Serious Eats: New York
Meet & Eat: Aisha Sharpe, Contemporary Cocktails
"I taste and tinker until I have what I hope is the perfect fit for the client."
Aisha Sharpe is one half of the cocktail consulting team Contemporary Cocktails, which she co-founded with Willy Shine. Through her work, Aisha has developed cocktails for brands, private events, and restaurants (including The Breslin). She shakes up fresh and local ingredients, sophisticated culinary techniques, and a hearty jigger of inspiration and creativity. We're thrilled that she took the time to answer a few questions for Serious Eaters (and drinkers)!
Name: Aisha Sharpe
Occupation: Co-founder, Contemporary Cocktails, Inc.
Website: contemporarycocktailsinc.com
How did Contemporary Cocktails come to be? After working for many years behind the stick in various New York bars and restaurants, I met Willy Shine; we complement each other extremely well, and pretty soon were on our way to forming a partnership. While many bartenders consider their next step to be opening their own establishment, we decided to take a different route and start Contemporary Cocktails.
CC Inc. has allowed us many more opportunities than we might have otherwise gotten. Since its inception, we have been able to work with different brands in a variety of capacities. Opening accounts and re-designing beverage programs; expanding into industry and consumer events; most importantly, expanding our knowledge and education through travel and the work we do.
Has there been anyone who has influenced the way you approach cocktails? I think that if you ask any bartender in New York, or the country even, they would say Dale DeGroff—who is credited with reviving the cocktail trend in New York in the 1980s. Dale has become my mentor, friend, and as close to family as one can be without being related. More importantly, though, he showed us that attention to detail and quality products truly matter.
Tell us a little about the process of how you create a cocktail list for a new restaurant client. I first ensure that I fully understand the vision of the client. It can be a neighborhood bar or a four-star restaurant, but if you don't understand their goals then you cannot achieve a cocktail list that suits the venue properly. The next step, of course, is the menu, as we often work with accounts that serve food and we need to make sure the cocktails compliment the food. I then turn to types of spirits and make sure the list has a balance of categories and cocktail types. I am always aware of the brand of spirit that would work best in each drink and am constantly looking for new ways to use quality spirits and to put a spin on classic techniques. Then, I taste and tinker until I have what I hope is the perfect fit for the client.
What are one or two of your all-time favorite cocktails that you have created? The Pink Panther with pink peppercorns, ruby red grapefruit juice and tequila and The Lust for Life with Plymouth Gin, lavender syrup and mint.
[Photo: Robyn Lee]
You recently created the cocktails for The Breslin. Tell us about how you came up with some of those creations to accompany their menu. April's food is classic pub fare with an emphasis on heavy foods like pigs' feet, Scotch eggs, and the best fries in New York City [Ed. note: we won't dispute this]. It is not for the faint of heart, so I wanted to make sure that the cocktails would stand up to her dishes without being too overwhelming. I also recognize that the clientele would be looking for excitement and something different—so I added a champagne cocktail (the Rush of Blood to the Head) as well as a cocktail topped with ale (the Beggars Banquet), which I believe will be the next big trend in cocktails.
I also love gin and thought it would be cool to do a few different takes on Gin & Tonics. We do a Classic with Tanqueray; a Garden style with Hendricks, cucumber and celery bitters; and a version with Beefeater 24 and grapefruit bitters, which really brings out the fruit notes in the gin. It works well—not only with the food but with the atmosphere of The Breslin. (Try a Pickleback!)
You're now spreading the cocktail gospel by training other bartenders through BarSmarts and B.A.R. What has that been like for you? I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have acquired to a new generation of bartenders. And I love seeing the differences in each city I visit. I think it is great that Pernod Ricard has taken a vested interest in educating bartenders—not just in their products, but first and foremost in a greater understanding of spirits and proper techniques. I also feel extremely honored to be a part of B.A.R. and BarSmarts, working with some of the best in the industry. It is a unique program and I am very excited about the direction it's going.
At recent events, Contemporary Cocktails has set up "DIY" bar stations. How did you come up with that idea and how does it work? We call that an "Interactive Bar" and the idea is really quite simple: to let people have a say in creating their own drink. Particularly with a trend towards fresh ingredients, it is very exciting for our guests to have the option to customize a drink with fruit, vegetables or herbs and then either watch it made for them or make it themselves.
We don't want our guests to think that great drinks can only come from a great bartender; they can recreate them at home. This works with plenty of drinks: caipirinhas, sidecars, smashes, daiquiris. We want to plant that seed, that they can add different ingredients, spice it up, and make it their own.
What are your favorite local hangouts or places you might be considered a regular? Recently, I have been spending a lot of time at The Breslin and although that is often work related, I think I also count as a regular at this point—as I can often be found staying a little late to have a pint of Guinness or maybe even a Pickleback. I also think Daddy-O and Von are two of the best neighborhood bars in the city.