What's your desert island drink & why?
Margarita - “Old reliable”, the perfect drink for every occasion: party time, date night, post shift, pre shift, ran out of island coconuts....
We have many different favourite bars in Chester depending on the occasion. What's your favourite for:
A. Pornstar Martini & Date Night?
B. A Bloody Marry & Brunch?
C. Rum Punch & a party?
Date Night : Prohibition Brunch :
A Bloody Marry & Brunch? Shrub
Rum Punch Party: (Without being biased and saying Kuckoo) I’d take a tour up Watergate Street and see how wild it gets
Which drinks industry heros (in Chester?) have inspired you & how?
(He’s going to hate this) It’s Cal Currie - Hard working, passionate, patient and eager to continue to learn. But still always finds time for a beer
If you were a cocktail which would you be and why?
Probably a Miami vice, in the grand scheme of things it’s pretty fresh and young, but everyone’s a bit sick of it and it needs to piss off (Note from Editor - we could never get sick of you Ryan! You're a delight!)
What's your favourite non-hospitality business based in Chester and why?
Anything in the market, such love and knowledge of so many different crafts from so many different walks of life
What's your favourite cocktail ingredient? How did you fall in love with it?
Bitters, it gives drinks that extra dimension that subtlety blows minds My uncle did a shot of angostura once at a party when I was young and had to go to the doctors, I knew then that it was cool
Do you have a preferred mixer / soft drink / non-alcoholic option and why?
My grandma used to squeeze fresh orange juice, it was the best I’d ever had and taught me how important fresh ingredients are
What's your favourite food to pair with drinks?
Cheese, crisps, meats, tapas I guess
How did you get into the hospitality industry?
Started working at Funky Cow Milkshake Bar 10 years ago, fell in love with being on that side of the bar and haven’t left since
What do you love most about your job?
It’s the closest you can get to being a rockstar whilst being tone deaf
And the worst bits?
Hangovers.
If you could share a cocktail with anyone who would it be and why?
My dad, always.
Do you have any recommended reads for booze lovers?
Pick your favourite tipple and just simply google it, find similar products and keep expanding from there you’ll enter a rabbit hole that you can’t escape
What are your Chester Cocktail Week goals?
Get creative with everyone else, show the rest of the country what this little Roman city can do with a few bottles of booze
What advice do you have for aspiring Hospitality professionals?
It gets tough sometimes (this year has been particularly rubbisj) but keep pushing on, learn more, get better. Eventually the good out ways the bad
What's your favourite event in Chester?
Christmas light switch on (I used to be Santa on the church by the cross a few years ago)
What have you taken from Chester's response to COVID?
The resilience of Chester hospitality
Any other pearls of wisdom or hospitality rants?
Never date staff.
Where can we send our readers to find you online? (weblink or social media?)
Insta : @ryancmaughan
