Interview: bartender-mixologist Zahra Bates (Providence)

Bartender Los Angeles

INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Would you say that you have any cocktail mentors?

Probably every bartender that I come across, and every guest who comes to my bar, because you never know who’s sitting at your bar. You never know what they’ve done or where they’ve been. For all you know it could be – I know who Dale DeGroff is – but other bartenders might not. You have no idea who you’re going to come across, and every bartender – even if they’re doing club bartending – there’s a perspective they’ll have that I don’t. They’ve cultivated a certain way to get things in order mentally, so they’re able to do things more quickly. A restaurant bartender is maybe able to do presentation with their cocktails in a way that maybe I haven’t thought of before. Or a hotel bartender who batches for a big event by the pool. So everybody has something different to offer. I think I learned in London, no matter how much you think you’re learning, there’s always someone else learning something else. Being able to pool from that collective knowledge is really important.

What are some other bars that you enjoy drinking at?

Definitely Copa d’Oro because Vincenzo [Marianella] is there. He’s definitely a hero of our community. He’s done so much. I remember when I came back to Los Angeles from London, I felt like I was speaking a completely different language, and nobody could understand what I was talking about, and I met up with Vincenzo and thought, thank god there’s somebody here. Someone understands. Also I haven’t been to Roger Room in awhile, but Damian Windsor is just phenomenal, hands down one of my favorite people. As a person, he’s also really humble, always open and aware that there’s a whole world of cocktails out there, and always trying to express that creatively. Then Matt [Biancaniello] at the Library Bar, who’s doing things with savory cocktails that are insane, so cool. Also, obviously, a lot of places downtown, but I don’t get downtown too often, not as much.

What’s a great simple cocktail for people to make at home, and what would the recipe be?

Fro the summertime, Pimm’s, and Pimm’s is such an easy cocktail to make. A lot of people do things to it they think need to be done to it, that you really don’t need to do. Basically put Pimm’s in a big pitcher, throw in whatever berries you have around, and some cucumber slices. Take your potato peeler, peel off some cucumber slices, cut them in half and throw them in the pitcher with some mint, and let it sit there until your friends come around. When they come around, put some ice in a glass, put in your Pimm’s in a glass and top it with ginger ale or soda, whichever you prefer. There you go, and drink. It’s great for the summer and for having people around as well.

You make your own bitters. Can you talk about why that’s important to you, and why you started doing it?

I started doing it because there was something that I need for a drink, and it wasn’t available. I think that’s generally how people start either making a liquor or liqueur or even a bitters. You need something for a drink and it’s good but it’s not great. You know the thing that’s going to make it great is this thing. That’s what happens. I used to make a Basil Collins with cucumber, and I couldn’t get the basil to stand out enough because the cucumber would soften it, so I made a basil bitters with four different types of basil: Thai basil, globe basil, regular garden-variety and a touch of lemon verbena, which is in the family as well, and it brought it up to such a level that it changed the drink.

It’s always based on getting the flavor you need to balance out your cocktail. That’s where it comes from. It’s always based on that balancing element, and that’s what bitters does for a drink.

If you could drink one more glass, what would it be filled with?

That’s just mean. And never anything else, ever again?

Yes.

This is the hardest. I think probably an Old Pal. It’s kind of like having two drinks in one. It’s kind of like having a Negroni and kind of like having a Manhattan. I’m just greedy.

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Blog Comments

what is Zahra Bates recipe for the BLOODY MARY TOMATO
OR does Zahra have a Mixologist Recipe book that she might be putting on the market
I love her cocktails she creates

[…] It’s more like I have favorite bartenders. I love drinking at Providence and watching Zahra [Bates] work. I’ll drink whatever she’s making. At home, I’d smoke a cigar and drink  […]

Inspiring. Thank you for the interview!

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My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!

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