I'm Joe Petch. I started bartending in Reading 2003 & somehow ended up living in a converted textiles factory in north London running festival & event bars. Things escalated after I established a consultancy business which led to me working with companies like Sony, Porsche, BAFTA, Glamour Magazine; this all led to working full time at William Grant & Sons. After a few amazing years with the UK team & Reyka Vodka I started work with Monkey Shoulder as their Global Ambassador, a role I had always been inspired by as a young bartender. From building a chainsaw powered cocktail shaker, a cement mixer truck bar & DJ platform, hosting the world’s loudest whisky tasting & a rocket-propelled old fashioned I feel like there are plenty of things to keep me busy for years to come….
Working with an infinitely creative team to support the bartending community & the freedom to make mad stuff happen! One example of this would be our pipeline of bartender tools such as our latest invention – The Trigger Jigger! Another huge example of this would be my home kitchen idea for a Cascara infused sweet vermouth back in 2016, WGS launch “Discarded Vermouth” in 2018 & it went on to win The Spirits Business #1 most innovative brand launch that year.
That’s a tough one! But seeing as the time right now its 11:15am here in the UK so right now I’d probably head to Sydney for last orders & fun times. As for narrowing it down to one bar that would all depend on where folks are, but we’d probably end up in Frankie’s
Way too many amazing cities to choose from… However, after living there for years & still a regular, London will always be up there for me. As well as brand new & historically amazing bars, it’s arguably one of the greatest melting pots of bartending talent in the world; where trends start & careers take off. Saying that there are plenty of cities out there hot on its heels!
Well, who doesn’t love a good party! I’ve definitely been to, found & organised more than I sometimes care to remember. But we all know they are different & depending on who you are with can go in all kinds of directions. But the best ones are always the after-parties with your close mates, usually with a beer in a kitchen somewhere talking about not talking about work….
Ideally the person I’m supposed to be meeting…. However, outside of any planned meeting I love speaking to anybody with a mad idea or impossibly random plan to get stuck into.
Water, a large one!
My absolute failsafe whatever the occasion is the pre-batched lazy old fashioned I keep in the fridge at all times… The current version is infused with Cascara tea concentrate & edible glitter…
With all good intentions, prevention is better than cure! However, for those occasional rough days, a long walk with my wife, our dog & pub lunch always helps, quite possibly with a Guinness or Bloody Mary on the side.
Booze hounds