Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/44136
ice to big-ticket guests, enjoying the sbe tableside mixology experience is like a drink and a show all wrapped up in one. "Everybody said it couldn't be done," continues Trumbull, "and when the executives challenged me with the idea of creating some way of bringing the 'full mixology bar service' to the tableside, after many prototypes of our mixology cart, we struck gold with a final version that is in use today at all our upscale nightlife venues." Narrow, on wheels and the perfect cocktail- mixing height, the sbe drink carts are portable bars specially-designed for each venue, with drawers for every imaginable bar tool, and fresh ingredi- ents on hand to complement premium quality spirits. Senior Director of Operations Boe Trumbull knows that a quality base spirit makes all the difference, and he works closely with partner brands who share his vision of sbe success. "It is very important in a multi-tier mixology platform such as ours to find brands that meet each tier's needs in one program, so finding partner brands to work with is important." At Sayer's Club in Hollywood, tableside mixology drink carts bring the bar to the bottle service set. With super-premium spirits on bottle service, such as Beluga Noble Russian Vodka, fresh ingredients and a capable hand are musts. mixology in several of sbe's nightclub environments, bottle service has been revolutionized. Better Bottle Service "Bottle service is the self-service buffet line, while tableside mixology is the four-star fine dining approach to 68 / the tasting panel / october 201 1 providing a guest with an enhanced spirit experience," says Trumbull, sitting in front of a gleaming silver cart at Bar Centro in The Bazaar by José Andrés at the SLS at Beverly Hills (the hotel snuggles up against the border of L.A.'s ritziest community). Rather than just delivering a bottle and a bucket of A Standard of Service While individualized tableside attention has become a calling card of sbe service, getting a great cocktail at an sbe nightclub or restaurant is an equally focused affair. "There's a tremendous amount of thought that goes into developing menus," explains Costas Charalambous, SVP sbe Nightlife Group. "We take the spirit brand, the culture of the surrounding community, the food menu and the venue's programming all into account when crafting the cocktail menus." Think of it like mixology Disneyland: Every last detail, down to the rail you sit on while waiting in line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, is just-so, precisely designed to evoke a certain feel. "It's an orchestration of both creative and scientific elements," continues Costas. While sbe's cocktail menus are alchemic and really just a small part of a specific venue's big picture, the company's intensive staff training is also among the industry's best. "Stand, shake and serve at two o'clock," muses Ryan McCallum, GM at Katsuya Hollywood. It's a ritual we hear echoed over and over again at the other sbe accounts we visit, where a clear culture of jiggering and precise cocktail construction have established a level of consistency that's difficult to find in a company this size. "Since we have venues all over the country, we have to be precise and consistent so that each drink tastes