#68 Jim Meehan, award-winning mixologist, bartender, author and consultant

Me and Jim met in 2006, when he entered the Bols 200 contest I organised, and I dropped by Pegu Club to see him next time I was in New York (I was living in Holland at the time). He went on to open PDT (Please Don't Tell) in 2007, which almost immediately became the most famous cocktail bar in the world (and also served the best hot dogs to be had in any cocktail bar, too!) authored The PDT Cocktail Book, Meehan's Bartender's Manual (which I think is the best single volume all-round book about bartending) and, as you read this, his new book The Bartender's Pantry is available now for pre-orders (link below) and is dropping on June 11th. Jim, and PDT have won every award conceivable.  Oh, and did I mention he helped create Banks Rum, the Cocktail Kingdom Mixology Spoons, the Moore & Giles Meehan bag, the PDT Cocktail App AND all the American Express Centurion Lounges' beverage programs? (Jim's doing an event at Porchlight Bar in NY on 10 June, btw, and a signing at Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore on June 11th, if you're in NYC). After I read We sat down for a good old catch-up - Jim moved to Portland some time ago - and naturally discussed the new book ( a collaboration with Emma Janzen, herself an award-winning author, and Bert Sasso, designer extraordinaire), why chicken should be expensive, why successful cocktails usually only have one weird ingredient, kola wine, culinary cocktails, the ethics of prep, ultra-processed foods, being curious not judgmental (a la Ted Lasso), shed a tear for demise of Australian icon bar Bulletin Place, agreed that cocktails are more like dessert than salad, and a whole bunch more. Enjoy!Pre-order The Bartender's Pantry (and support small bookshops): https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bartender-s-pantry-a-beverage-handbook-for-the-universal-bar-bart-sasso/20411265?ean=9781984858672Pre-order The Bartender's Pantry because you're not evil but the Kindle IS very convenient: https://www.amazon.com/Bartenders-Pantry-Beverage-Handbook-Universal-ebook/dp/B0CFPS4DG5Reserve a spot at the launch party, at Porchlight NYC, June 10th, 730pm - 10pm, includes a copy of the book and meet with all 3 authors:  https://www.sevenrooms.com/events/ahNzfnNldmVucm9vbXMtc2VjdXJlchwLEg9uaWdodGxvb3BfVmVudWUYgIDsutmL8AsM?event_id=ahNzfnNldmVucm9vbXMtc2VjdXJlcjkLEg9uaWdodGxvb3BfVmVudWUYgIDsutmL8AsMCxIQc3JfR2VuVmVudWVFdmVudBiAgPaAzfHVCgwJim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixography/?hl=enJim's website with contact details and where to buy all his stuff: https://www.mixographyinc.com/ (Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries:  [email protected] (PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, nor listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview (or lurk on the Zoom.)  And our AI automatically deletes pitch emails that are clearly written using AI. Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected] on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Faceboo...