BAR CHAT - PODCAST
Join host, world class bartender Tristan Stephenson, as he chats to industry experts and leading bartenders from around the world.
Tune in from anywhere and make Bar Chat your go-to for the latest industry trends and inspiration. Whether you’re managing a team, working behind the bar or serving guests, expect a range of topics and conversations to help you raise the bar and stay connected.
Any opinions or views expressed in this podcast are the guest’s own and do not represent those of Diageo.
Bar Chat Trailer
Get a flavour of the different episodes available on Bar Chat by listening to our trailer!
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EP 60: HAPPY HOUR WITH STANLEY TUCCI
Actor, Director and more recently at home Mixologist - there’s little Stanley Tucci can’t do. In this episode talks everything from what makes great hospitality to his food tour of Italy and the importance of honing your sense of taste. Tune in now!
EP #59: CULINARY COCKTAILS WITH ADAM HANDLING
Michelin-starred chef and award-winning restaurateur Adam Handling shares sources of inspiration in the kitchen and interesting cocktail ingredients - including cabbage. Tune in now!
EP #58: FROM MENTEE TO MENTOR WITH JULIE REINER
Julie Reiner joins Tristan to chat about her early years as a bartender, how she set up some of New York’s most legendary bars and her role as a mentor. Tune in now!
EP #57: HOW TO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY WORK FOR YOUR BAR
In this episode Tristan chats with co-owner of Red Frog and Monkey Mash, Paulo Gomes on what it means to be truly sustainable, and how to realistically introduce this approach in all bars.
EPISODE #56: THE ART OF MIXOLOGY WITH REMY SAVAGE
In this episode Remy chats about how he links art movements to the drinks industry and the impact this has on the design and creation of his cocktails – not to mention the design and functionality of the venue.
Episode #55: Drinks Data: Future Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss
Keen to better understand your guests and plan strategically for the future? Tune in to hear the latest insights from international drinks consultancy CGA now.
Episode #54 Secrets from the U.K's Biggest Ice Producer
Struggling to not dilute your drinks with ice? Want to know what ice works best for spirits? Tristan sits down with Gavin Marks, the Managing Director of Eskimo Ice, to find out about the perfect chill.
Episode #53 Bar Takeover Tips and Tricks from the World’s Best Bar
Stay on trend by finding out how to do a bar takeover from the owner of the World’s Best Bar, Giacomo Giannotti.
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EPISODE #52: VERMOUTH 101
Are you up to speed with vermouth? In Vermouth 101, hear from World Class Bartender of the Year 2010, Erik Lorincz and Co-Founder of Belsazar Vermouth, Max Wagner.
EPISODE #51: TRANSFORMING HOBBIES INTO A CAREER WITH SANDRAE LAWRENCE
In our first episode of season four, hear from the iconic Sandrae Lawrence and how she made her popular podcast and quaterly journal, The Cocktail Lovers, a success.
EPISODE #50: GROWING YOUR CAREER THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
Get your phone at the ready. Join Tristan as he discusses with Kaitlyn Stewart and Lucas Assis how using social media has enhanced their bartending careers and how you can do it too!
EPISODE #49: CONVERSATIONS AT THE BAR: HONING GUEST COMMUNICATION WITH ASHTIN BERRY
Want to be as inclusive as possible when speaking with guests? Ashtin Berry gives her top tips on how you can improve your communication and interpersonal skills to create an inclusive bar.
EPISODE 48: SHAPING YOUR NAME: BUILDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND WITH DANIL NEVSKY
Want to upgrade your profile as a bartender but not sure where to begin? Tristan sits down with Danil Nevsky, the founder of Indie Bartender, where he gives his best advice for becoming an independent bar professional.
EPISODE #47: GRASSHOPPER TO MASTER: BUILDING ON BASIC COCKTAILS
Want to know what it takes to become a master cocktailian? Lynette Marrero gives her expert advice on mastering basic cocktails and harnessing creativity to develop unique serves.
