Team HIDI 6
There are a few events that happen each year that truly bring the food and drink community together. One of those, and a true favorite of mine, is the Team HIDI event supporting The Giving Kitchen. They raised $719,090 this year, which not only goes toward supporting their mission but also gives them seed money to "put our new strategic plan into action and to expand GK into other counties and across Georgia by 2020." While at the event, I was able to speak with several of the bartenders in attendance about their drinks, their feelings on Team HIDI, and what they are scheming for the year ahead. All photos by Erika Botfeld.
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Mercedes O'Brien, Cocktail Director at Gunshow. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? As my first year involved with Team HIDI, I was honored to sign on when some seriously great leaders in the community reached out to me. John Wayne and Miles are beyond fabulous for wrangling up all the talent Sunday's event had behind it and it was such a pleasure to service a community that gives so much of itself each and everyday. Turn' Up Tokyo: Hat Trick Gin, Scarlet Turnip Vinegar, Soured Grapefruit, Dolin Genepy, and Southern Togarashi. My process for coming up with my drink ran in line with Gunshow's philosophy of seasonality, cultural references, and experimental food preparation. Over the span of two weeks, we fermented the turnip vinegar from scratch. The final product called on Japanese influences and a flavor affinity for grapefruit. Delving further into local goods and seasonality, we constructed a togarashi spice blend using southern ingredients: collards in place of seaweed, anson mills benne seeds instead of sesame, and dehydrated satsuma peels from a local farm. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI to me means a celebration of the life, strength, and generosity our service industry breathes each and every day. We are far greater together than alone. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? In 2018, there are a lot of big projects in the works for Red Beard (stay tuned). On a more personal note, I am looking forward to being involved in some magnificent organizations and events and all the future success and endeavors my friends in the industry have ahead of them.
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Demetri McDonald, Beverage Manager and Terick Alexander, Bartender at Holeman and Finch Public House
How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? Holeman has been involved for years and donates back to the community frequently. It is a passion of Linton and Gina Hopkins. We were given tequila and cocci americano. Terick and I wanted to do refreshing and herbatious style cocktail, that we named the Amarillo What does Team HIDI mean to you? I have many friends in the industry and if one falls on hard times it's great to know that there is an organization and community that will support our family. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? Growing! Growth is most important. Building new and better relationships with people while making our industry the best it can be!
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Adam Rowe. Bar Manager at Leon's Full Service in Decatur, Georgia. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is the third team hidi that I have had pleasure of attending and making drinks at. We were given a base spirit and a modifier to work with. I had the pleasure of using Richland Rum and Lustau Vermouth. I decided to riff on a cocktail that was on our menu at Leon's (which itself was a riff on a Scofflaw) and changed a few other elements to complement the products I was using. Butler and Dale 2 dashes of scrappy's chocolate bitters 1/2 oz. lime 1/2 oz. spiced cranberry grenadine 1/2 oz. lustsu sherry vermouth 1 1/2 oz. richland rum shake/serve up/microplane a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg on top/enjoy What does Team HIDI mean to you? Humility. The amount of restaurants and staff that donate their time to make this event happen is quite astounding. It is heartwarming to see everyone so happy to be a part of something that offers a helping hand to those in need. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? How much The Giving Kitchen will grow. Team Hidi, of course. New restaurants. --
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Amber Aristy. Whiskey Specialist and Manager of Mac McGee Irish Pub in Decatur. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? I've been involved with Team Hidi in small ways over the years, but this was the fist one where I operated my own table. I got involved this year because I was doing a similar blind tasting at another event where I ran into Kristie, and she approached me later about doing the tasting for Hidi. I was happy to comply, and super excited to be there. We didn't present a cocktail as Mac McGee is very whiskey focused, instead we did a blind tasting showcasing Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, ASW Ameireaganach Single Malt, and Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team Hidi is absolutely my favorite event of the year. Supporting my industry colleagues is incredibly important to me. It's a beautiful thing that we have an organization that gives us a way to actively support each other. Even more amazing that we have an organization which has the singular purpose of making sure we can stand back up if we fall. It's a comfort to us all and as I've said a hundred times through the planning process this year: Anything for The Giving Kitchen. Anything at all. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? This year I'm looking forward to spending a lot of dedicated time to development and education. I hope to really cement the whiskey program at Mac McGee until it's a beautiful smoothly running machine. I'd also like to develop a system open to the industry to help educate those curious on whiskey production, tasting, and mixing.
