Are Mixologists the New Celebrity Chefs?

What is a mixologist, and where did the word come from?

Surprisingly, “mixologist” entered the English language well over 150 years ago, in the mid-1800s, the first golden age of the American cocktail. The word may be old, but its current buzz is recent. Fueled by the foodie movement and a rising appetite for sophisticated flavors and presentation, today’s mixologists reach well beyond alcohol and juice, building drinks with spices, herbs, flowers, essential oils, and even kitchen leftovers in the name of originality.

By crafting drinks that are colorful and fun but always complex and balanced, mixologists have pulled new customers into bars and given connoisseurs a reason to rediscover the classics. It was only a matter of time before the public grew as curious about the artists as their creations.

Why did mixologists become celebrities?

It echoes the way celebrity chefs rose to fame. Mixologists were already stars within their world, with their own awards and trade press, but television took them mainstream. Shows like Spike’s (now Paramount Network’s) Bar Rescue introduced their wild concoctions to a huge audience, and newer competition formats like Netflix’s Drink Masters have kept the spotlight on. Extroverted, imaginative, and genuinely skilled, star mixologists carry a certain aura, and audiences tend to connect with them more readily than with executive or pastry chefs they rarely meet.

Behind the showmanship is a real movement. The most prestigious global contest, Diageo World Class, crowns a best bartender in the world each year and has become a launching pad for careers, much as a major award can make a chef.

Who are the most famous celebrity mixologists?

Among the most recognizable is Russell Davis, Nightclub & Bar Magazine’s 2012 Bartender of the Year, who rose to fame on Bar Rescue between 2013 and 2015 after sharpening his craft at San Francisco cocktail dens like Bourbon & Branch and Rickhouse. Known for fusing showmanship with real technique, he has since become a global consultant, helped create Netflix’s Drink Masters, and founded his own bartending school.

Then there’s Rob Floyd, whose theatrical, molecular-gastronomy-inspired drinks made his name: a Smoke on the Water built from atomized scotch, a Liquid Nitrogen Caipirinha whipped into a cloud-like slushie tableside. Today he runs Rob Floyd Entertainment, performs his patented “Cocktail Theatre” at events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl, serves as global mixologist for Princess Cruises, and co-founded the alcoholic whipped-cream brand Whipshots with Cardi B.

At the cutting edge sits Charles Joly, the former beverage director at Chicago’s The Aviary and winner of the 2014 Diageo World Class competition in London, where he was named the world’s best bartender. One of the first to obsess over carefully sourced produce and herbs, Joly built the Aviary’s James Beard–winning bar program, home to signatures like In the Rocks, a bourbon cocktail served inside an oversized ice sphere that must be cracked open. He later left to co-found Crafthouse Cocktails, a line of bottled drinks, and now serves as official mixologist for the Academy Awards and Emmys.

Star Mixologists, Then and Now

There is a catch: drinks at temples of the craft like The Aviary can run close to $20 apiece, which has sparked criticism that mixology adds little beyond pretension and good presentation.

Is “mixologist” a controversial term?

Within the trade, yes. Plenty of bartenders reject the “mixologist” label, arguing that it implies a hierarchy, with mixologists cast as first-class and everyone else as second. To them, the celebrity version only widens that divide. But that reading misses the point. At their best, mixologists are passionate professionals trying to raise the standards of their craft and share what they know, often through teaching, classes, and mentorship.

“Hospitality, hands down. Anyone can learn recipes.”

— Charles Joly, on the most important skill a bartender can have

That instinct, that the craft is ultimately about people, runs through the whole movement. The flash gets the cameras, but the professionals behind it tend to talk far more about balance, technique, and welcome than about spectacle.

What does the next generation of mixology look like?

Tellingly, the next wave often doesn’t use the word at all. Micah Melton, who succeeded Joly atop The Aviary’s beverage program, prefers “Ice Chef.” A chef by training who came up through culinary school before falling for cocktails, Melton brings a kitchen sensibility to the bar. His Loaded to the Gunwalls nods to the spice trade, with cinnamon and Batavia Arrack served inside a ship in a bottle, a candle lit beneath it so smoke and scent build as you wait.

The Aviary itself, the Alinea Group’s Chicago cocktail lounge from chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, helped put drinks on equal footing with food, with bartenders trained as chefs and a menu that runs from à la carte cocktails to a multi-drink tasting. So what actually separates a craft cocktail from a pour of spirits and mixer? A few things:

Whatever they call themselves, what unites these artists is genuine, passionate investment in the craft, and a desire to build a real emotional connection between a drink and the person enjoying it. Nothing wrong with that.

Frequently Asked Questions

🍸 The Mixology Movement at a Glance

Key facts about mixology and its celebrity stars.