Steve Olson: Dean of Mezcal Talks Drinks with Dinner

The Banter

 The Guys discuss the problematic “Scotch in a can” and come up with some amusing products of their own.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys welcome wine and spirits expert and lecturer Steve Olson. They talk about exposing consumers to new and interesting things by contextualizing these items through story. They express their love of mezcal then pivot to discuss a serious issue facing the small producers in Mexico. Francis concludes with a funny story about mezcal.

The Inside Track

The Guys have crossed paths with Steve in the industry numerous times and always like to catch his lectures. They are of the same mind in that we need to offer the guests a wide variety of different, interesting things that they have not heard of before that enhance their meal. 

 “I treat my beverages in my programs as condiments. To me, my wine and my cocktails and everything else that I choose for that restaurant are the salt and pepper, the lemon, the Worcestershire, the mustard, the ketchup, whatever you want to call it. It is the condiments that help make the food taste better and make the experience even more fun,” Steve Olson on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2012

Bio

Steven Olson has been helping to shape the beverage industry for over 40 years. Getting his start in restaurants, he’s gone on to be a writer, consultant, educator, and lecturer. 

He earned the title of Kikisake-shi (Sake Master) from the Sake Service Institute of Japan, awarded CHEERS Magazine’s Beverage Innovator of the Year, a lifetime achievement award in 2005, and was honored as Best Bar Mentor at the Spirited Awards at the 2012 Tales of the Cocktail.

In March 2006 in New York City, Olson, along with four partners, Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, MS, MW, Paul Pacult, and Dr. David Wondrich, started Beverage Alcohol Resource®, LLC (BAR®). BAR® is an independent organization whose mission is to educate, guide, and propagate responsible use of beverage alcohol products. BAR® was chosen as CHEERS Magazine Beverage Innovator of the Year 2007.

Info

Beverage Alcohol Resource, LLC
https://beveragealcoholresource.com/

Tequila Interchange Project
https://tequilainterchangeproject.org/

The NJ Wine & Food Festival @ Crystal Springs May 1-3

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https://shop.crystalgolfresort.com/collections/14th-annual-new-jersey-wine-food-festival

Our Places

Stage Left Steak
https://www.stageleft.com/

Catherine Lombardi Restaurant
https://www.catherinelombardi.com/

Stage Left Wineshop
https://www.stageleftwineshop.com/

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