EPISODE #46: BRAVE BARTENDING: BECOMING A WORLD CLASS WINNER WITH JAMES GRANT
In this episode of Bar Chat, Tristan chats to bartender and 2021 Diageo World Class Global Winner JamesGrant. James shares the realities of his career before (and after) World Class success, the cocktail he is most proud of and where he has found purpose and challenged himself over the years.
EPISODE #45: LICENSED TO DISTILL: SHAKEN AND STIRRED WITH JABIN TROTH
Learn from Jabin Troth, founder of Licensed to Distill, as he shares the secrets to developing increasing following, how to improve your bar's social content, and some important learnings for the industry as it transitions into this new year.
EPISODE #44: BREAKING THE BIAS IN HOSPITALITY
Interested in creating opportunities and diversity in your bar? On International Women’s Day, Tristan sat down with Shannon Mustipher and Alexis Brown to discuss how they develop inclusive spaces and the programs they run for marginalised communities.
EPISODE #43: DIFFUSING THE BAR: TIPS FROM A HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR TO CALM DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS
Want to stop trouble in your bar before it begins? On this special Bar Chat episode, find out how to assess state of minds and effect change using just your language with Martin Richards, Hostage and Crisis Management Specialist.
EPISODE #42: TAKE CARE! WELLNESS TIPS FROM BAR INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Constantly on the go and not sure how to take care of yourself? Learn from experts in the field of wellness to give you techniques to manage stress, adapt to change, and nurture the hospitality teams you work and manage.
EPISODE #41: TALES FROM THE WORLD'S BEST BAR: MARTINIS AND SUCCESS
Want to be known as a bartender with style? Join Tristan as he sits down with The Connaught’s Ago Perrone as he discusses his career, his use of flair bartending, and how building your personal brand can bring success in your career.
EPISODE #40: MASTER THE ART OF LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS
What is the thinking behind choosing a quality wine or spirits? How do you build palate and tasting knowledge from the ground up? Former on-trade manager, sommelier and now bonafide drinks specialist Dawn Davies chats to Tristan around her career so far and role as a buyer, focusing in on what makes the drinks trade so interesting to work in, and how she identifies great wines and spirits.
EPISODE #39: COCKTAIL CHAMPIONS: BECOMING THE WORLD'S 50 BEST BARS WITH MARK SANSOM
Ever wanted to know what makes a bar great? How does a bar distinguish itself? Join Mark Sansom as he discusses with Tristan the importance of the World’s 50 Best Bars competition, the process of ranking, and what your venue can learn from the top bars across the world.
EPISODE #38: INTO THE WOODS: FORAGING INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR BAR
Not all your bar ingredients need to come in packaging. Join Tristan as he talks with World Class Bartender Australia Evan Stroeve and Totally Wild's James Wood as they discuss seasonal ingredients, how to source them, and how to use them in your cocktails.
EPISODE #37: FOOD AND DRINK: THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION
Discover the rich realms of taste and flavour with On the Backbar and Gastronomer Lifestyle's Christopher Menning as he chats to Tristan about his experience of food and drink combinations, including the importance of culture, textures in drinks and enhancing flavours when combining food and drink.
EPISODE #36: MINDFULNESS AND BUILDING RESILIENCE
In this unique episode of Bar Chat, join Tristan as he discusses the idea of wellness with Andrew Johnson. Founder of Working Mindfully and the world’s first mindfulness app, Andrew takes us through what mindfulness is, how it can help those in the bar industry, and the benefits it can have on your health and career.
EPISODE #35: INTRODUCING SWEET AND PREDICTING ITS FUTURE
In this week’s episode of Bar Chat, Tristan converses with Dr Morgaine Gaye and Darren Hogarty to find out how sweetness and indulgent flavours can influence how we eat and drink. Discover why sometimes things can taste a little too sweet, how to create the perfect sweet cocktails, and what sweet trends you should be looking out for in the drinks industry.
EPISODE #34: CREATING LOW & NO LIQUIDS
Delve into the exciting world of low and no alcoholic liquids as bartender Alex Jump and Guinness’s 0.0 specialist John Leahy share with Tristan their expertise on this area. Discover how a low and no alcohol liquid is made, to how flavour and textures are developed to replace conventional spirits and beers.
