Meet The Mixologist: Sarah Kornegay

Sarah Kornegay is the bar supervisor at The Katharine Brasserie & Bar inside the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem, NC.

What was your first job in the beverage or hospitality industry? 

I started my career in the hospitality industry when I was 16 years old at a local bingo hall called Valley Hall Bingo. It was a delightfully greasy, dark, lively place where I worked every weekend with my friends serving hamburgers and frozen chocolate pies. From there, I went on to work almost exclusively in the hospitality industry. I was — and still am — hooked on the fast-paced nature of the work and the personality types of the people attracted to the industry.”          

What is your favorite spirit to work with at the moment? 

My favorite spirit to play with is tequila. I love that it has a reputation as being the “fun” spirit and that almost anyone I meet has a story that begins something like, “this one night I drank tequila….”

As I become more familiar with mixology, I also appreciate how varied the spirit is—a blanco tequila from the Highlands will taste completely different from a blanco tequila made with Lowland-grown agave. I also find that folks who have previously been exclusively “brown liquor” drinkers are apt to find an aged tequila that they enjoy sipping on as much as whiskey. When it comes to mixing cocktails, I appreciate that tequila plays nicely with bold and subdued flavors alike.

What is the focus or specialties of the beverage program at your bar? 

The Katharine’s focus is on modern interpretations of classic cocktails. For instance, one of our most popular cocktails currently is an Old Fashioned that we take a few steps further by barrel aging for a minimum of six weeks and then smoking tableside. This approach allows our guests to recognize familiar drinks on our menu but try them in a more adventurous way.

What drinks do you see guests enjoying or asking for these days? 

The Katharine’s guests have been gravitating toward spirit-free cocktails lately. To meet this demand, we have expanded our alcohol-free menu exponentially over the past few seasonal menu changes. We offer many 0.0% ABV beers, alcohol-free wines and cocktails made with spirit alternatives, such as Lyre’s, Seedlip and Ceder’s, as well as non-alcoholic bitters, including Dram and All the Bitters.

I have found that folks appreciate that they can enjoy a spirit-free version of popular cocktails like Espresso Martinis and Aperol Spritzes and also enjoy options that are just as creative as the rest of our cocktail menu. For example, we currently feature a drink called Faux Fizz that’s made with Ceder’s Classic N/A spirit, lavender simple syrup, lime juice and egg white. It’s then topped off with Dram’s Lavender & Lemongrass non-alcoholic bitters.

What’s your current go-to cocktail or beverage? 

The cocktail that I’m ordering for myself is either a Naked & Famous or a Gin & Tonic with a splash of Aperol. I love a Naked & Famous because it’s tart, balanced on the back of the palette, and nuanced from start to finish. I love a Gin & Tonic with a splash of Aperol because the hint of bitterness that Aperol brings offsets what is otherwise a sweet and herbaceous drink.

Would you share a recipe for one of the most popular at your bar, or one of your favorite drinks? 

My favorite cocktail on The Katharine’s summertime-inspired menu is the Melody & Silence.

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