Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/103517
RAISING THE BAR AWARD KIP SNIDER, DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE, YARD HOUSE RESTAURANTS When Kip Snider joined the Yard House Restaurants beverage team 14 years ago, he loved what he describes as the pure excitement and fast pace he found behind the bar. The Irvine, CA-based concept had just two restaurants at the time; Snider would be behind the energetic drive to pump the chain's total locations up to 42 as of early 2013. Yard House was one of the first regional—and then national—operators to seriously cater to craft beer drinkers. The chain's commitment was reflected in both the number and breadth of regional beers that it offers, as well as the assortment of glassware it uses to serve them to guests. "Eight vessels for [serving] beer is pretty advanced." Snider notes. The company's drinks program is also constantly evolving, and the food and beverage team's focus on wine and spirits has continued to grow. Snider says that the program has expanded to primarily focus on brown spirits and unique spirits categories such as mezcal. Yard House is stepping up its wine program as well, adding wines from other domestic regions, like Washington state, as well as more imported wines. The chain's happy-hour program continues to expand too: Snider notes that while it was once primarily focused on Martinis and beer, Yard House's happy hour now includes specialty cocktails and other drinks. Kip Snider, director of beverage for Yard House. Yard House boasts about 40% of its total revenue in beer, wine and spirits sales. As of 2012, Snider was responsible for more than $110 million in beverage sales. The chain, which was acquired by Darden Restaurants in 2012, plans to open eight to nine new locations this year. Snider has four basic principles for inspiring his team on a regular basis: Treat guests as if they were in their own home; have fun and smile behind the bar; take time to do things right; and learn something new every day. What still inspires him more than anything "is seeing team members and guests enjoying themselves," he says. —Liza B. Zimmerman BEVERAGE INDUSTRY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR TIPPLING BROTHERS Few people have been more immersed in the food and beverage industry from birth than Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay, the founders of the New York-based consultancy Tippling Brothers. Tanguay grew up in a restaurant family, and Carducci is half Italian-American and half Southern. "So food was always the focal point of every gathering of my life," Carducci notes. The pair met during the first year of the Beverage Alcohol Resource's five-day program in 2006, when Tanguay was the corporate beverage director at New York's Sushi Samba and Carducci was running the beverage program at the Pluckemin Inn The Tippling Brothers Tad Carducci, left, and Paul Tanguay. Right, the company's tequilabased Turista cocktail. 22 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 in Bedminster, NJ. "We shared a common bond, were both intense about restaurants and wanted to cast a wider net," Carducci says. Since founding Tippling Brothers, they have since worked with an estimated 50 operations and consulted with brands all over the world. They are also partners in the Mercadito Hospitality Group of restaurant concepts such as Mercadito, Barcito and Tavernita. Tippling Brothers' innovative kegged cocktail system has been part of Mercadito's concepts from the get-go, as it was "a way to serve great cocktails quickly," Carducci notes. Mercadito offers 10 different pre-kegged cocktails, including sangrias, as well as 18 to 20 kegged wines. He estimates that each location goes through two 50liter batches per cocktail of the top drinks in a weekend. The bar's mixologists sell 23% to 24% more cocktails on a busy weekend night than they would be able to without the kegged cocktails, Carducci says. That comes to 1,200 to 1,500 drinks on a busy evening. Tippling Brothers just opened a Brasserie in Chicago called Little Market, which highlights charged cocktails featuring house-made carbonated mixers. Future plans include another dining concept that will be a "drinking garden," plus more new Mercadito concepts. —Liza B. Zimmerman www.cheersonline.com