Bartender making whisky cocktail and adding garnish

Blogs & Inspiration

Elevated Cocktails for Special Occasions

Explore how to enhance special occasions with delicious serves and thoughtfully curated menus.

Author: Mark Moriarty, Award-winning Chef, TV Host & Author

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Life is full of special occasions worth celebrating – whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or a reunion, cocktails can have a part to play in making the occasion a memorable one!

My Tips to impress guests & add pizzazz:

One word: Instagram. Make the most of ‘Instagrammable’ moments by adding an interesting or unique touch to your cocktails that guests want to share on their socials – perhaps it’s something they won’t have seen before that makes them stop and look.

Provide exceptional service from the moment your guest sits down. Encourage staff to get to know your guests and make expert recommendations based on their preferred flavour profiles. Alternatively, advise on the best seasonal serves on the menu and the reason specific ingredients have been used.

Tantalise tastebuds by offering an unusual ingredient that guests may not have experienced before in a cocktail served alongside a complementary food pairing. Guests love trying something unique!

Thoughtfully consider the menu:

Involve your staff in the menu development process and encourage them to try the cocktails, or even make recommendations! In my experience, staff are always more engaged about something they’ve had the chance to try for themselves. This doesn’t just go for cocktails but food too.

Don’t overcomplicate or confuse your guests. Cocktail descriptions should be simple and to the point; focus on the base spirit and include no more than five flavour differentiators.

Consider food pairings. Your food and drink menu should work in harmony together through corresponding flavours and themes. By uniting them, you are encouraging guests to make a mental connection for themselves between cocktails and the overall dining experience. It just makes sense!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Delicious cocktails can play a part in celebrating memorable occasions.
Add extra oomph to your serves by offering interesting ingredients or unique touches which may be new to guests.
Involve your team in menu development and encourage them to try cocktails to provide tailored recommendations.

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