Bar Design
Which factors make for great bar design? Key points include tailoring the space and equipment to its purpose, announcing the intent and expertise of the beverage program, and encouraging social interaction and flow. We’ll dive deep into the junction between equipment needed, design and function when developing and designing the bar space.
Moderator
Joe Carbonara
Editorial Director
Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Magazine
Panelist
Tobin Ellis
Hospitality Design Specialist
BarMagic
Tobin is a design and operations specialist with a combined 29 years in hospitality operations and 15 years in hospitality design whose work focuses on integrating the development, design, and operations processes. Since 1997, Tobin has helped develop hospitality concepts and designed bars from Honolulu to London, New York to Johannesburg for clients including The Starbucks Coffee Company, MGM Resorts, Marriott-Ritz Carlton, Caesars Entertainment, Hilton Hotels, Ford, Panasonic, Ace Hotels, Gaylord Hotels, Grand Wailea Resorts, and many more.
Called “a shot of adrenaline” by the New York Times, Tobin was born in Silicon Valley and raised in Upstate New York where he first made a name as a 6-time national bartending champion and world-renowned bar and hospitality trainer who now travels the world speaking to designers and operators on holistic high-volume hospitality design– a functionalist and collaborative approach to designing and scaling hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, corporate and retail spaces that seeks to balance discovery, immersion, and experience with throughput, profitability, and culturized hospitality.
Tobin’s body of multi-disciplinary work has helped win a slew of accredited hospitality awards including Best Hotel Bar in Las Vegas (2005), Best Lounge in Las Vegas (2005), Best Cocktails (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010), Best Hotel Opening (2011), 2nd runner up in PDCA’s PIPP Design Awards (2014), a 2015 GOOD DESIGN Award for his signature line of underbar equipment, and finalist in the 2016 FCSI Americas Innovation Showcase for Product of the Year.
Panelist
Peter Vestinos
Owner
The BarMedic
Peter is an award-winning, nationally recognized bartender and spirits professional with years of experience designing and implementing cocktail programs; training bartenders and sales teams; consulting with multiple spirit brands. With over 15 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry, he has worked at all levels of the business including behind the bar, distribution, and supplier.
In 2012 Vestinos launched the beverage consulting company, The BarMedic, to develop cocktail programs, train bartenders, assist with brand marketing, and to educate consumers through classes. Vestinos has developed cocktail programs for numerous prestigious Chicago locations.
In 2014, Vestinos was elected president of the Chicago Chapter of the U.S. Bartenders Guild and was appointed a chair position with USBG’s National Education Committee as head of cocktail education.
Prior to founding BarMedic, Vestinos pioneered the modern craft cocktail movement in Chicago with the opening of Michelin-starred Sepia in 2007 and was later recruited by Wirtz Beverage Group, one of the nation’s leading luxury and premium beverage alcohol wholesalers, in the role of beverage Development Director.
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