Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/960891
106 / the tasting panel / april 2018 As a young bartender in his hometown of Helsingborg, Sweden, Johan Hagstrom would dream of one day joining the New York bar scene. A leap of faith has since landed him in the Big Apple for good: After completing stints at Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster, Charlie Palmer's Aureole, and Marc Forgione's Khe-Yo, Hagstrom is now a bartender at The Living Room, the sleekly-modern bar in the soaring Park Hyatt hotel on Manhattan's West 57th Street. Hagstrom fell into the industry by accident at 19 when a friend asked him to cover a barback shift at local nightclub. After spending three years honing his skills at "the Swedish equivalent of an Irish pub" and several nightclubs, Hagstrom shifted his focus to making craft cocktails before finally making the jump to New York in 2012. At the Living Room, where he's worked since 2015, the menu is split between progressive cocktails and the classics. "I love creating new drinks, but I've always been intrigued by cocktails with a history, so our list has a bit of both," Hagstrom says. A big fan of brown spirits, Hagstrom also aims to increase The Living Room's allocated whiskies collection in the coming months. Rather than trying to please everyone, Hagstrom instead likes to target those with specific tastes. "I create most of my cocktails with the intention of hitting just that certain audience who will appreciate it," he explains. "I find it more interesting and challenging than making just a good cocktail with broad appeal." When I can introduce a guest to a spirit or a cocktail they think they won't like, and then make them love it. When I'm judgmental toward a guest for whatever reason (yes, I'm a jaded bartender), but then they prove me wrong and are the sweetest people ever. When guests are fully understanding that we're slammed and are still nice and patient—much appreciated. Meeting new people who become new bar regulars! Making connections and meeting likeminded members of the industry. When guests ask for a glass of water or a menu before sitting down or even saying hello. Guests blowing their nose in a linen napkin (or paper, for that matter) and leaving it on the bar or table. Disgusting. Splitting checks five ways. Venmo, people! When a guest orders a wine, gets a taste, agrees to a whole glass, and then sends it back. THE "5" LIST JOHAN HAGSTROM'S TOP FIVE FAVES: JOHAN HAGSTROM'S TOP FIVE PET PEEVES: When guests ask you to make something they found online without even looking at the menu. JOHAN HAGSTROM BARTENDER, THE LIVING ROOM AT THE PARK HYATT NEW YORK by David Ransom TAKING INVENTORY WITH . . . PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PARK HYATT NEW YORK Johan Hagstrom, Bartender at The Living Room at the Park Hyatt New York, with his Park Hyatt GT cocktail.