No. 36

Audrey Saunders:

Queen Mother of The Cocktail Renaissance

The Banter

The Guys discuss a new trend in 2006: the Avant-garde cocktail. Is it a drink? A chemistry experiment? Hear their take on it.

The Conversation

The Restaurant Guys catch up with Audrey Saunders the year after opening The Pegu Club. They talk about old books and the problem with soda guns. Audrey discusses her vision for Pegu and what inspires and motivates her (and what doesn’t).

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AUDREY SAUNDERS

Audrey Saunders got into the bar business at Pete’s Waterfront Ale House and met Dale DeGroff through a co-worker. After several years of learning at Pete’s, Dale hired her to work at Blackbird. Then she moved on to Beacon then Tonic.

In 2005, she opened Pegu Club, perpetuating the craft cocktail movement. Pegu became a favorite of those in the business and in 2009, The Pegu Club received Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for “Best American Cocktail Bar,” and Saunders earned a nomination as “American Bartender of the Year.”

In 2011, she was honored as “Best Mentor” at the annual event.

Today, Audrey serves as a consultant for the cocktail industry, and her future plans include the establishment of a cocktail institute and think tank on their property in Washington state.

THE INSIDE TRACK

The Guys are frequent guests at The Pegu Club and appreciate Audrey’s mission to create a warm space with delicious libations.

“When you talk about artisan, you're talking about just basic things. It's really all about balance in a cocktail, the way it would be balanced in a dish starting with a classic foundation..."

Audrey Saunders on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2006

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