with ways in which we could fully prepare for the next service under each heading. I find some very interesting ways in which to prepare come up, which is great. I find it’s mostly about themselves being prepared or not prepared, and thinking about how improve this. 14 HOUSE TONIC

Next we move onto looking at drinks that are durable versus drinks that are fragile. This is all about understanding drinks – in that red wine is durable, and Daiquiris are fragile. Essentially, what drinks can last the longest with out ruining or changing in any way through temperature shifts or ice diluting. Then we move onto our chosen six drinks, all of different styles. The bartender has to make these six drinks at the same time, by using the following structure: 1. Prepare all glassware you will need. 2. Prepare all garnishes you will need. 3. Start building the drinks (i.e. all the sugars, then all the citrus, then all the accompaniments). 4. Ice. 5. Prepare (shake, strain etc). 6. Finish (garnish and serve). What we want is to get to a point where for every order we make drinks this way, so all the drinks are ready to be served at once and the quality of our drinks is never affected by waiting and nothing spoils. It’s also the quickest way to get drinks into our guests’ and

members’ hands. We want to teach staff about the quality of the product while also being smarter and more efficient behind the bar.” Bartenders are timed on how fast they can make their drinks, and how efficiently. As part of the training, bartenders competed for a place in the speed comp final which took place at Pizza East Shoreditch. Each bartender had to serve a gin and tonic, bottle beer, red wine, mojito, sweet Manhattan and a Daiquiri. The winner was Murat Celik from Soho House, who made six really great tasting drinks in 1:58mins – his prize is ride in a Ferrari around Silverstone’s fantastic circuits. Coming in at a close second was Eduardo Del Moral from Pizza East Shoreditch, at 2:36mins; his prize is a fantastic Champagne tour with Collet in September. A special thanks to Kamil Turalski, who won the Berlin Heat and flew over especially for the competition. Well done everyone!

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

THE NEED FOR SPEED

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drinks should arrive within three minutes of ordering, starters within eight minutes of ordering and mains within ten minutes of starters being clearedâ&#x20AC;?

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Martina Marini Chris Weller and Mark Foynes Falvio Jayasinghe and Tomek Biszczkanik

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Saele Valese in Soho House Berlin Eduardo del Moral Rory Martin, Pizza East Shoreditch

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AT THE BAR

BLOODY MARY SUNDAYS Every Sunday, Soho House venues around the world specialise in Bloody Mary cocktails – the perfect combination of tart tomato and lemon, spicy heat, savoury horseradish and a touch of vodka, to kickstart life after a big night out. There are lots of variations to be made, though, and just a little light competition between the sites, to see who can have the best Bloody Mary trolley or station. Here, we recap who is doing what.

loody Marys are hugely popular at weekends in Soho House venues everywhere. Sam Kershaw, bars manager at the Electric and House Tonic Ambassador, explains, “Truthfully, this was never my favourite cocktail. However, since working in the US (weekend brunch shifts a blaze of tomato juice and olives) and then with Soho House in the last couple of years my appreciation of them has grown a lot. The Bloody Mary we serve in the Electric Diner is nothing short of epic, garnished with a mountain of bread and butter pickles. Recently, the UK House Tonic Ambassadors (Tom Kerr, Jay Newell, Myles Donneky and myself) have been working on changing the Sunday Marys and trying new twists on this hangover cure to beat all hangover cures! We have also been engaging the bar managers to make their Bloody Mary trolleys and displays the best in the group! The competition is pretty hot, you can’t rest on your laurels with these guys.” On Sundays only, there are three special Marys to try alongside the classic: the Hair of the Dog is a twist on the classic but with freshly grated horseradish giving it intense spice; the Bloody Beetroot Mary is a lighter, more refreshing style of Bloody Mary, made with Grey Goose Citron, cucumber juice, beetroot juice, vinegar and cherry tomatoes; and the Hoisin Mary contains lemon grass-infused Grey Goose vodka, orange and tomato juices, hoisin sauce, green Tabasco and coriander, so it’s easy to drink with a nice spice balancing the sweetness.

