As bar packages proceed to play a extra distinguished function in restaurant eating, Mario Martinez stands on the forefront of the craft cocktail motion, seamlessly mixing international inspiration with native components.
Pictures by Beckley
As Govt Mixologist for Travis Avenue Hospitality, he brings a deep understanding of service, spirits, and method to every of the group’s ideas, making certain that each cocktail displays the restaurant’s distinctive tradition and menu.
Martinez’s journey in hospitality started in 2009 at Gloria’s Latin Delicacies in Dallas, the place he honed his bartending expertise for seven years. From there, he expanded his experience at Mexican Sugar, Knox Bistro, and Cover Bar earlier than returning to Travis Avenue Hospitality in 2019 as Govt Mixologist. Beneath his management, the group’s bar packages have grow to be identified for his or her innovation, creativity, and meticulous execution.
Certainly one of Martinez’s standout creations is the Memoirs of a Geisha, a Japanese-inspired margarita that showcases his potential to mix surprising flavors. That includes Kikori Japanese whiskey, Clase Azul Plata, orange agave liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and keenness fruit syrup, this cocktail is elevated by a regionally sourced ardour fruit cordial from Dallas-based El Cantinero. By incorporating Amazonian ardour fruit, Peruvian lemongrass, and lime, Martinez introduces Asian spirits in a means that is still acquainted but subtle.
We sat down with Martinez to debate his inventive course of, inspirations, and the tendencies shaping the way forward for cocktails.
What sparked your ardour for mixology?
I’ve at all times liked the inventive means of constructing flavors from scratch—whether or not it’s crafting syrups, purées, or infusions. To me, mixology is like cooking with spirits. There’s one thing satisfying about experimenting with components and strategies to create one thing distinctive and memorable for our visitors.
How do you method creating a brand new cocktail menu for every of Travis Avenue Hospitality’s distinctive ideas?
I begin by researching what vegatables and fruits are in season, then construct a taste profile round them earlier than pairing the fitting spirit. Typically I’d plan to make use of tequila or bourbon, however after some trial and error, I understand the flavors work higher with gin or by mixing totally different spirits enhancing and bringing out different flavors. As soon as I finalize the cocktail, I take into account which idea it suits finest in.
Collaboration can be key—I like getting suggestions from totally different individuals and the cooks when I’m creating new cocktails and syrups.
What evokes your cocktail creations, and the way do you mix international influences with native components?
I’m continually exploring new concepts and researching totally different culinary strategies and discovering methods to make them my very own. Native and seasonal components play an enormous function in my course of, however I additionally pull inspiration from totally different cultures and international tendencies. Discovering a stability between what’s obtainable regionally and what’s taking place within the bigger cocktail world helps me create one thing recent but approachable.
Do you have got a specific technique for balancing flavors and experimenting with new components?
I begin with an thought of how I desire a cocktail to style, however the closing model typically evolves by way of a number of trials.
I like experimenting with totally different vegatables and fruits that may complement one another not solely in taste but in addition with shade. Should you can drink it with out alcohol, it’ll make an excellent balanced cocktail.
Are there any rising tendencies within the cocktail world that you just’re enthusiastic about?
There are such a lot of modern tendencies I’d love to include. There are some specialised machines and lab setups for bars which might be obtainable to create cocktails utilizing totally different strategies. I’m at all times in search of methods to carry new concepts into our areas in a means that is smart for our operations.
What’s a easy tip or trick that house bartenders might use to raise their very own cocktails?
Recent components make all of the distinction. One thing so simple as utilizing recent citrus can fully rework a cocktail, bringing out brighter and extra vibrant flavors. Small adjustments like this will take a house cocktail from common to distinctive.
