“For The Love Of Cocktails,” presented by BACK BAR USA in partnership with world-renowned mixologist and author Tony Abou-Ganim, United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG), Delano Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, and Herbs & Rye, will be an exciting three-day mixology event kicking off Thursday, Feb 12.
The headlining event will be the “For The Love Of Cocktails” gala held from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at Alain Ducasse’s miX, located on the 64th floor of Delano Las Vegas. More than 30 mixology stations with bartenders from Las Vegas and around the world will feature original cocktail recipes crafted with fresh ingredients. Guests will enjoy contemporary live entertainment while tasting passed hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie and other gourmet bites prepared by miX Executive Chef Bruno Riou. Tickets will be priced at $100 per person and are available on the For The Love Of Cocktails website. Proceeds will benefit the Helen David Relief Fund for Bartenders Affected by Breast Cancer, a charitable organization that assists women in the bar industry by providing pre-screening services for breast cancer.
In addition to the gala, “For the Love of Cocktails” will present an exciting weekend lineup of seminars and mixers to celebrate the craft of mixology. A detailed schedule for the weekend’s events can be found below:
Thursday, Feb. 12
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Meet The Masters Wine Dinner will be held at Aureole inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. This event will begin with champagne and wine cocktails by Abou-Ganim, Dale DeGroff and Francesco Lafranconi, followed by a five-course meal and wine pairing by Master Sommeliers including Bellagio’s Jason Smith, Charlie Palmer’s Steven Geddes and ARIA’s Nick Hetzel.
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Cocktails and Conversation will be held at Franklin inside Delano Las Vegas. Guests may mix and mingle with a number of participating mixologists and enjoy a cash bar. Admission will be complimentary with any For The Love of Cocktails ticket purchase.
Midnight to 4 a.m.: The Life of a Bartender will be held at Herbs & Rye, located at 3713 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, 89102. Attendees will gain insight into the post-shift lives of Las Vegas bartenders. Shuttles will transport attendees between Delano Las Vegas and Herbs & Rye.
Friday, Feb. 13
11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Cocktail Seminars & Interactive Classes will include: “Making Great Cocktails at Home: Hands On With Tony Abou-Ganim,” a ladies-only cocktail seminar led by Abou-Ganim, “I’ll Take Manhattans” with DeGroff, “Tacos and Tequila” with Julio Bermejo, “Seeds to the Glass” with Bridget Albert and Debbi Peek, and “For The Love Of Rum & Rhum” with Lafranconi. Admission is priced starting at $50 per person with limited seating available. More information about each seminar or class leader can be found at: www.fortheloveofcocktails.com.
7 p.m. to 10 p.m.: For The Love Of Cocktails Gala will be held at miX, located on the 64th floor of Delano Las Vegas. Attendees will enjoy original cocktail recipes from 30 mixology stations, each featuring a different brand or hospitality establishment such as Bellagio, ARIA or Cosmopolitan. Passed hors d’oeuvres and gourmet food stations by miX Executive Chef Bruno Riou will be available, complemented by live entertainment, optional VIP experiences, rare spirits tastings and cigar samplings. Proceeds will be donated to the Helen David Relief Fund.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Noon to 3 p.m.: Bloody Mary Brunch will be held at Della’s Kitchen inside Delano Las Vegas.
Guests may also take advantage of exclusive room packages at Delano Las Vegas. Additional information about the event, including participating bartenders and mixologists and ticket purchase details, is available at www.fortheloveofcocktails.com.
Back Bar USA is a full-service marketing, consulting and design firm with more than 25 years of experience in the beer, wine and spirits industries. Specializing in corporate and national account beverage programs with an emphasis on gaming, resorts, nightlife and fine dining, the company provides services ranging from menu development to ground-up venue concept, design and execution. Back Bar maintains an impressive portfolio of clients and brands. For more information, visit www.BackBarUSA.com.
For The Love Of Cocktails is a three-day event celebrating the art of mixology, hosted by BACK BAR USA in partnership with world-renowned mixologist and author Tony Abou-Ganim and the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG). Through a series of events held in Las Vegas, attendees will come together to experience great cocktails, celebrate mixology as a craft and support an incredible charitable foundation, The Helen David Relief Fund for Bartenders Affected by Breast Cancer. Tickets, priced at $100 per person, will grant guests access to specialty cocktails, hand crafted by Las Vegas’ top USBG bartenders, and may be purchased at http://www.fortheloveofcocktails.com.
The Helen David Relief Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a program of the USBG National Charity Foundation which honors the memory of Helen David, master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim’s aunt, beloved bar owner and community leader who lost her battle with breast cancer. In her honor, the Helen David Relief Fund assists women in the bar industry nationwide by providing pre-screening services for breast cancer.
The United States Bartenders’ Guild is an association comprised of the most skilled, knowledgeable, and professional bartenders in the industry and is dedicated to uniting professionals in service to the traditions of the bar and hospitality trade. After putting down California roots in 1948, the USBG incorporated as a nonprofit (50 years strong!) and are now active in 45 markets nationwide with another dozen in the process of forming. For more information or to become a member, visit http://www.usbg.org.
Tony Abou-Ganim is widely regarded as one of the pioneering and leading bar professionals in the world. He has made dozens of national TV appearances on shows including TODAY, Iron Chef America, Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox News and more. Abou-Ganim is the author of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails (Agate, 2010), which offers readers an in-depth look into spirits and ingredients available to today’s mixologist, both professional and amateur alike. This entertaining and informative journey will take readers from the early stages of the cocktail to what Abou-Ganim has come to deem “Modern Mixology.” Abou-Ganim also has a DVD to his credit, Modern Mixology: Making Great Cocktails at Home, and hosted the Fine Living program Raising the Bar: America’s Best Bar Chefs. Abou-Ganim has also won two Iron Chef America competitions; his first pairing cocktails with Iron Chef Mario Batali in “Battle Mango,” and most recently pairing cocktails in “Battle Tequila and Tortillas” with Iron Chef Jose Garces. His signature branded line of Modern Mixologist bar tools was released in early 2013, along with his second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate, 2013). Abou-Gamin is also a partner at Inoteca Liquori in New York City. www.themodernmixologist.com.