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At Hoxton they make a classic version. “Or you can have a Red Snapper, substituting gin for the vodka, or a Detox Mary, replacing half the tomato juice with carrot juice, which has lovely balance,” says bar manager Jamie Lehane. At Pizza East Portobello, you can get a classic Mary, or a Bloody Caesar: “Which replaces the tomato juice with clamato juice - a combination of tomato and clam juices. Superb,” says Alex Ghalleb, High Road House’s general manager. At Babington House in Somerset, “We do a walled garden-inspired Bloody Mary,” says head bartender Dave ‘The Hat’ Gerrans. “It would be a waste if we didn’t use the resources at our fingertips. We use our house-made walled garden vermouth, and garnish with whatever wild flowers and herbs are blossoming in the garden that morning.” Meanwhile in the US, Cecconi’s West Hollywood brings out the Bloody Marys on special occasions like Father’s Day, using freshly grated horseradish, while Soho House Toronto’s Paul Cowlishaw mixes up the classic recipe by “swapping out the base spirit for gin, tequila, mezcal, rye or bourbon. Members also have the option to make it smokey by swapping out the Chicken Shop hot sauce we use for the smokey sauce instead. We also use McClure’s Bloody Mary mix: a kosher-certified, gluten-free blend of chopped garlic, hot peppers, fresh cucumber juice, dill, tomato paste, vinegar, salt and fresh black pepper.”

BLOODY MARY SUNDAYS

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Wherever you are, be sure to check out your local Bloody Mary Sunday.

Soho House Classic Bloody Mary 2oz/50ml Grey Goose vodka 4oz/105ml tomato juice Â˝oz/15ml lemon juice 3 dashes of Tabasco Â˝ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 pinch of salt 1 pinch of pepper 2-3 dashes of celery bitters freshly grated horseradish or creamy horseradish to taste

Roll from tin to tin with ice to combine all the ingredients. Strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass and garnish with 1 thinly sliced celery stick, 2 skewered olives and top with freshly ground black pepper.

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BLOODY MARY SUNDAYS

“We use our house-made walled garden vermouth, and garnish with whatever wild flowers and herbs are blossoming in the garden”

Wherever you are in the world, be sure to check out your local version.

Beetroot Bloody Mary 4 cherry tomatoes (muddled) 50ml / 1 3/4oz Grey Goose Le Citron 50ml / 1 3/4oz beetroot juice 25ml / 3/4oz fresh cucumber juice 15ml / 1/2oz balsamic vinegar 10ml / 1/4oz house spice mix Shake and strain over ice. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and a pinch of Maldon sea salt.

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Dean Street Townhouse Hoisin Mary Soho House New York Soho House London Soho House Berlin

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Beetroot Mary Pizza East Portobello Electric Babington House

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 19

AT THE BAR

FALLTERNATIVES what to drink this autumn

Change your drinking habits and try something new this autumn. Christopher Cooper and Jaimee Anderson recommend wines to tempt you as the weather cools down.

Christopher Cooper, European sommelier for Soho House, on different wines to try this Autumn.

t’s too early to start tucking into dirty Bordeaux or big Aussie Shiraz but as the nights draw in and menus become more autumnal then consider some of the great middleweight champions of wine. We may be into the firm fall favourites, like Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel – and don’t get me wrong, these are some of the greatest wines in the world and I love them dearly – but there are plenty of awesome alternatives out there at pretty reasonable prices. For whites, why not look at Pinot Gris? This isn’t Pinot Grigio, as generally Pinot Gris are a bit heavier and have much more richness and depth compared to the Grigio styles of Italy. Pinot Gris comes from Alsace and often from Oregon and New Zealand, as well as from Germany where its local name is Grauburgunder…bit of a mouthful but an amazing wine and the most popular in Soho House Berlin. (Available at Café Boheme, Electric Diner, Soho Diner, Little House and many others.) 20 HOUSE TONIC

