The Restaurant Guys David Wondrich on the Past, Present & Future of the Cocktail *V*
Jul 24, 2025
David Wondrich, celebrated cocktail historian and author of Imbibe!, joins to explore cocktail history and its revival. He discusses how Prohibition shaped drinks, the return to spirit-focused, well-crafted cocktails, the role of glassware and garnishes, and why bartending is equal parts technique and theater. Short, lively conversations on trends, palate building, and restoring cocktail integrity.
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History Rebuilt Modern Bartending
- Cocktail history provides a roadmap for modern bartending techniques and standards.
- David Wondrich says recovering lost traditions helped bartenders learn how to make drinks correctly.
A Four-Hour Cocktail Conversion
- Francis Schott recounts being floored by Dale DeGroff's cocktails at the Rainbow Room in the early 1990s.
- That four-hour tasting changed his view of cocktails and sparked renewed commitment to quality drinks.
Use Stories To Build Palates
- Build patrons' palates by serving well-balanced, historical cocktails with context.
- Teach customers the story and they'll learn to recognize and expect a good drink.
