Utah native Anu Apte got her start behind the bar in Salt Lake City and transitioned to Seattle, where she worked at bars like Vessel and BOKA Kitchen + Bar. In 2009, she teamed with fellow bartender Zane Harris on Rob Roy in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. We recently corresponded with Anu Apte via e-mail, and she better explained her background and approach.
Do you have a first cocktail memory, good or bad?
I think I had a lemon drop or a cosmo (or two) before I had my first real cocktail in 2006 at Zig Zag. It’s a great memory, although a bit hazy thanks to Kacy Fitch (I’m pretty sure it was him) who was working that night. I hadn’t seen bitters used in the way he was using them. He let me taste some of the things they had and were making in house. It was eye opening.
Did you become interested in spirits or cocktails first?
I didn’t taste hard alcohol until I was 21. Then I ran the gamut a little too quickly. I definitely did not take the time to appreciate or for that matter rate anything that I ingested. So, I’d have to say I was interested in cocktails first. I have a bit of a chemistry background and the combining of solutions to make something better and/or unique was fascinating.
What was your first bar job?
My first bar job was at a semi-divey place in Salt Lake City. I worked maybe twice a month for extra cash. The first mixed drink I learned was called a “cock sucking cowboy”. You can imagine what it looked like. I made a pretty killer lemon drop though. Heh!
Was there a moment you know you’d do this for a living?
Yes, definitely. I don’t remember the exact instance but it was sometime in 2005 or 2006 after moving to Seattle. The food and drink scene captured me. The culture here is passionate and knowledgeable. I realized that it is a career that would involve continued education, travel, close friends, fun and amazing opportunities. I was right. Bartending, and now owning a bar has been nothing but adventure blanketed in hospitality and an ever growing family. That’s all I’ve ever wanted in a career.
How did the Rob Roy opportunity come about?
I was bartending two nights a week at Rob Roy when I found out it was for sale. Somehow, I bought it!
Do you have any mentors? If so, who are they, and what did they teach you?
I do have mentors and co-horts that have pushed me.
Mentors: Kathy and Gordon Harris taught me how to manage and run a restaurant. My parents have taught me so much. My mom, Vinaya, taught me the importance of working hard to get ahead. My dad, Vinayak, taught me how to garden and meditate. Sounds strange but all those things are essential for a bartender.
Co-horts: Zane Harris for pushing the bounds of creativity and teaching me that it’s okay to let go and be a goof ball if I want to. Keenan Ahlo at Boka helped me realize that it doesn’t matter where you work you can still make great drinks. The crew at Rob Roy: Bryn Lumsden, Philip Trickey, Jamie Boudreau, and Andrew Bohrer, constantly keep me on my toes and I’ve learned a lot from them over the years.
Who are some other bartenders who haven’t worked with that you really admire, and how come?
Kacy Fitch, Ben Dougherty, and Murray Stenson are all inspirational. Robert Hess introduced me to the endless online resources available through his site. He taught me the importance of making a proper cocktail and using proper technique.
I have to keep this question and the previous limited to Seattle otherwise I would go on forever.
What was the last cocktail you developed, and what was your approach?
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