BALANCING FLAIR WITH MIXOLOGY! – Danny Seigel Interviewed

What were your strategies going into Bahia Cabana entering in both the Mixology & Flair competitions?Coming into Bahia Cabana I was in full bartending overdrive. I was spending hours each day prepping for both.

In Flair, because of the blind competition format, the only way to prepare was to practice everything: all of my bottle/tin Flair and juggling. Every day, I would sit down at least twice a day, pick two songs & queue them up, and create hypothetical routines, varying time limits, varying bottle selections, I was practicing both my Flair and the art of creating a routine every day.

In mixology, I spent a great deal of time studying and refining techniques and tools that I use behind the bar. I also made a concerted effort to practice tasting not only spirits but every ingredient I could get my hands on: herbs, spices, fruits, syrups, exotic ingredients, I tasted everything I could. By familiarizing myself with ingredients’ flavors, it made me much more comfortable working with them.

What were your thoughts on the “86’d” Mixology Contest before stepping foot behind the bar? Having seen the final round at the 2011 Bahia Cabana competition, I knew that I was going to have to bring everything I knew about crafting cocktails to the bar. The mystery basket was daunting before I ever even opened it knowing that pretty much ANY product could be in there.

What were your thoughts on the “86’d” Mixology Contest during and after the competition? During the competition I was completely wrapped up in making sure that I presented a balanced, flavorful cocktail, making sure to incorporate all the ingredients in the basket as well as incorporating advanced techniques that you don’t see in your average bar. I must say – the time flies by! Ten minutes has never flown by so quick as in that final round! In the end, though it was ultimately an excellent exercise in adapting my skills to particular situations, which has made me a better bartender overall.

Who do you look up to in this Sport? There are many elements that must come together all at the same time in a competition Flair routine, and there are many bartender’s who I look up to, Christian Delpech, Tim “Flippy” Morris, Dario Doimo, Danilo Oribe, Rodrigo Delpech, Tomek Malek, Marek Posluszny, Tom Dyer, and many more. These guys have all in one way or another influenced how I’ve grown as a Flair bartender.

In your words, what is Flair? Flair is about creating a unique and extraordinary experience for the guest. The way we do this varies wildly though, sometimes it’s juggling bottles and tins, sometimes it’s wowing a crowd with fire breathing, but just as vital as those techniques are, it is equally as important to bringing energy and uncompromising service to the bar with it.

In your words, what is Mixology? Mixology is the art of making amazing drinks with all of the ingredients you have on hand. Sometimes it’s exotic ingredients, premium spirits, and complicated techniques, but other times it’s about using technique to elevate the experience of common cocktails with common ingredients to a new level.

In your opinion, what makes a good bartender? A good bartender is dynamic. Each guest we serve is a completely unique individual with a completely unique idea of what their perfect bartender should be. Sometimes they want someone to listen to them, sometimes they want someone to talk to them. Sometimes they want a show, but sometimes they just want a shot. It’s key to be well rounded.

Do you think our sport of Flair bartending is on the rise or decline and why? Flair bartending is definitely on the rise. Several factors play into this, but I think none quite as significantly as social media. Social media (specifically Facebook and Youtube) has certainly done wonders for Flair bartending. Even a few years ago when I first started, the idea of recording an HD video of myself Flairing either at work or practicing, was not really practical-much less, sharing that video worldwide! Now, when I perform a fire show at work, I can have an entire bar recording me on their cell phones in full HD and uploading it to various networks of people with my name and very importantly the bar it’s at. We live and do business in a society saturated with user generated media, and must appreciate the power it wields.

How often do you practice Flair? I practice anywhere from 2-4 hours a day, typically broken up into two or three separate sessions. I typically will practice until my muscles are sore enough to begin effecting my technique, rest for a while and then practice more.

How often and how do you become better at Mixology? I like to think that my mixology skills become better every day. I spend a great deal of time reading a wide variety of both cocktail recipes and culinary recipes, which often lead to a mental tangent of sorts resulting in a great cocktail. Typically I read recipe books more as a source of inspiration than looking for something specific to make. More important than reading recipes, I try to “actively taste” everything in my day to day life. Whether it be dissecting the flavors in a hamburger I get for lunch, an empanada I pick up before my shift, or a hand crafted cocktail made by a renowned mixologist – I try to dissect it and pick out the flavors and proportions of as many ingredients as I can. It’s truly shocking the flavor/aroma combinations that can inspire a cocktail.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a Flair bartender rather then a regular bartender? The obvious advantages of being a Flair bartender are somewhat self-serving: increased tips, guests that become “fans” to some degree, and better shifts. There are however several advantages that can be used to a business’ advantage. Working & Exhibition Flair can actually help retain the bar as a focal point in a venue and to some degree can even help manipulate the ebbs and flows of business to provide better service.

Do you think being a good Flair Bartender behind the bar has to slow down your service as well? Flair bartending does not inherently have to slow down your service, but it has the ability to. It’s vital to understand the role that Flair plays in your overall pace and quality of service. It’s important that as Flair bartenders we vigilantly use Flair to provide better service and to NEVER let our Flair compromise our service

What is your advice to some of the new bartenders wanting to learn Flair Bartending and Mixology?When learning Flair, there will be bumps, bruises, & cuts. I think one of the fundamental elements of Flair when we really distill it to its purest is the degree of risk. In practicing/mastering inherently difficult and risky moves there will be mistakes. Many of these mistakes will hurt! Don’t let them dissuade you from Flair, just remember even every pro Flair bartender has a handful of times they, “got themselves good.” But persisting past a hard knock in the funny bone, bruised knuckles/forearms, or a cut from broken glass is how we get better!

The single best piece of advice I can give anyone learning mixology was something I learned from my mentor: taste as you work, familiarize yourself with the ingredients you have on hand constantly! Also, if you make a drink that you don’t think is good – don’t just throw it away! Taste It! Figure out why it is doesn’t taste good, is it the flavor combination or the ratio of ingredient? I like to think I’ve never had a recipe that was a failure, but I have had several recipes that succeeded thoroughly in teaching me what does not work.

Do you think Flair bartenders embrace Mixology? I think in the next few years we’re going to see a definite shift in this area. For years Flair bartending competitions have been about strictly Flair itself, with minimal focus on the actual cocktail presented. However the spirits industry has seen a definite resurgence in the art of the cocktail, and I think subsequently we’re going to see more competitions that focus on both the Flair and the mixology, which transitively will expose more Flair bartenders to mixology.