“The Ori-san was the one drink I most enjoyed creating.” – Michael Rooney, Beverage Director, The Hall Global Eatery
Linked to the beverage programs at Broadway by Amar Santana, Vaca, and newly-opened The Hall at South Coast Plaza, Beverage Director Michael Rooney is the mentor every bartender should have. Knowledge, work ethic, communication and meditation are his tools of the trade.
Prior to joining Broadway, where were you working?
I was in Alaska running a restaurant on an island at the base of a glacier. A team of five, front and back, serving 140 people a day. It’s an impossible and special place; art borne of survivalism. It was the most challenging job I’ve ever had, and easily the most rewarding. After that summer, I traveled for three months. I landed at Broadway the day after my return.
What inspires you? Serve us an example of an inspired cocktail at The Hall.
Travel. I accrued my educational debt in planes, trains and cultural shock. I draw a lot of inspiration from inside through daydreaming, proper dreaming and meditation. Traveling is a mirror to the creative flame; it reflects it and gives it a new perspective.
The Ori-san was the one drink I most enjoyed creating. Global interpretations of root beer are boundless, and the cocktail uses Orris, a traditionally Moroccan root of the Iris flower. It’s a delicious Old-Fashioned variant.
Let’s discuss the aesthetic of the bar.
The bar undergoes a beautiful metamorphosis. It’s a bright and airy sunroom by day giving energy, not a cave zapping it. The daylight is mesmeric, the way it diffuses into the room. By night, the bar transitions to an alluring retreat. The pendant lamps and arabesque tiles flood the ambiance with an almost organic warmth.
We discussed how the hiring process can be complicated when filling an opening within an established team or creating a new one. Please elaborate on that.
We have established cultures within each restaurant. The clientele and service standards cross over, but the staff is made up of different personalities. The ways they communicate, debate, support, and function are markedly different; hiring must consider this. We look as much for mentality and philosophy as for professional capability.
We have strong veteran leadership behind the bar, and I’m encouraged by the generation entering the workforce. They have this remarkable trait—they don’t have an ego. I love the team we’ve assembled from a very deep talent pool.
How did you approach The Hall’s beverage program differently from Broadway? I want to also discuss the choices you make about supporting (or not supporting) certain brands.
Balancing house preference and guest preference is not difficult when you execute a strong vision. Developing alone was a novel concept, however. It’s been over six years since I’ve had to edit myself. Usually, I’m the editor. I’ve been fortunate to have Gaby Dion as a mentor and friend. Since she hired me at Broadway, she has driven me to constantly be better.
How does meditation factor into your well-being?
Meditation and stretching are the most underrated tools for the modern bartender. Sixty-plus hours a week of repetitive, physical movement breaks down the body. If you’re not meditating to counteract the diet of human energy you’re responsible to consume daily, your customer issues are going to start to become your issues. That’s just how it is. Stretching, breathing and meditation are, at their core, the exact opposite of the work of a bartender. It’s important to me my teams understand that.
The Hall Global Eatery, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street, Suite 1876, Costa Mesa; 714.515.5544 TheHallGE.com