Almost every mixologist I know calls themselves a bartender. Cocktail connoisseurs and the media love to use the M word, but us bartenders still shy away. Why is it we demonize this moniker, but the average tippler tends to infer it as status?
This site is dedicated to challenging the stigma surrounding the term mixology. To a bartender, mixology conjures images of a condescending, mustachioed hipster with a disregard for service and obsessive attention on the cocktail. Today there are a growing number of passionate people making great cocktails that also value quality service. We understand hospitality is at the core of what we do and strive to bring the attention back to the guest.
Mixology is Dead adds value to mixology so we can be proud to be called mixologists. Whether I am discussing technique, theory, personal skills, or good habits behind the bar, the focus will be on exceptional service and the guest experience. One may visit a bar for any number of reasons, but they return for how it made them feel.
From the top: Ben and Dale DeGroff at the 2015 Diageo World Class awards ceremony in Chicago; Ben pictured in the San Francisco Chronicle mixing a Spritz; Ben and Tony Abou-Ganim at the AOS.
Bio
Benjamin Pavlichek is a renowned mixologist and dedicated service industry professional with nearly a decade of experience in San Francisco and Chicago. He currently lives in Petaluma, CA and works on projects throughout the SF Bay Area. Specializing in bar design and beverage consulting, Benjamin’s focus is to create ergonomic spaces that are clever and functional. His approach to cocktails has been called multisensorial, often involving complex aromatic components and intricate garnishes. His creativity when it comes to cocktails has landed him spots in several cocktail competitions including Heaven Hill Bartender of the Year, USBG Star of the Bar, Woodford Manhattan Experience, Shake Stir, and others.
Benjamin is an authority on Peruvian pisco, having spent the last seven years as a brand ambassador for Destilería La Caravedo, but his true passion is for mezcal and agave spirits. From curating a 47 bottle menu of grower/producer agave spirits to spending time in and around Oaxaca and other parts of Mexico, he has expanded his knowledge of agave and worked to share it with the world. Benjamin has spent years learning about the sustainability and artisanal aspects of agave spirit production in order to preserve centuries of tradition and the authenticity of the category.
When not attending cocktail conferences, or winning shake style competitions Benjamin can be found working on his classic BMW or listening to a new piece of HiFi gear in his collection. For the last 4 years he has been a volunteer at Speed Rack, an all female bartending competition that supports breast cancer research. Along with being a clear ice aficionado and pioneer of forced carbonation and draft cocktails, a major passion of Benjamin’s is mentoring new bartenders, many of which have gone on to run programs of their own.
From running multiple hotel bars including one for The Pump Room by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, to working alongside legends such as Julian Cox, Paul Sauter, Liz Pearce, and Benjamin Schiller, Benjamin has spent his career seeking out leaders in the industry, learning from them, and doing his best to follow in their footsteps. From these masters he has learned the trade of bartending and the art of hospitality, and now does his best to share that knowledge and passion to encourage a dialogue and facilitate positive change in the industry.