We Ask Bartender Sara Chaudhuri about Using her Graphic Design Background in Cocktail Creation
Sara Chaudhuri, Lead Bartender at the One Michelin-starred Bresca and a Tales of the Cocktail Top 10 Semifinalist, leverages her background in graphic design to craft Bresca’s Ethos cocktail menu, blending life experiences with nostalgia and sentiment through unique ingredients.
Her journey in the industry began while studying art in New York, where she discovered her passion for hospitality while working at bars. Upon returning to D.C., she gained her first Michelin-star experience at Rose’s Luxury, where she found an outlet for her creativity in crafting cocktails. Two years ago, she joined Bresca and now leads their cocktail program.
Guests at Bresca can expect top-tier food and cocktails, coupled with exceptional hospitality. Sara ensures personalized touches, such as welcome cards for special occasions and treats for guests’ pets, making everyone feel at home while enjoying exquisite drinks. “We are very honored to be one of the best restaurant bars in Washington D.C., and I love being able to use the resources provided by the Michelin kitchen at Bresca and the two Michelin Star Chef’s Counter at Jônt in creating our cocktails. Working with pastry teams specifically has allowed me to really focus on the creations of garnishes that accentuate and enhance the cocktail.”
Before taking over the bar at Bresca, Sara admired the omakase cocktail flight called “Flavour,” which highlighted different singular ingredients. Inspired by this concept, she developed “Ethos,” a cocktail experience that creates a deeper emotional connection with guests through the evocative power of flavors. Each cocktail in Ethos follows an emotional narrative, representing a feeling, state of mind, or moment in time, structured as a journey through the day.
“The cocktails go from ‘Sunlight,’ the joy of the sun hitting your face on a cold day, to ‘Backyard Party,’ a lively margarita variation with your friends, to ‘Selfcare,’ a clarified milk punch that reminds you of a face wash and climbing into warm sheets, followed by ‘Warmth,’ a Manhattan that evokes the warmth of seeing an old friend, and finally, ‘Leisure,’ having the rest of the day to yourself. Ethos II features five different expressive cocktails: Dew, Bodega, Cinema, Home, and Fireside.”
The Sunlight, a cocktail inspired by the Airmail, was the first cocktail in the Ethos experience. “The idea was to create a universal experience in a glass: feeling the sunlight hitting your face on a cold day. You know how when the sun hits you, you feel that tingle and hope? That’s what the Champagne in the cocktail was supposed to represent. The cocktail also had Iichiko Shochu for the umami flavor and St. Germain because the elderflower blooms in the sun just like excitement blooms at the start of a new day. It was a cocktail to celebrate adventure and new beginnings.” Sara’s approach not only connects with guests on a personal level but also serves as a creative platform for Sara to experiment with complex cocktail-making techniques.
Sara’s inspiration comes from The Flavor Bible, which is her second favorite resource after consulting the Michelin Star chefs she works with. She often uses it to connect different flavor ideas and create uncommon combinations, such as adding raspberry to the rice tuile in the Sunrise/Sunset cocktail instead of beet for additional complexity. The book includes personal anecdotes from chefs about their signature dishes and philosophies, offering valuable insights for bartending. For bartenders who are interested in creating innovative cocktails and balancing color and flavor, Sara offers these tips: Always prioritize taste. Express yourself through your drinks, treating them as an art form. Balance is crucial, particularly with acids and vinegars. Lastly, be willing to discard elements that don’t work, even if you love them, to ensure the cocktail remains delicious, as that is the priority.
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