Before Chefs Club bartender Anthony Bohlinger stepped behind the stick, he was managing the doors of them. During his time checking IDs at several NYC clubs, a friend asked him if he wanted to do the security or try bartending at a forthcoming bar in Hoboken. A succession of bartending and consulting gigs followed, including an opening in Miami and an invite to come aboard Chefs Club in Aspen, a restaurant of rotating menus from recipients of Food & Wine's coveted Best New Chefs award. When Chefs Club opened a location in New York this past November, Bohlinger tagged along, creating seasonal cocktails to accompany a myriad of dishes from guest chefs. Here, we chat with the New Jersey native about why summer reigns, the cocktail on his menu that exudes Aspen living, and the remote drinking destination on his radar.
BoozeMenus: What was top of mind when creating the drink list at Chefs Club?
Anthony Bohlinger: Being a chef driven restaurant with multiple locations, I definitely wanted to make sure that the programs had a local, chef driven, and seasonal feel.
BM: What drink on the menu has your name written all over it in terms of style?
AB: I would say the "Bon Voyage." It's a tequlia and mezcal based sour. We utilized a mojo rojo, which is a Calabrian chili oil used in one of the Best New Chefs dishes. I love utilitizing culinary ingredients from the cuisine and I feel very blessed to be able to learn flavor pairings from our chefs and some of the best chefs in the country. It's my favorite part of working with this restaurant group.
BM: Which cocktail proved the most challenging to perfect for this menu?
AB: Anytime you open a new program in a new location it is challenging. You do not yet know your clientele and what they enjoy. I chose to keep the menu light and approachable and then slowly evolve based on our guests’ palate.
BM: How do you go about suggesting cocktail pairings with a menu that is constantly changing?
AB: That is actually easier than it looks. Our chefs are bringing a ton of amazing items in from all over the country, so I constantly sit in the kitchen and experiment with all of the products. Whenever I am wrapping up a new recipe I bring it to chef Didier Elena, I tell him my idea, and he gives me the much needed advice I need to complete the drink.
BM: Which season is your favorite when it comes to drinks creation?
AB: Right now I am really getting excited for summer. Our summer cocktails are going to be bright, simple, fresh and exciting. I want to get back to the basics with three or four part drinks that explode with flavor and dimension.
BM: When is the last time a drink was a direct reflection of an experience you've had, or a story you've encountered?
AB: Our Wildflower cocktail is a direct result of living in Aspen. I was wandering around the John Denver Memorial and stumbled upon wild lavender growing. It was mid summer, watermelons were fresh and ripe, Bombay Sapphire was just launching a huge competition. The end result was a delicious cocktail called Wildflower. It was a direct reflection of that amazing time in my life.
BM: Where's someplace you'd love to travel for an authentic drinking experience?
AB: I love history, so I would love to see what people are drinking in some small South African village somewhere. I would be interested in what their culture has passed on to the current scene, and maybe take that back to the city and show everyone. One of my favorite things about this industry is the generosity it has. Sharing recipes and stories from around the world, and showcasing what others are doing with cocktails is so cool. That's what drives this ever changing and trending industry.
BM: What is the biggest difference in the drinking scenes between Aspen and NYC?
AB: There are definitely two different animals, to say the least. There are about five cocktail bars in Aspen and around 1000 in NYC, but great people in both! The cocktail scene in NYC moves at lightning pace, always innovating and changing, whereas Aspen is a little more laid back. I am proud to say that you can definitely get an amazing cocktail in such a small city as Aspen and have a great conversation too!
BM: Are there any prep methods you're especially into right now?
AB: I've always been a fan of the dehydrator — it's a miracle worker for garnishes. We are about to launch our brunch menu, and we are making an amazing dehydrated carrot chip for a Bloody Mary. The chips are made with the pulp of juiced carrots, salt, sugar, and citric acid —it's bright and bursting with flavor. Plus, it reuses the pulp, which would most likely be thrown out. Stay green!
BM: Describe one of the most memorable conversations you've had when bartending.
AB: I've been lucky enough to travel all over and sit and talk with the most amazing people in this industry, including chefs, bartenders, politicians, and celebrities. But I think the most memorable was in Aspen, where for about two hours, it was me, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Toby McGuire, sitting at my bar, just the three of us, talking cocktails. It was real, no one else, just a cool experience.
By Nicole Schnitzler
(Photos Courtesy of Chefs Club by Food & Wine | From Left: Interior; Anthony Bohlinger; Seasonal Cocktail)