Or what about Riesling? This brilliantly versatile grape goes from the entirely bonedry styles of Australia all the way to supersweet dessert wines of Germany; yet it’s the styles in between that work best when matching wines with richer dishes. Look at New Zealand and Washington State for interesting styles, and don’t be afraid to go back to where it all began – Germany. (Available at Babington House, Dean Street Townhouse and Soho House Berlin.) Lastly, try Furmint. It may be the principal grape that goes into the legendary Tokaji dessert wine, but increasingly dry Furmint is served as a Chardonnay alternative. Richer and more nutty in flavour, these wines are perfect with white meats or simply guzzling during the late evenings of an Indian summer. (Available at Hoxton Grill.) And for the reds, think about Zweigelt, the most widely planted grape in Austria (there’s some in Canada too), a Pinot Noir alternative. This smooth yet earthy red is perfect for more delicate autumnal root vegetables and tomato-based dishes. (Available at Soho House Berlin.) Sangiovese is the king of grapes in Italy and difficult to pin down in terms of flavour because of the variety and differences between the wines and the regions. For autumn

I would stick to decent Chianti and the king that is Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. For a seriously good wine go to Dean Street Townhouse and sample ‘Le Difese’, an alternative label from the same producers of the legendary Sassicaia. (Sangiovese is available at all Pizza Easts, all Clubs and Cecconi’s.) Mencia – pronounced ‘men-theea’ – is an amazing alternative to Rioja. We all know and like Rioja but I’m sure we’ve all tasted some stinkers too, and if you’re tired of Tempranillo then this is a more reasonable yet punchier alternative from Bierzo, in north west Spain. Great with tomato dishes and spicy sausage. (Available at Shoreditch House, High Road House and Dean Street Townhouse.)

WINE

Jaimee Anderson, sommelier at Soho House West Hollywood, on her favourite wine for fall, Nebbiolo.

y wine recommendation for fall is Nebbiolo. The most famous examples of this grape are from Barolo and Barbaresco of the Piedmont region. And yes, these are excellent wines, but some lesser-known Nebbiolo-producing regions of Northern Italy are often overlooked, so let’s shine some light on them. I want to showcase two in particular: the Donnas DOC and the Valtellina Superiore DOCG. These appellations not only show off the range of Nebbiolo, but they also offer a unique expression of it. Furthermore, they’re tailor-made to pair with the seasonal dishes that come along at this time of year. What makes Nebbiolo capable of producing such interesting wines? The grape is naturally thin-skinned and high in acidity and tannins. It buds early and ripens late, requiring a long growing season. It’s an extremely difficult grape because it responds poorly to most soils and climates, yet somehow works in the most unexpected places. It performs better in cooler regions, preferring only to

ripen properly in tiny areas where adequate sunshine and drainage exist. The Donnas DOC is in the region of Valle d’Aosta. It sits on the border with France, just northwest of Piedmont.It is home to the highest vineyards in Italy, and with that come great challenges. Soils range from sand to granite to clay, providing different pockets suitable for different grapes. In fact, this region nourishes several indigenous grapes that over time have got used to the severe conditions. Higher elevations and sandy soils have also protected these isolated parcels from the devastating phyloxxera pest, so – unusually – many grapes come from vines grown on their original rootstock.Nebbiolo – or as it’s called here, Picotendro – must make up 85% of the final wine, allowing producers to add either Freisa or Neyret to the blend. This addition of fruit helps to round out the harshness of the acidity and tannins too. The wines usually have an earthy, spicy fragrance with almond flavours mixed with black fruit and granite. These are very different to those found in Piedmont, where tar and rose flavours are the norm. Nonetheless, some have deemed this appellation the “mountain equivalent to Barolo”. I’ll leave that for you to decide, but you can always trust the wines from this area to be true to their terroir.

Another lesser-known Nebbiolo-producing appellation is Valtellina Superiore DOCG, and here Nebbiolo is called Chiavannesca. Valtellina Superiore is in Lombardia, a region better known for sparkling wine. Here a minimum of 90% Chiavannesca is required, allowing producers to add small amounts of other local grapes. Extremely steep slopes mean that winemaking has to be done on a smaller scale. The rough terrain slows the vines, leading to lower yields. This results in complex wines, and they illustrate the staggering differences between producers, plus the influence climate has. Like other Nebbiolo-producing regions, the vineyards are south facing. The stony soil helps to retain heat and disperse it into the vines at night and the nearby mountains also help to trap heat. All of these unique elements contribute to a feminine, perfume-y style of Nebbiolo. Valtellina is also known for its five sub-zones which all carry their own reputation. Of the five, keep an eye out for Sessella and Inferno.

