Toby Maloney: The Craft, Chaos & Calm of The Violet Hour

Toby Maloney is one of the true architects of the modern cocktail movement — a bartender, author, and hospitality mind whose influence spans from Milk & Honey and Pegu Club in New York to The Violet Hour in Chicago, and now to The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington.In this episode, Damian sits down with Toby for a wide-ranging conversation covering the early chaos of oyster shucking and club bartending, the epiphany of watching Sasha Petraske behind the bar, and the vision and legacy of The Violet Hour — the iconic Chicago bar that helped reshape American cocktail culture.🍸 Topics CoveredToby’s origin story — from pouring his first drink in a dry town at 11, to cooking his way around the worldThe moment that changed everything: his first daiquiri at Milk & HoneySasha Petraske’s influence, mentorship, and legacyHow The Violet Hour brought New York-style cocktail culture to ChicagoWhy creating a quiet, transportive, guest-focused space was at the heart of its designBehind the house rules, the team culture, and the now-legendary drinksThe next chapter: The Elbow Room and “comfortable craft” cocktails built for real-world speed📚 Featured ResourceThe Bartender’s Manifesto by Toby Maloney & Emma Janzen A bartender’s book for bartenders — about process, purpose, and hospitality with heart. → Available now wherever you get your books.Stay tuned for Toby’s next book, The Cocktail Sessions, dropping May 2026 — a craftsmanship-first guide to 63 essential classic cocktails.🔗 Guest Links📸 Instagram: @tobycocktail 📩 Email: [email protected] 🍸 Bar: @elbowroom1970 📘 Book: The Bartender’s Manifesto — available now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.