About this episode

The episode features a discussion with Jeff Bell and Richard Betts about the cocktail and hospitality industry, including trends in alcohol consumption and building premium brands.

Today we’re in the East Village, having cocktails at Please Don’t Tell - one of the most iconic cocktail bars in New York City. PDT is currently run by award-winning bartender Jeff Bell. Jeff started as a bar back in 2010, and now he owns the place. How about that? He joins us alongside Richard Betts. There are fewer than 300 Master Sommeliers in the entire world, and Richard was one of them. He’s also built some of the most distinctive brands in the industry, including Sombra Mezcal, Astral Tequila, and most recently Tequila Komos. We discuss the business of restaurants and hospitality, building a luxury tequila band, and trends in how alcohol is being consumed. Timecodes 00:00 Why Premium Brands Are Winning 00:50 Standing Table Opening 01:30 Inside PDT: New York's Iconic Speakeasy 02:47 Meet Jeff Bell & Richard Betts 03:35 How PDT Became a Global Cocktail Destination 05:29 Becoming a Master Sommelier 08:03 The Business of Restaurants & Hospitality 10:59 Building a Luxury Tequila Brand 14:04 Are Younger People Drinking Less? 16:03 The Secret to Building Authentic Brands 19:27 Social Media, Hospitality & Customer Experience 24:16 Advice for Future Entrepreneurs 25:38 Closing…

People in this episode

Guests: Jeff Bell, Richard Betts

Topics covered

• cocktail culture
• hospitality industry
• luxury tequila
• Master Sommelier
• restaurant business
• alcohol consumption trends

Keywords

• cocktails
• tequila
• Master Sommelier
• hospitality
• premium brands
• alcohol trends
• restaurant business

Sponsors

Apex Fintech Solutions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Please Don't Tell

Places: East Village, New York City

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