Marcell Keys talks Florida’s Most Iconic Cocktails, His Approach to Mixology, and How to Get the Bartender’s Attention Every Time.
Marcell Keys isn’t your average beverage manager. In fact, nothing about Marcell Keys’ rise to become Chops’ Beverage Manager is normal. While Marcell has been at Chops since the day it opened, he first worked as a server before being promoted to Manager, then Beverage Manager, and eventually found his passion studying wine and becoming the newest member of the Guild of Sommeliers.
Walk into Chops on any given day between the hours of 5:00 and 7:00 and you’ll find one of the busiest happy hours in town. Sure, there are $8 martinis and a tempting array of appetizers, but perhaps the real key to a buzzing bar is the creativity of the people who work behind it.
Being a bar manager isn’t just about mixing fantastic cocktails. For Chops, a restaurant concept already thriving in Atlanta, the challenge was to curate a menu that fit with Boca Raton’s culture.
“It was important to realize Boca Raton is a “martini-centric” type of city”, Marcell explains. He began to work within this idea and take a strong mixology approach to curating the menu. Chops takes advantage of the fresh fruits that are abundant in South Florida and he says it has made all the difference. Marcell’s style of mixology starts with the fresh fruit and juice and then the alcohol is added.
When asked what the “magic” behind Chops’ successful bar, Marcell explains that “Chops’ bar separates itself by bolstering an environment that is both expressively traditional and uniquely hip.”. Beyond the actual atmosphere of the restaurant, we see this on the specialty cocktail menu itself. With options like the “Perfect Negroni Martini” and the “Platinum Mule”, it’s clear that Chops favors traditional American steakhouse libations, but is determined to deliver something fresh and unique.
And the drinks you’ve sipped on at Chops? Marcell probably named them. The more outrageous the name, the better according to Marcell. “ The fun starts with the name”, Marcell says, and he’s onto something as “The Gold Digger Martini” is easily their most ordered martini.
In the case of most great bars, Chops is constantly busy. While Chops has a longstanding reputation for being a haunt for Boca’s most glamourous, Marcell points out that the long bar and lounge seating in the restaurant are 100% first-come-first-served. Macell’s tips for getting the bartender’s attention every time? “ The two best ways takes us all back to when times were much more simple. Either politely, without yelling, raise your hand (as if ready to answer a teacher’s question in class) or wait to catch the bartender’s eye and smile (as if you had a secret to tell…lean in and give your order).”
Read More
The Monteleone is the brainchild of Manager Tommy Mclaren, who has been with Bistro Niko since its opening in 2009. He’s the kind of guy who’s always pulling bottles down from the bar, urging you to try what he’s creating, and thinking aloud about what he might try next. In short, he’s exactly the kind of guy you want to talk (and taste) cocktails with.
Fascinated by the New Orleans cocktail renaissance of the mid-1800s, Mclaren began with a fixation on the Sazerac. He then he moved on to the Vieux Carre, a lesser-known bourbon and cognac-based drink that was created by the head bartender at you guessed it, The Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans in 1938. His intention was to take the spirit of what was happening then, the intense creativity, the serious devotion to high quality spirits, and translate it into a cocktail that people would enjoy and appreciate today.
Mclaren has been perfecting the drink for several months. His original vision was a drink that was dark and solid, essentially a dream for serious bourbon drinkers, and the written recipe fully suggests it would be. But, after weeks of turning the barrel and patiently waiting for the first taste, Mclaren found a cocktail that was complex with a balanced sweetness and had bright, underlying notes of ripe citrus. So if you can’t quite put your finger on what’s so surprisingly special about this drink, you’re not alone. It wasn’t until the next batch that Mclaren discovered that the port barrel was responsible for unlocking the complexity of the dry curacao, yielding complex flavors of orange, not one-dimensional sweetness.
McLaren recommends making a large batch (half gallon) of this cocktail for your next party for easy hosting.
Mclaren recommends making a large batch (half gallon) of this cocktail for your next party for easy hosting.
The Monteleone Cocktail
12 cups Angel’s Envy Bourbon (12 cups)
2 cups Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao (2 cups)
2 cups Dolin Rouge Sweet Vermouth (2 cups)
2 dashes Bitters 18.21 original bitters (add in each glass before serving serving)
Combine first three ingredients and allow to age 3 to 6 weeks.
When ready to serve, add 2 dashes bitters in a lowball glass with one large cube ice and top with the aged drink.
You know the friend who always makes entertaining look effortless? Treat them with festive hand towels. The best part? They’ll even be able to use the Ultimate Dining Card at Pano’s Food Shop and Corner Cafe to pick up a platter of hors d’oeuvres or dessert for their next soiree.
Give a much needed date night, and add an extra touch of thoughtfulness by offering to babysit. Truly the ultimate gift for new parents.