Would you like to learn about wines while working behind our bars? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

HOUSE TONIC 21

AT THE BAR

AND.....ACTION! For the fifth year in a row, Soho House partnered with Grey Goose Vodka to host party after brilliant party at the Toronto International Film Festival. House Tonic gets the low down.

oho House Toronto was back-to-back, wall-to-wall parties over the five days of Toronto International Film Festival. On the opening night of the festival, producer of The Fifth Estate Michael Sugar held an exclusive shindig on the House’s Club Floor, and was joined by cast members Benedict Cumberbatch, Alicia Vikander and Daniel Brühl. On the second night two private parties were held. The first celebrated the world premiere of Horns, and actors Daniel Radcliffe and Juno Temple were in attendance with producers Joey McFarland, Riza Aziz and Cathy Schulman. The second party was thrown by the team behind Parkland; guests included Zac Efron, Tom Welling, Paul Giamatti, Colin Hanks, Bitsie Tulloch, James Badge Dale and Jacki Weaver. Even more parties took place over subsequent nights – keeping Soho House Toronto’s bartenders and chefs on their toes! Matthew Weiner, writer/director of You Are Here, was joined for a glamorous get-together by producers Jordan Horowitz and Scott Hornbacher, 22 HOUSE TONIC

and after walking the red carpet, the film’s cast members Amy Poehler, Laura Ramsey and Lauren Lapkus joined in. The Pretzel Bell Bar was taken over by the filmmakers and cast of Night Moves, including Dakota Fanning (and boyfriend Jamie Strachan), Jesse Eisenberg and Katherine Waterston. Jason Bateman, Ewan McGregor and Jennifer Morrison also dropped by to celebrate the film – as you do. The biggest party of the lot was thrown on the Monday night of the Festival by Soho House Toronto, Grey Goose, The Weinstein Company and Entertainment One to celebrate the world premier of August: Osage County. Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Abigail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Julianne Nicholson and director John Wells were all in attendance, along with Soho House founder and owner Nick Jones, Taylor Swift, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Morrison, Tom Felton, Felicity Jones, Melissa George and Jared Harris. Along with the Torontini (see the recipe

on page 5), the stars sipped beautiful drinks designed by Grey Goose’s Global Brand Ambassador Joe McCanta, alongside Soho House’s bar teams. Top choices were the Canadian Crush, made with blackberries, sage and Grey Goose Cherry Noir vodka; the Goose Glacier, containing Grey Goose La Poire, fresh apple and lemon juices, ice wine, amaretto and grapefruit zest, plus the classic Grey Goose Le Fizz, with bottlegreen elderflower, lime and soda.

TIFF

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03 04 05 Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Sugar Joey McFarland, Juno Temple, producer Cathy Schulman, Daniel Radcliffe

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Julia Roberts and Taylor Swift Ewan McGregor Katherine Waterston and Jesse Eisenberg Joe McCanta and Nick Jones Juno Temple and Daniel Radcliffe Chris Ojeda Grey Goose

HOUSE TONIC 23

AT THE BAR

TASTING TRIPS Soho House loves to send its staff on tasting trips, often all over the world. Alex Ghalleb and five other managers went to Tuscany tasting wines, while Chris Ojeda got the chance to try pisco in Chile.

Many a tipple in Tuscany Alex Ghalleb, High Road House

t’s not every day that you get summoned by the wine gods to fly to Italy on a 48hour tour of beautiful Tuscany and sample some of its finest wineries, but as this was our calling in turn, who were we to say “non, grazie”? Packing lighter than a trip to the market and moving faster than a busy Saturday brunch at Pizza East Portobello, the Soho six hit Stansted at 9am. We stopped only for an airport pub brekkie and refreshment before the quick two-hour flight to Pisa and the Wacky-Racer-esque turbo-Tuscan tour we were destined for. Landing in Pisa we were met and greeted by Sir Franco – taxi driver and running commentator/compere for our trip – he was soon to prove he was a one-man encyclopedia of all things no one else knew about: in short, a legend. Born and raised in Siena, he was unrelenting in telling us about all there was to see as we tore down the east coast. Passing Livorno, we burned on down in 34ºC heat through the stunning landscape of Bolgheri, passing the world famous Sassicaia vineyards and Poggio al Tesoro winery of the famous Allegrini Group, whose other winery 24 HOUSE TONIC

