Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/126443
COVER STORY Delmonico Steakhouse: The Venetian, Las Vegas Max Solano heads the mixology program at Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian. M ax Solano is a perfectionist. You can see the evidence of that perfectionism everywhere behind the bar and around the mixology program he heads at Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian in Las Vegas. After all, Solano works for Emeril Lagasse, one of the pioneers of the celebrity chef movement, and Solano chuckles softly when he describes what happens when the chef visits: "Every time he comes in, he just nods his head. " The chef approves. Solano takes his craft seriously, too. You could describe him as a student of spirits—always reading, always learning, always improving. And he expects the same of his staff. "I can't teach them passion, but I can expect them to take it upon themselves to better themselves all the time. Guests are becoming more complicated; they're much more aware. They're exposed to so much more than what was available ive or ten years ago. " The fact that Solano is knowledgeable when it comes to spirits became clear to Sammy Hagar, when Chef Emeril brought Solano in to create a cocktail for a joint charity event. Solano created "Emeril's Tchouptail, referencing the street " in New Orleans as well as Emeril's Tchoup Chop restaurant in Orlando. The cocktail is made with Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, Liquore Strega (which has an herbaceous quality that complements the rum), lemon juice, Monin Elderlower Syrup, Thyme and Citrus from Perfect Purée, orange lower water and egg whites. It's double-shaken to emulsify the drink and is served on a big hunk of ice and some lowers. Sammy loved it. "Your cocktail rocks!" he told Solano—and 58 / the tasting panel / may 2013 The Tchoup Choup cocktail that Max Solano of Delmonico's Steakhouse at The Venetian created, "Emeril's Tchouptail," references the street in New Orleans as well as Emeril's Tchoup Chop restaurant in Orlando. The cocktail is made with Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, Liquore Strega, lemon juice, Monin Elderflower Syrup, Thyme and Citrus from Perfect Purée, orange flower water and egg whites. who would know what rocks better than Hagar? Solano has met Hagar a number of times, and he has come away impressed, with both the man and his new rum. "It's atypical for a white rum, Solano says. It might " be the irst-press sugarcane or the copper pot stills, but for whatever reason, the resulting liquid has delicate fruit notes, with grassy and herbaceous qualities as well. "It's good for me, because it has a lot of versatility, " Solano says. Then he sums it all up quite nicely when he says, "Sammy and the rum both have a lot of character. "