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Training for Mastery takes years of work and dedication, and after a certain point there is no road map in any industry that helps the novice graduate to the journeyman, and the journeyman transform into the master.
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In our first Bartending Masterclass, host & Master Bartender Michael J. Neff, discussed the different phases of mastery. This time, we’re focusing on Mastery of the Head with special guest Mr. Julian Cox.
Julian is widely viewed as one of the great culinary talents of Los Angeles and San Francisco. His work behind the bar earned him 3 consecutive James Beard nominations (2012-2014) for outstanding bar program for his trendsetting work at John Sedlar’s restaurant Rivera.
As Executive Director of Beverage for Sprout LA, Julian oversaw one of the largest restaurant expansions in LA history. Julian has worked with brightest culinary minds in the industry. He’s opened restaurants with Octavio Becerra, Nancy Silverton, Tim Hollingsworth, Ori Menache, Walter Manzke, Chris Bianco, David Myer, John Sedlar, Chad Robertson, Elizabeth Prueitt, and Doug Psaltis among many others. His restaurant experience covers opening over 50 restaurant and bar concepts in 10 different cities across the US.
In 2017, he was named one of the 10 most influential bartenders of the past decade by Food and Wine magazine. He spent two years in Chicago at Lettuce Entertain You, studying under legendary restauranteur Rich Melman.
Julian used his experience and business savvy to directly impact 144 million dollars of liquor sales across 9 properties for the restaurant group. At Three Dots and a Dash, Julian took a small craft cocktail tiki bar past 6 million in revenue and earned a nomination for America’s Best High Volume bar at Tales of the Cocktail in 2016.
In 2017, he moved to San Francisco to help Chad Robertson and Liz Prueitt attain their liquor license at Tartine Manufactory SF. He was tasked to open their San Francisco and SFO airport locations as well as project manage their openings in Korea and their upcoming location at The Row in Los Angeles. He recently oversaw the opening of Banc Of California stadium LAFC at The Fields in downtown Los Angeles.
Weird-tempo Banjo Tune: Sourwood Mountain