in Montalcino we were en route to visit that very evening. Two and a half hours later, with groggy heads and numb backsides, we arrived in stunning Montalcino. A quick stop at our hotel digs – not really an apt description for the beautiful chateau-like stronghold – a frenzied freshen up and we were back once more with Sir Franco. Next stop – the San Polo vineyard on the south east hill of Montalcino. On the verge of trying some absolutely cracking wines, it was almost too much to take as we drove down the long rocky road to the main house. Great wine, superb food, wine, wine, wine, more awesome food, and a vineyard of more wine please – this was gonna be good. Really good. Giulia Gecchele, the marketing and PR rep for the San Polo brand of the Allegrini Group, met us at the house and took us on a tour of the vineyard. Walking through the sun-kissed southeast hill vines en route to the production plant, we reached what can only be described as a scene from The Hobbit. Upon entering Hobbit Mansion, Brunelloville, and expecting to find an army of hobbits tuning the finest Sangiovese grapes into Super Brunello, we found one of the most sophisticated production plants in Italy. Huge concrete maceration tanks of varying sizes – depending on the varietal– a large temperature-controlled cooling room to keep the

ageing barrels at a consistent level, all lined by a natural humidity corridor designed to maintain exposure to the natural elements provided by the terroir (soil) of the hill. A very intense and impassioned speech from Giulia about the individuality of this plant and we were all both interested and sold. The proof of this set-up, however, had to be in the tasting so we sped off to the main house to work our way through the first tasting menu of the double day spree. It didn’t disappoint and neither did the outdoor fourcourse dinner that went with it. Brunello Bliss. And the Vermentino was excellent too. Tick. Boom. Done. Next! We woke up early the next morning to move onto the next winery – Cantina di Montalcino. Different from the last, in that they do not produce their own wine specifically, but rather make wine from an amalgamation of many local producers. As there are hundreds and hundreds of mini-vineyards and producers the crop was both varied and large; large enough in fact to produce four million bottles of wine for sale in the US alone per year, not to mention the rest of the world. After sampling another 12-15 wines at the Cantina, obviously spitting (hahah!) we zoomed off with Franco in his Mystery Machine bound for Chianti and our final two wineries – Fontodi and Selvapiana. We would have to pass close to the

TRIPS

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04 05

“Great wine, superb food, wine, wine, wine, more awesome food, and a vineyard of more wine please – this was gonna be good. Really good.”

famous Tuscan town of Siena en-route to Chianti, and with Mr. Siena 1969 leading the charge, he (Franco) took us on another historical interlude straight through its centre instead. Good lad – Siena was stunning! Once we’d visited his house, his Mum’s house, his second nephew’s house and the dog’s house we dropped by the very famous Piazza del Campo where the 700-year-old medieval horse race Palio di Siena (the most dangerous horse race in the world) takes place every year. Absolutely stunning to say the least and a must to visit for all who can go – but, “We must go Franco – there’s wine to be drunk in them there hills!” After another two-hour drive and a cheeky nap we arrived at the awe-inspiring Golden Shell (Conco d’Oro) region of Panzano in Chianti. It is here that all Chianti Classico is made and where the Fontodi vineyard makes its bed. It was here that we met Giovanni – owner of Fontodi, remarkable Richard Gere 26 HOUSE TONIC

lookalike and general champion wine maker. The hospitality here was exceptional as Ricardo Gere took us via 4x4s through one of his many high-quality, high-yield vineyards. He had a clearly deep passion and closeness with his production from start to finish. The business had been passed down to him by his father who had done nothing but pursue the best quality wines, since the family had embarked on this way of life many moons ago. To sample the wines we drove up to a restaurant high on the hill. We sat at a stunning table with a remarkable view over the edge of the cliff top and down onto the main part of the shell-shaped landscape. The food menu was superb and we were all in our element. I had an amazing sea bass crudo followed by a main course of pigeon. As for the wines, they were just as high quality as the surroundings and the food. Our final decadent dabble was in the Rufina region of Chianti at the Selvapiana

vineyard. A very old and different winery to the previous three, it was steeped in history and remained very much in the traditional way of doing things. Our host was charming and told us about his wine-making family as he took us all down to look at the wine cellar. Thousands of bottled wines that dated from the brand-spanking-new, right back to the late 1930s. We ended on a bottle from an outstanding year (when I was born) – 1982. It had a very orange complexion and was much more watery than I had originally expected but its taste was sensational, both complex and smooth. The drive back to the airport was a silent one as the six of us thought about the last two days. Too much and too little at the same time, Tuscany had been the perfect trip (Franco said). My heartburn said I’d had too much Tuscan red wine. I say, never!