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Jeff Stockton, Bar Manager at Golden Eagle. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is my second year working the Team HIDI event on the bar side. Last year was alongside Kellie Thorne and Empire State South, and I was extremely happy to join again this year representing Golden Eagle. We wanted a drink that would be refreshing (didn't anticipate all that rain!) and sort of in the vain of a Pimms cup, yet with some more booze and bitterness. Cucumber and Falernum with Aperol created a nice melon-like quality. And I have always loved a little absinthe mixed with the aroma of cucumber on top. Constantinople 1.5oz RM Rose Bourbon .5oz Aperol .25oz BG Reynolds Falernum (or housemade) .75oz Acidulated Orange Juice (Fresh Orange juice with added citric and malic acid) Dash Bitter Truth Decanter Bitters Cucumber wheel Add all ingredients into shaker with cucumber disc, shake hard and double strain onto fresh ice. Optional spritz with absinthe and angostura on top. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI is one of those events that makes me love the Atlanta hospitality community, and The Giving Kitchen as a whole. The talent and generosity of all of those involved really makes me proud to work in the food/beverage industry. I feel extremely lucky to be part of a restaurant that supports TGK and hope I can continue to participate each year! What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? I am really excited to excel further in the industry, challenge myself, and learn new things daily with this new team working at Golden Eagle. And I look forward to actually getting to go to an Atlanta FC game and get my garden going.
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kellie Thorn. Bar Manager at Empire State South. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? Well, I have been involved with Team Hidi since year one, and I feel very fortunate to still be a part of the event at year six. We were assigned St. George Botanivore Gin and Amaro Montenegro. Citrus season is in full swing, and we had access to some really lovely Fukushu kumquats, so we decided to make a syrup with them and accent the floral and citrus notes of the assigned spirits. Turn Down for Quat 2 oz St. George Botanivore Gin .5 oz Amaro Montenegro .75 oz Kumquat and Vanilla Syrup .75 oz Lemon Juice Combine all ingredients with ice and shake. Fine strain over fresh ice. Top with 4 drops of Bitterman's Tiki Bitters. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. What does Team HIDI mean to you? This event is incredible because it shows how strong Atlanta's sense of community is. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? Hugs and breaking records.
What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kate Flowe, Bartender at Staplehouse. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This was my first team HIDI and I was so pumped to be a part of it so I jumped in when we got our spirit assignment. I lucked out with two of my favorite spirits that go great together, so the workshopping was just filling in the blanks. I'd want a long drink at an event like this, Cara Cara oranges were in season, and I thought adding a little ginger juice to the mix would be a great way to win over the scotch-o-phobic. The original highball was made with scotch, so we named it Team Hidi-ball: 1.25 ounces great king street artist blend scotch .5 Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao .75 Cara Cara orange stock .25 ginger syrup topped with sparkling water What does Team HIDI mean to you? Being a part of Team HIDI this year was unbelievably humbling and so much fun. It was wonderful to see so many friends, colleagues, and supporters in one place. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? In the next year I'm looking to turn attention back to my wine studies, expand the offerings at our upstairs project, Paper Crane Lounge, and take the time to attend some beverage-focused seminars in Chicago and Charleston this summer.
photo by The Sipologist 1. What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kevin Cornish, Beverage Director at Canoe restaurant. 2. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is my first time working with Team HIDI. It was amazing. I was at the Tastemakers bar, and was asked to really highlight the spirits of ASW. I chose to use the Ameireaganach single malt, truly a unique take on American whiskey. I made a Sazerac, mixing the ASW whiskey with a touch of simple syrup, and a dash of Peychaud’s Bitters. I mist the glass with some St. George Absinthe and then garnished with a lemon twist. 3. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI really inspires me to do more to give back to the Atlanta restaurant community. It was great to see so many people coming out to support what Team HIDI does. So many times people in our industry get hit with hardships and really have no way of recovering on their own. 4. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? This year I’m excited to continue my wine studies, and I hope to get my second level certification from the court of master sommeliers.