Former molecular gastronomy sous chef and self-proclaimed “shot and a beer guy,” Mike Ryan was part of the opening team at Sable Kitchen & Bar, after spending two years at Chicago’s famed Violet Hour, and has since earned the reputation as the human encyclopedia of cocktail history.
Name your Desert Island Cocktail.
I'd have to say a ripe coconut with a lime squeezed into it and an airline bottle of good rum; no need to get fancy in the tropics.
Who would you most like to sit and enjoy a martini with?Dale Degroff. I've met him many times, but he has the most amazing stories about the old classic New York bars in the 70s and 80s, and I'd love to be able to just sit and listen.
What was your first job?First job was changing tires at an auto body shop in my hometown; I was 16 and my dad wanted me to build character, so he convinced his mechanic to hire me.
Do you have any hidden talents?Meet me at Seidenfaden's in Louisville on Wednesday for Karaoke and I'll show you what I can do with Dwight Yoakam or Buck Owens!
What is your hangover cure?It's fairly complicated, but it works: immediately upon rising drink a cocktail of equal parts coconut water and pedialyte, followed by a shot of green Chartreuse and three Advil. Then, get to a diner and gird your loins with hash browns and grease.
What do you think the next up-and-coming cocktail is going to be?I think we're going to see more vermouth- and aperitif-driven cocktails, like riffs on Aperol Spritz and Upside-Down Martinis.
What’s the most underrated spirit? It has so much potential, and in the right hands can be spectacular. The Nonino family in particular is making some of the most exciting grappa in Italy right now.
If you could be making cocktails through any historical period, what period would it be? Right now. Cliched as it may be, we have the best ingredients, the best distillation, and the best healthcare of any era in history.