TRIPS

“There isn’t a huge cocktail culture in Chile – a lot of pisco is drunk in the Piscola, which is just pisco and cola”

Pisco Disco Chris Ojeda on his journeys around Chile in pursuit of pisco ur destination was the El Aqui valley in Chile, which, it turned out, was a really magical place, with very few people and steep mountains surrounding the valley floor. It’s very serene – like a bigger and more peaceful Napa Valley. The distances between the distilleries were immense – it took a couple of days to travel between them.

We actually arrived during the grape harvest – pisco is a kind of grape brandy – and so we got to see the fruit being de-stemmed and crushed, and the whole process beginning. One distillery we visited was Le Mistral, where they produce an aged pisco that is a really good ingredient. (Better known Peruvian piscos are not aged, so these were quite different.) Claudia Olmedo, a pisco sommelier who is in charge of educating people in South America and the US about pisco, set us up with a mini cocktail competition. As there were 10 bartenders on the trip, from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phila-

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Wine ageing in Cantina de Montalcino Fontodi Tuscan vineyards Team supper

Selvapiano El Aqui Valley Pisco ageing in wood Pisco Sour

delphia, some pretty cool cocktails were the result, including a pisco Bloody Mary. There isn’t a huge cocktail culture in Chile – a lot of pisco is drunk in the Piscola, which is just pisco and cola – so it was great to show the makers our appreciation for what they do and how versatile it is. I think some of the Chileans might have been a bit blown away by our pisco Sours! We had a really incredible and certainly very inspiring time.

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 27

BOTTLEGREEN

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Barbecue in Shoreditch’s garden The drinks choices Fun on the roof Guests trying new flavours Late summer sun

BOTTLEGREEN and barbecue To celebrate Soho House’s partnership with Bottlegreen drinks, a party was thrown for members in the roof garden at Shoreditch House.

xceptional food was prepared by head chef Michele Nargi and his team, who cooked veal and pepper skewers, seafood and chicken thighs with tzatziki over a roaringly hot grill, as well as fresh crab bruschetta. Guests also got the chance to design their own drinks. Bottlegreen has been going for 25 years, using local spring water in the Cotswolds, and the company is famous for elderflower cordials and presses. But they also have a big range of more unusual flavours – like Cox’s apple, lemon & lime leaf, cranberry & orange and acacia blossom. Teaming up with Grey Goose vodka meant that members 28 HOUSE TONIC

could make their own cocktails up, choosing either regular vodka or L’Orange, Le Citron or La Poire, all beautifully served up by the Shoreditch bar crew. “Our drinks are made using wine-making processes,” explained Amanda Grabham from bottlegreen. “And that makes them suitable for adult palates, and means that they pair with both alcoholic ingredients and food very well. They have light, fresh and clean flavours, so they go with foods like these perfectly.” The chefs even took inspiration from the drinks flavour notes to create marinades for the meat and fish dishes they were cooking.

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com

THE PLAYLIST

Absinthe Suisesse 10 mint leaves, muddled 50ml / 1 3/4oz absinthe 20ml / 3/4oz orgeat 20ml / 3/4oz double cream 20ml / 3/4oz milk mint sprig Shaken hard and served in a rocks glass

