Meet The Mixologist: Sarah Kornegay

Sarah Kornegay is the bar supervisor at The Katharine Brasserie & Bar contained in the Kimpton Cardinal Lodge in Winston-Salem, NC.

What was your first job within the beverage or hospitality trade? 

I began my profession within the hospitality trade after I was 16 years outdated at a neighborhood bingo corridor referred to as Valley Corridor Bingo. It was a delightfully greasy, darkish, energetic place the place I labored each weekend with my associates serving hamburgers and frozen chocolate pies. From there, I went on to work virtually solely within the hospitality trade. I used to be — and nonetheless am — hooked on the fast-paced nature of the work and the character forms of the individuals drawn to the trade.”          

What’s your favourite spirit to work with in the intervening time? 

My favourite spirit to play with is tequila. I like that it has a fame as being the “enjoyable” spirit and that nearly anybody I meet has a narrative that begins one thing like, “this one night time I drank tequila….”

As I turn into extra accustomed to mixology, I additionally admire how diversified the spirit is—a blanco tequila from the Highlands will style fully totally different from a blanco tequila made with Lowland-grown agave. I additionally discover that people who’ve beforehand been solely “brown liquor” drinkers are apt to seek out an aged tequila that they take pleasure in sipping on as a lot as whiskey. On the subject of mixing cocktails, I admire that tequila performs properly with daring and subdued flavors alike.

What’s the focus or specialties of the beverage program at your bar? 

The Katharine’s focus is on trendy interpretations of traditional cocktails. As an illustration, one in every of our hottest cocktails presently is an Previous Customary that we take just a few steps additional by barrel getting old for at least six weeks after which smoking tableside. This method permits our company to acknowledge acquainted drinks on our menu however attempt them in a extra adventurous manner.

What drinks do you see company having fun with or asking for nowadays? 

The Katharine’s company have been gravitating towards spirit-free cocktails currently. To fulfill this demand, we’ve got expanded our alcohol-free menu exponentially over the previous few seasonal menu modifications. We provide many 0.0% ABV beers, alcohol-free wines and cocktails made with spirit alternate options, akin to Lyre’s, Seedlip and Ceder’s, in addition to non-alcoholic bitters, together with Dram and All of the Bitters.

I’ve discovered that people admire that they will take pleasure in a spirit-free model of fashionable cocktails like Espresso Martinis and Aperol Spritzes and in addition take pleasure in choices which are simply as artistic as the remainder of our cocktail menu. For instance, we presently characteristic a drink referred to as Fake Fizz that’s made with Ceder’s Traditional N/A spirit, lavender easy syrup, lime juice and egg white. It’s then topped off with Dram’s Lavender & Lemongrass non-alcoholic bitters.

What’s your present go-to cocktail or beverage? 

The cocktail that I’m ordering for myself is both a Bare & Well-known or a Gin & Tonic with a splash of Aperol. I like a Bare & Well-known as a result of it’s tart, balanced on the again of the palette, and nuanced from begin to end. I like a Gin & Tonic with a splash of Aperol as a result of the trace of bitterness that Aperol brings offsets what’s in any other case a candy and herbaceous drink.

Would you share a recipe for one of the vital fashionable at your bar, or one in every of your favourite drinks? 

My favourite cocktail on The Katharine’s summertime-inspired menu is the Melody & Silence.