EPISODE #33: HIGHLIGHTS PART TWO - DRINKSPIRATION
Tristan looks at some of the best bits from “geeky” drinkspiration related episodes including conversations with James Hoffmann and Timon Kaufmann on “Coffee and Cocktails”, Ryan Chetiyawardana and Grace Ramirez as they discuss “New Flavours and Emerging Trends”, as well as and the sensations of low and no alcohol with Claire Warner and Barrie Wilson.
EPISODE #32: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE POWER OF BEING HEARD
Steve Martin, award-winning author and behavioural scientist chats to Tristan about techniques for being heard and enhancing customer communication and experience. Whether behind the bar, serving tables or greeting customers, pick up tools to affect the behaviour of others and how to put them into practice in a bar or restaurant environment.
EPISODE #31: BAR TOOLS EXPLAINED WITH GREG BOEHM
Hear from Greg Boehm, owner of Cocktail Kingdom about the wonderful world of bar tools. In this episode, Tristan chats to Greg about how different bar tools are made, the impact this can have on a serve and what to look out for when buying your own bar tools.
EPISODE #30: BATCHING AND BOTTLING WITH NOEL AND MAX VENNING
In this episode, host Tristan chats to bar owners Noel and Max Venning as they share tips for good fermentation, the benefits of batching and bottling and their thoughts on the future of cocktail delivery. Tune in now!
EPISODE #29: THE FUTURE OF DRINKS EVENTS
Tristan chats with events industry leaders from Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and London Cocktail Week to discuss how the industry has evolved, the benefit these events have and how to make the most of attending them!
EPISODE #28: THE SCIENCE OF FLAVOUR
Professor Charles Spence talks to Tristan about the neuroscience of flavour, how flavours are processed by the brain and how texture, temperature, smell and even music impact our perception of flavour.
EPISODE #27: VODKA 101
In this episode Dennis Tamse and Kaitlyn Stewart cover everything from how Ketel One Vodka is made, to how vodka has evolved over time and how to innovate with this spirit.
EPISODE #26: HISTORY AND FUTURE OF WHISKY
Dr Nick Morgan and Becky Paskin talk the history of Johnnie Walker and whisky as a whole, how brands and venues can champion diversity and what new and exciting innovations lie ahead for whisky.
EPISODE #25: NEW CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES AND BEHAVIOURS
Fabrice Limon and Pasan Wijesena share their perspectives and experiences of seeing customer behaviours and experiences evolve and change over the year, as well as insight into what the future holds.
EPISODE #24: BAR CULTURE & IDENTITY
How can you attract guests and encourage them to return? Tristan Stephenson speaks to long-running bar owners Sly Augustine and Tash Conte on how their bars have stood the test of time and attracted a community of loyal customers.
EPISODE #23: COFFEE AND COCKTAILS
James Hoffmann, one of the world’s leading coffee experts and "Brewing Bartender" Timon Kauffman chat all things coffee related with Bar Chat host Tristan Stephenson. Discover expert tips on how to use coffee in cocktails.
EPISODE #22: THE FUTURE OF WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY
On this exclusive episode for International Women’s Day, guest host Lauren Mote, is joined by a global panel of guests discussing diversity in the industry, how it is progressing around the world and hopes for greater diversity moving forward.
EPISODE #21: GOING Through the archives with Joanne McKerchar
Joanne is a Senior Archivist at the Diageo Archive in Scotland. The archive contains a wealth of historical literature, accounts, advertising and personal notes relating to Diageo’s range of brands.
EPISODE #20: NEW FLAVOURS & EMERGING TRENDS
Ryan Chetiyawardana and Grace Ramirez bring their combined personal and practical experience of flavour to this episode of Bar Chat. Delve into the exciting world of flavour and the impact it can have in your venue.
EPISODE #19: BEHIND THE LIQUID HIGHLIGHTS
Spirits knowledge is a must for any bar professional and in this episode of Bar Chat host Tristan Stephenson looks back at the best bits from episodes discussing Rum, Beer, Gin, Tequila and Whisky. Guests include experts Dave Broom, Jake Burger and Eduardo Gomez.
