E129 Leo Robitschek

This weeks guest is Leo Robitschek who joins us from London, England. As Vice President of Food and Beverage and Head of Bars at Sydell, Leo brings tremendous experience, leadership, and creativity to the culinary and beverage programs across the Sydell portfolio. Working alongside Sydell since 2010 as NoMad’s Managing Partner of F&B and Bar Director at Make it Nice, Leo Robitschek has been responsible for concepting, developing and leading the food, beverage and cocktail programs and teams at all NoMad properties.

A native of Venezuela, he first began working in hospitality while attending the University of Miami, but it was upon moving to New York City where his appreciation for the craft of cocktails and food began to take focus. First joining Eleven Madison Park in 2005, he reinvented the cocktail program of the award-winning restaurant. Since the opening of the first NoMad hotel and Elephant Bar in New York in 2012, and the subsequent openings of NoMad properties in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London, Leo has overseen all aspects of the cocktail programs and served as a leader to the beverage teams for the NoMad brand.. Leo also helped lead the Cocktail Apprentice Program at Tales of the Cocktail for 10 years, where he helped mentor 70 global bartenders yearly with a focus on teamwork, equity, and industry growth.

Leo and his team have been the recipients of numerous Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program, as well as Best Bar in North America and #4 in the world on the list of 50 Best Bars in 2018. Leo is also the author of The NoMad Cocktail Book.

Links

@lrobitschek

Sydell Group

kyppsaunders.ca

@sugarrunbar

@babylonsistersbar

Little Mushroom Catering

@littlemushroomcatering

@the_industry_podcast

email us: [email protected]

Podcast Artwork by Zak Hannah

zakhannah.co