THE PLAYLIST Every issue we ask a drinks expert to put together their perfect playlist of music to drink to. This time, it’s the turn of Mitch Counsell, barman at Soho House Berlin. “I feel sorry for people that don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day...” Frank Sinatra 1. Maurizio - M-7 Moritz von Oswald, who was one half of both Basic Channel and Maurizio, is a German multiinstrumentalist who went on to become one of the most influential record producers of techno music in the 1990s. Von Oswald was born in Berlin, Germany. You can catch Moritz Von Oswald at Tresor Köpenicker Straße 70 Berlin. I remember driving through Scotland and taking the coastal roads and listening to this. Good times. It was always nice after a long drive. I would sit down and have a Negroni, one of Soho’s biggest sellers. I’ve made my own twist on the Negroni and added Monkey 47 Gin from the Black Forest in Germany. We serve it in Soho House Berlin. Copper Illusion 75ml / 2oz monkey 47 35ml / 1oz Campari 35ml / 1oz Cointreau Chunk of orange for garnish Stirred and served in a Rocks glass 2. Marcel Fengler - Chi Twine (Ostgut Ton) Marcel Fengler shows opposites attract. Ambient and electronica are equal parts of his sets that owe as much to the progressive school of relentless techno as they do to that special Berghain sound. He is one of the best of Berghain´s resident DJs, and being one of them since day one, Fengler made his very own and self-confident con-

tribution to that sound. He really knows his craft. You can see Marcel Fengler at Berghain, Am Wriezener Bahnhof, Berlin. I enjoy listening to this at home and making my self a Cuban Tea Lady, another great drink from Soho House Berlin. Cuban Tea Lady 4 sage leaves 50ml / 1 3/4oz Barcardi Superior 20ml / 3/4oz Chai Tea Syrup 25ml / 3/4oz fresh lime juice 30ml / 1oz fresh pineapple juice 3 dash grapefruit bitters 1 sage leaf for garnish Shaken and served in coupe glass 3. Alien Rain 3 - Alienated 3b (Alien Rain) I’ve chosen this track because it sums Berlin up at the moment, the industrial sound resembling the rawness of Berlin but also the construction of the city is increasing. It’s such a contemporary city with so much history. The main man behind Alien Rain is Berliner Milton Bradley. Born and raised in Berlin, Milton Bradley has been influenced by this versatile and ever-changing city. The late 80s brought acid house into his world, along with early Belgian techno. This he soon developed into a record collection and by 1991 he had turned from customer to DJ. Milton’s sets vary from dark experimental techno to the deepest industrial sounds and the most iridescent textures, fully encompassing the last 20 years of musical history. You can see Milton Bradley playing at Grounded Theory at Stattbad, Gerichtstraße 65, Wedding, Berlin.

4. Tropic of Cancer - More Alone (Ghostly International) I love Tropic of Cancer, it’s a fresh dark-wave sound, similar to the great Manchester band Joy. Tropic Of Cancer is the solo project of Camella Lobo. She teamed up with the Birmingham label Downwards, owned by Karl O’Connor (Regis) and Peter Sutton (Female), two masters of the Techno World. Watch out for releases on the label Blackest ever Black. Highly recommended. I will be on Tour With DVA Damas. They play in Berlin 24th September at Urban Spree, Revaler Straße 99, Berlin. I will be outside drinking a Paloma. Paloma 50ml / 1 3/4oz Tequila Don Julio 75ml / 2oz fresh grapefruit juice 25ml / 1oz lime juice 15ml / 1/2oz agave syrup Top up with soda Salted rim garnish Shaken and served in a high ball. 5. Raime - Told and Collapsed (blackest ever black) Blackest ever black is one of the great underground labels coming from London, founded by Kiran Sande. Watch out for this label in the next couple of years. It is growing each day. I have chosen the Penicillin because its a great drink for the Monday after a heavy weekend. Colds and sore throats are cured with this beauty of a drink. A classic cocktail, well balanced with a smoke kick to the nose and a kick of ginger. Penicillin 50ml / 1 3/4oz Johnny Walker Black Label 20ml / 3/4oz lemon juice 15ml / 1/2oz ginger syrup 10ml / 1/4oz honey water Laphroaig mist 2 ginger candy a for garnish Shaken and served in a rocks glass

Would you like to get behind one of Soho House’s bars around the world? Email housetonic@sohohouse.com or visit www.housetonic.com HOUSE TONIC 29

RISING STARS

Rising Stars Will Rogers Nominated by Michele Ardu, Pizza East Kentish Town Positive, smiling, charismatic and charming. Will just joined us from Pizza East Shoreditch, bringing to Kentish Town that artistic touch from East London. Since the first minute we all felt as though he always had been part of the team.

