Entries into the Diplomático Artisans of Taste competition are open now, and close on December 10, with a bartending trip of a lifetime to Brazil up for grabs. For more information and to enter, visit diplomaticoartisansoftaste.com.
The thing about the bartending world that sets it apart from other professions, often, is the way people work together. Don’t get me wrong — bartenders have decent egos, I know. But those are often put aside to help one another out, whether it’s in the camaraderie of a cocktail competition, working through new techniques, or popping up at one another’s bars. And as I talked about with Luca Baioni the other month, the better the bartender is, the more likely they’ll be approachable and want to share their knowledge with you. It’s heart-warming stuff at this most heart-warming time of year, no?
And it is a collaboration of a novel kind that recently caught my attention.
Jason Williams is the beverage director for House Made Hospitality here in Sydney, and he has approached the idea of collaboration a little differently for their latest project at Bar Tilda. He’s long been an admirer of bartender Darren Leaney’s approach to cocktails — Williams has had Leaney’s Tiramisu Milk Punch on the list at Apollonia for nearly five years — and teamed up with him for a trio of limited time-only cocktails at Bar Tilda this month.
What I like about this is that it’s a way of acknowledging the bonds between bartenders — and their drinks — throughout the industry, and I like even more that Leaney gets compensated for his efforts, as Williams points out. It’s better than a guest shift in that it’s a true collaboration, with real back and forth between the people involved.
So, below, Jason Williams talks to us about how the collaboration unfolded, why it works, and what’s in it for everyone involved (aside from some rather delicious drinks).
BOOTHBY: This is kind of a different collaboration, right? It’s not so much with a brand but with a bartender you clearly admire. What do you thinks bars can get out of thinking about collabs in this way? What do the punters get out of it (other than more tasty drinks!)
JASON WILLIAMS: For bars and bartenders, I like this style of collaboration. It kinda sits outside the traditional brand/supplier dynamic. The funds involved can be directed to a collaborator instead of all on PR, flights and accom. It feels more substantive than just a guest shift. Bars and bartenders can potentially see the benefit of some fees (we paid Darren Leaney fees, supported by brands) and that in itself makes it worthwhile. This is part creative, part commercial initiative. So the collaborator, our venue and the sponsors all should see some upside. Increased cocktail sales, more sponsor bottles sold, etc.