#150, Jeff Bell, owner-partner PDT, Crif Dogs, Tacos 1986, Mixteca and Kees, New York City

Jeff's best-known for being a mainstay of New York's world-famous speakeasy-behind-a-phone-booth Please Don't Tell (PDT), where he was hired by Jim Meehan and has worked since 2010, and which post-pandemic he bought from its founder Brian Shebairo along with the hotdog stand it's housed inside, Crif Dogs. 

In a city where bartenders hop around jobs willy-nilly, Jeff credits his tenure at a single bar with helping him gain the trust of investors (Apres Cru Hospitality) and become an owner. 

I've known Jeff since 2011, when he was a world finalist in the G'Vine Gin Connoisseur Program, a contest I created and executed for several years; we had a lot of fun that Finals week in Cognac, France!

This is a really great episode: we talked about starting his career in Seattle, his break into NY bartending, working at PDT, how he became an owner, his new businesses Tacos 1986, Cocteleria Mixteca (with fellow longtime PDT bartender Victor Lopez) and elegant speakeasy Kees (where we recorded), how he scaled back his travel to spend more time with his wife and children, helping Hilton reopen the Waldorf-Astoria's historic Peacock Alley bar and Lex Yard restaurant, keeping Jet Blue airline supplied with cocktails, and a bunch more of really thoughtful, insightful stuff. 

Classic Jeff. 

Enjoy!

Jeff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffreymbell/

Apres Cru Hospitality: https://www.aprescru.com/

PDT: https://www.instagram.com/pdtnyc/

Crif Dogs: https://www.instagram.com/crifdogs/

Mixteca: https://www.instagram.com/cocteleriamixteca/

Kees: https://www.instagram.com/seekkeesnyc/

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