Tom Angel, head bartender, Kiyomi
Bartending is not work for me, it's a passion ...
Tom Angel is not just a man with an impeccable moustache, well he is, but he also happens to be an amazingly gifted bartender. So talented, in fact, he was recently named as one of the Top 100 bartenders in Australia at the Diageo World Class Competition, the world’s largest cocktail making contest. Tom has been shaking up cocktails for more than a decade and is currently the head bartender at Kiyomi at Jupiters Hotel & Casino so it’s fair to say he knows a thing or two about top-notch tipple. We caught up with Tom to chat about his signature swill and the perks of being a bartender.
Congratulations on being named one of the Top 100 bartenders in Australia at the Diageo World Class Competition! Tell us about the cocktail that won you a place?
The cocktail is called Baby’s Breath. I created this drink for my wife as part of our five-year wedding anniversary – baby’s breath are her favourite flowers. Sweetness from the Ciroc vodka being distilled from frost-snapped French grapes is a perfect marriage with dry French Provence Rosè, her favourite wine. She loves macadamias, so I threw some in there. I added orange blossom water and made an orgeat syrup, plus lemon tincture to get everything working in harmony.
The next step is to create another cocktail that will hopefully see you progress to the Top 25, can you give us any hints as to what that cocktail might contain?
The brief is to recreate a cocktail of yesteryear. I have taken a classic from the 1980s and 1990s and updated it with some native Australian ingredients. I’m hoping to bring some smiles to some faces with this drink and bring back some childhood memories.
Your specialty is creating a bespoke swill based on people’s moods. What would you make someone who needs some cheering up?
If they are feeling blue I might make them a blue cocktail using Blue Curacao with gold rum, elderflower and pineapple juice served on crushed ice. Great tasting drink but making it look unashamedly tacky usually cheers people up!
What are the hallmarks of a truly amazing cocktail?
Balance and simplicity is key. Some of the best drinks use between three and five ingredients. Use better quality, local and seasonal ingredients when possible.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with?
Yuzu juice is my favourite at the moment. We do an amazing Japanese Margarita at Kiyomi with Yuzu, Tequila, Cointreau and black salt. Yuzu is a unique japanese citrus that tastes like a cross between grapefruit and mandarin.
Are there two ingredients that should just never be mixed together?
I cry inside when a customer asks for high quality whisky with coke. The coke takes away from the subtle nuances and complexity from being aged in certain barrels. Trust your bartender and drink it with water or on an ice ball!
The espresso martini is certainly enjoying its day in the sun, what do you predict will be the next on-trend cocktail?
I don’t think the espresso martini is going away anytime soon! However I think a return to simplicity is on the books. Lower alcoholic cocktails that allow you to drink and be social for longer. I’m loving Aperol Spritz with olives at the moment.
Is there one that you wish would go away sometime soon?
Long Island iced teas. Enough said.
If you could create the Tom Angel cocktail, what would it include?
Anything with citrus and housemade grenadine I’m in heaven.
What are some of the perks of being a bartender?
I love meeting people from all walks of life. Making people happy, we are in the hospitality industry and there is no better feeling than seeing a guest leave with a big smile on their face, or when they come back to see me. I love being able to create something amazing and taste testing is always fun! I think my wife benefits more from this than I do!
Something people may not know about you is that you’re hearing impaired, that must present some challenges working in a crowded bar?
Before I got my cochlear implant at the age of 11, I relied on lip-reading to communicate and I have carried this skill with me. It certainly helps when the music is blaring and I think sometimes I might have an advantage over others! The cochlear implant is an amazing invention and I would not be able to do this job without it. I love the fact that I can show my eight year old son, who is also hearing impaired with two cochlear implants that we can do what we are passionate about.
When you’re not making amazing drinks for people, how do you like to spend your time?
I love to spend my time with my wife and two young boys. We might go on road trips to northern New South Wales. The kids get to see the country and I might find some new ingredients to work with. Bartending is not work for me, it’s a passion. Other times, you can’t beat having friends and family over with good wine!
FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Good Day Coffee in Tugun for coffee and The Cambus Wallace for rum.
Relax … The Village Markets.
Dine … Kiyomi, I know I work here but the food is so good! I also love Muso Ramen noodle and gyoza bar for their authentic ramen and Vice Baby in Miami is good for a midweek catch up.
Be inspired … The Farm Byron Bay and Buck’s Farm in Chillingham for native Australian ingredients.