E103 Yelena Anter

This week we are joined by Yelena Anter from Las Vegas Nevada. Yelena is the driving force behind Cocktail Vision - an online platform that guides you through your journey in the cocktail and spirits world with recipes, products and consulting advice.

Yelena is a fantastic guest with an incredibly interesting story that originates in a small village in Russia listening to Elvis Presley records that were smuggled in behind the iron curtain and how this helped fuel her motivation to move to Las Vegas. This is a interview that you will enjoy listening to!

This is Yelena's story in her own words:

“Just look pretty, sell as many frozen drinks as possible, and sell an extra shot or two of booze,” my boss instructed me. This where my mixology journey began, like all great things, in sleazy obscurity. At the age of twenty one, I was hired as a bartender for a daiquiri bar on The Las Vegas Strip. Originally from a small village in Russia, I had no clue what comprised a Rum and Coke or Gin and Tonic, except perhaps the Coke. I was strong even in high heels, carrying as many drinks as would fit onto two trays at once. It fascinated me how different a blue, red or yellow slushy tasted, depending on what spirit was added to it. I was instantly hooked on the entire scene.

My twenties flew by with increasing sophistication and decreasing crushed ice, at the same time “high-end” cocktails became mainstream. I found myself and the industry evolving away from those simple, sweet ole’ days selling yard-long slushees taking nothing away from that quintessential Vegas experience. I also found myself closer to my Russian roots of resourcefulness and stylistic restraint. With extremely limited options for ingredients, I was accustomed to improvisation and creativity ever since I was a child. Artisanal mixology is, after all, best achieved combining well-chosen ingredients sparingly in a shaker instead of dumped into a blender.

Whether recreating a beloved classic or fashioning a novel libation, I approach the craft of mixology as a chef would create an entree. An intimate knowledge of ingredients and their synergy is key. Traveling the world, I’ve been blessed to have experienced a wealth of cultures, their unique cuisines and their rainbow of distillates. Classically trained in art, I understand the essence of good orchestration — a perspective I use to build and integrate the flavor components of a cocktail. My special power, were I a superhero, is my mental library of flavors I’ve cataloged over the years. My second superpower is my ability to imagine the interaction of those thousands of flavor combinations in my head. It saves money on booze, trust me.

I find my purpose leading people through a well-provisioned cocktail journey, as does a seasoned expedition guide through the jungle. The spirit safari, if you will, begins upon opening the menu — better yet, the spirit story book. What enchanted libation will you be experiencing tonight? “Peachcraft” or “Voodoo Brew”? Each masterpiece is custom built, uniquely garnished and lovingly poured to evoke the senses and help carry you away on an unforgetable cocktail adventure. I achieve my inner zen in the joy shown on the faces of others while sipping my creations and enjoying the journey I’ve thoughtfully curated for them.

Let Cocktail Vision be your spirit guide!

Links:

@cocktail.vision

Website: cocktail.vision

Cocktail Vision Online Store

Recipe Book on Amazon - Christmas Cocktails And Shenanigans

@yelenaanter

@the_industry_podcast

email us: [email protected]

Podcast Artwork by Zak Hannah

zakhannah.com

@sugarrunbar

@babylonsistersbar

@littlemushroomcatering