Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/61075
In 2000, Simon's life took an interesting turn when Seagram's began to fail. Simon was laid off from his position and given a generous severance package, which he invested with his friend Jake Kempston to build a bar in Brighton called Koba. The bar would quickly gain notice, winning accolades and putting Simon front and center in the exploding U.K. cocktail scene that included Nick Strangeway and Tony Conigliaro, both of whom would play significant roles in Simon's career. After the fall of Seagram's, Nick Blacknell was tapped to run Plymouth Gin, and one of his first calls was to Simon Ford to help with the global launch of the brand. This sent Simon off to the U.S. It's here that Simon really began to perfect his craft. Rather than try- ing to just sell Plymouth Gin, Simon began working to educate bartenders. "We launched Plymouth Gin into a world of vodka, where almost no one cared. This forced us to go back to basics and convince people to look at the whole category of gin," explains Simon. While many U.S. bartenders shrugged their shoulders at gin, Simon found interest from the likes of Audrey Saunders (who would open the Pegu Club), Dale DeGroff (at the Rainbow Room) and Julie Reiner (at the Flatiron Lounge). In many ways Simon became a bridge between the booming cocktail scene in the U.K. and the burgeoning cocktail scene in the U.S., and he often brought the two worlds together. "David Kaplan and Phil Ward came to London, so I suggested they see Nick Strangeway at Hawksmoor, who was doing great steaks and punches with fresh produce. Dave and Phil brought the punch back with them to Death + Company, and it's there where David Wondrich cites punch's re-entry into America," says Simon. "I thought I was just on the periphery of all this, but soon I realized that, being there, I was very much a part of it all." In a strange and circuitous way, Simon was reunited with Absolut Vodka when Absolut Spirits acquired Plymouth Gin in 2006, the same year that Simon brings Plymouth in as a key sponsor for Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. "After Hurricane Katrina hit, our key spon- sor backed away, and so we had zero funding," comments Ann Tuennerman, founder of Tales. "Simon stepped in with Plymouth. He had heard about the event and wanted to support it." Tales of the Cocktail gave Simon a perfect platform for his educational efforts. "The key to what Simon is all about is that he's constantly reaching out and educating bartenders around the globe. Everything he does is in a fun creative way, and he collaborates with others. He's educating them, but he's also learning from them, and then he takes what he learns as he travel and shares it with others," explains Ann. In 2008, two major things happened for Simon. In July, Simon launched the first big party at Tales of the Cocktail. Along with Audrey Saunders, they started the "Bartender's Breakfast," a late-night party to celebrate the end of Tales. Shortly thereafter, Pernod Ricard bought Absolut and, along with it, Plymouth. "I didn't know if I was going to have a job or not. The deadline came and went and I still didn't know," recalls Simon. Both Simon Ford and his mentor Nick Blacknell went on to become a part of Pernod Ricard. At Pernod, Simon had the backing of one of the world's largest beverage alcohol companies. This meant he traveled more, connected with more bartenders around the globe, covered more brands and found himself orchestrating bigger and bigger events. "We did Juniperlooza both in New York and San Francisco—it was a celebration for all things gin." At Tales, Simon went from having an idea for a little party to producing both the massive opening and closing events, including Bartender's Breakfast, which has become one of the industry's most sought-after parties. In 2010, Pernod Ricard tapped Simon to move beyond the world of brand ambassadors and tasked him with being a public face for the company and a representative of the bar- tending community in the media. Simon again found himself in a world badly in need of education. "It's an important task, making the media understand what goes into a cocktail. All they see is what is on the menu and a bartender who shakes or stirs something. They don't see any of the things that go into it." Simon has found himself educating a new audience, with appearances on Emeril's Table, Wall Street Journal Live and Liquor.com. He's taken to the road with Jim Meeham to help support The PDT Cocktail Book and is a host for Speed Rack, a national women's bartending competition that supports breast cancer research and treatment. Later this year, Simon is slated to be one of the first guest mixologists on a Crystal Cruise sailing, a program established and nurtured by famed barman Tony Abou-Ganim. The Ballad of Simon Ford is a happy one: a song about a guy who always managed to be in the right place at the right time; whose drive to educate, entertain and connect always made the people around him better; and whose passion for spirits has helped make him one of the most important people in the room. april 2012 / the tasting panel / 87 PHOTOS: DORON GILD PHOTOGRAPHY