The Diner Bar Team Nominated by Sam Kershaw This issue I am naming a group of rising stars; the entire Diner Bar crew. Headed up by Marco, supported amazingly by Gosia, Fabrizio, Salvo, backed up by barbacks David, Lorenzo and Maikel. Constantly smashing times, turning and burning, they are ones to watch and certainly make my life a whole lot easier.

Thomas Benedicto Nominated by Paul Cowlishaw, Soho House Toronto Thomas joined us shortly after opening and has since been a pivotal member of our bartendng team. He’s organised, fast, consistent and versatile so we never have to worry when he is around as he can practically work the entire floor by himself. His French charm coupled with his innovative cocktail specials are crowd pleasing and keep them coming back for more. We’re very lucky to have him, merci beaucoup Thomas! 30 HOUSE TONIC

Casey Tizio Nominated by Juan Sevilla, Soho House New York Casey Tizio has been with us for just over a year now. She not only holds the title of Soho House New York’s fastest bartender, but she’s just a great pleasure to have on the team. She’s very reliable, extremely hard working and would work eight shifts a week if I allowed her.

Mike Capoferri Nominated by Kate Grutman, Soho House West Hollywood Mike moved from serving to bartending several months ago. He is the most chivalrous, truly good, generous person and as anyone who knows him will attest. He is a genuine human being and that translates in his work and work ethic. I’m so grateful to have him behind the bar. He has been a leader and exemplary from the start. I love his confidence, incredible sense of humour, and his maturity (considering he is one of the youngest members of the team). He jumped into the service well, night one, head first, and blew our minds. He has brought nothing but charm, rhythm, speed, positivity, and dependability to the bar team. He has an innate talent and taste for creating phenomenal cocktails and his knowledge of spirits is always impressive. His previous experience behind the bar is clear. I look forward to laughing until I cry when he is at work and at play. The best combination. He’s golden.

Aimee Corcoran Nominated by Alex Cassano, Pizza East Shoreditch I would like to tell you about one of our junior bartenders, Aimee, she has been with us a year now and has improved so much that she is one of my go-to guys. She has the ability to jump onto any job behind the bar and do it flawlessly – making cocktails, deep cleaning or training the newer guys, she always gets the job done no matter what it is.

Mateusz Sienkiewicz Nominated by Matt Sloper, Little House Mateusz has recently been promoted from barback at LH to a bartender over at Soho House. He’s very keen and eager to learn and I see great potential for him in the future.

Matthew Drury Nominated by Jay Newell, Soho House London Matthew is an Irish student on a work placement at SH. Although he is only with us for six months he has brought so much to the bar team! Everything he does, he does with a smile on his face! He’s always keen for trainings and has even started doing bartender shifts. He’s a bright lad with promising future ahead of him and should he decide to come back to London in the future I’d have him back in a flash!

Adrian Putkowski Nominated by Myles Donnekey, Shoreditch House Adrian is a Startender. Since being made a morning bartender last month Adrian had upped his game in every aspect of work! Always going above and beyond, no task is too much! The happiest chap in the building and always making people smile! Keep it up chef!

Frank McGivern Nominated by Ben Fitzgerald, Dean St Townhouse Frank is our new head bartender who has taken the reins with a firm grip and is really leading the bar to a better place. Great to have him on board.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMIE BEVAN

DO YOU HAVE THE NOSE FOR IT?

With sites in London, Somerset, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Berlin, plus more on the way around the world, the Soho House Group is always on the lookout for exceptional staff. We offer high quality training, excellent support and you might even get the chance to work in venues overseas. We want to help you develop a great career in drinks.

If you'd like to join one of our bar teams in Europe or the United States then please get in touch: email housetonic@sohohouse.com, visit www.housetonic.com or call Sophie Roche-Garland on +44 207 0741449. We'd love to hear from you! You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. HOUSE TONIC 31

TORONTINI CREATED BY JOE MCCANTA THIS FLAVOURSOME MARTINI WITH NOTES OF APRICOT, LEMON AND MAPLE SYRUP IS AVAILABLE IN EVERY HOUSE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER – JUST ASK THE BARMAN. TO SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS COCKTAIL GO TO WWW.HOUSETONIC.COM