World-acclaimed mixologist Cedric Mendoza has been appointed Head Bartender of Grain hotel bar at the Four Seasons Sydney.
Bar Manager Roderick Boerma said: “Cedric’s appointment and venture down under is exciting for the bars industry. Hotel bars in Australia are due for a comeback and that’s exactly what Cedric’s here to do.”
Mendoza was previously at Manhattan at Regent Singapore, the No.1 bar in Asia and No.3 in the world, according to The World’s 50 Best Bars 2018.
Home to the world’s first in-hotel rickhouse, Manhattan at Regent Singapore is a grand hotel bar inspired by the 19th century’s Golden Age of cocktails.
William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Bars said: “Singapore has accelerated rapidly to become one of the great cocktail cities of the world, with a high number of high quality bars and a concentration of great bartending talent, both imported and, increasingly, home-grown.”
Manhattan is also up for Best International Hotel Bar at the 2019 Spirited Awards.
It won’t be Mendoza’s first time behind the bar at Grain, as he joined the team for a Manhattan x Grain bar collaboration late 2018.
“The Sydney bar scene is evidently one of the most diverse and fascinating I have visited so far in the world – 25 countries and counting,” Mendoza said.
He agreed with Boerma prediction for future of hotel bars: “Hotel bars are making a comeback in the Sydney nightlife scene and quite rightly so.”
Mendoza has wasted no time in experimenting with local Australian produce, including soaking kangaroo in mezcal as he prepares for ‘Rye July’ a campaign Grain plans to launch in a few months’ time.
As for his favourite drink, Mendoza said: “I believe a drink of choice comes down to the destination and day of the week. I don’t like to play favourites and every day of the week inspires me differently.
“Mondays are best for daiquiris, light, fresh and good start to the week. Tuesday and Wednesdays are hard to get by therefore an Old Fashioned or Manhattan is the perfect cure. Thursdays we take things up a beat in preparation for the weekend with a Whisky Sour and Friday’s are a call for celebration with a Negroni in hand.
“Weekends are the days for breaking rules, so mix things up, try new flavours and a new style of drink – you never know how much you may end up like it!”