EPISODE #18: CAREERS IN THE INDUSTRY
Global Cocktailian Lauren Mote and World Class bartender Grant Sceney share their career paths and the challenges and highlights they have experienced so far. Whether you're looking for a new career in the industry or hoping to develop in your current role, this episode is for you.
EPISODE #17: BARTENDER AT LARGE: ERICK CASTRO
On this episode of Bar Chat, Tristan speaks to fellow podcast host Erick Castro about the challenges of recent events and the increased importance of community to the industry right now.
EPISODE #16: HOSPITALITY WITH A CAPITAL H
Joey Medrington and Pippa Guy share some gold on what great hospitality involves and how to maintain great service in this ever-changing climate.
EPISODE #15: GOING DIGITAL
From digital menus to QR codes, experts Gavin Pathross and bar manager Liam Davey chat about the tools that can be easily integrated and introduced in your bar/restaurant.
EPISODE #14: KEEPING WELL AND ADAPTING TO CHANGE
As the industry embraces change and adapts to new ways of working, Tristan Stephenson takes time out with Renee Floer and Natasha Bermudez to discuss ways to manage change and keep well.
EPISODE #13: SERIOUSLY SOCIAL
Tristan Stephenson and guests Rebekkah Dooley and Addie Chinn discuss how web and social media can be used to increase awareness and enhance the guest experience.
EPISODE #12: BAR 101
From hygiene to social distancing, venue layout to training your team, Tristan Stephenson, Camden Hauge and Jack Stein chat about the new ways of working and ways the hospitality industry is evolving in response to the new norm.
EPISODE #11: How to Nurture Happy and Successful Teams
Join Anna Sebastian, Bar Manager at the Artesian and Sean Finter, Founder of Barmetrix, as they explore the many ways you can nurture a happy and successful team.
EPISODE #10: TEQUILA 101 - PART 2
In this episode, tequila experts Deano Moncrieffe and Eduardo Gomez dive a bit deeper into flavours, variants and the future of this exciting category.
EPISODE #9: TEQUILA 101 - PART 1
Get the low down on the wonderful world of agave. Join Don Julio Ambassador, Deano Moncrieffe and founder of Tequila and Mezcal Fest, Eduardo Gomez as they dive into the history, production and terroir associated with Tequila.
EPISODE #8: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE INDUSTRY
Eco experts James Fowler, Linda O’Flynn & Lauren Mote collectively share their views on how to run a more sustainable venue. From seasonal produce to minimizing plastic usage tune in to learn how you can reduce wastage and C02 emissions.
EPISODE #7: SCOTCH 101
From the latest whisky trends to what makes a good Highball, it’s all about scotch as our host Tristan Stephenson chats to experts Dave Broom and Ervin Trykowski.
EPISODE #6: HOW TO INCREASE PROFITS & IMPRESS CUSTOMERS
Director of Bars at The Savoy, Declan Mc Gurk and Founder of Barmetrix, Sean Finter chat to host Tristan Stephenson about the link between venue profitability and customer satisfaction.
EPISODE #5: RUM 101
Ian Burrell and Peter Holland join host Tristan Stephenson to discuss all things rum! From the most memorable moments in it’s history to new innovations in distillation, our guests explore all elements of this diverse spirit.
EPISODE #4: BEER 101
Padraig Fox, Manager of Guinness Open Gate Brewery and beer expert Ed Hughes talk all things beer. Discover the different beer flavours, styles and tips on pairing with food as they share their vast experience in this Beer 101.
EPISODE #3: GIN 101
Fever Tree's Craig Harper and Jake Burger of The Ginstitute join host Tristan Stephenson to discuss the their common passion, gin!
EPISODE #2: LOW & NO
Claire Warner from Seedlip and Barrie Wilson from Scotch + Limon discuss the low and no alcohol movement storming the bar world and share tips on how to raise the bar with creative serves.
EPISODE #1: HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF
Tim Philips and Jamie Jones share their experience and tips on how to look after yourself in the industry. From diet to relationships, no stone is left unturned in this inspiring podcast episode. Brought to you by Johnnie Walker.