Congratulations to Max Curzon-Price of Suyo, the 2023 MICHELIN Guide Vancouver Exceptional Cocktail Award Winner! From working at rooftop gardens in Brooklyn to London clubs and Puerto Rican speakeasies, the England native's global influence is apparent in the cocktail program here. Below, the bar manager and Andrew Kong, the co-creator of Suyo's cocktail program, give the 101 on their favorites. Cheers!
How were you introduced to the world of cocktails?
I had the formative experience of being raised in a family restaurant, so I was constantly surrounded by hospitality from an early age. Naturally, the colorful allure of a 90’s cocktails caught my attention. It wasn’t until later on, when trying to select a career to pursue or a degree to commit to that I decided to get a job at a bar until I could figure it all out. I thought it would be a stop-gap, but I fell in love with the industry and I've never looked back.
- Max Curzon-Price
How has your relationship with cocktails changed?
This answer depends on perspective. The way I consume cocktails has certainly eased off. Thankfully, I have many less big nights and many more easy mornings compared to my early twenties when the excitement of the industry has a tendency to get the better of us. However, my perception of a cocktail's purpose has shifted over the years too. I don't see them so much as just a drink, but more of a vessel to communicate a story. As our society has started to shift into more mindful drinking, I feel as though there's space to make more thoughtful, impactful cocktails that give your guest something to think about whilst they enjoy the drink. Storytelling has always been a core tenet of what we do at Suyo, and I feel fortunate to help keep these stories and tales alive through our cocktail service.
- Max Curzon-Price
What are you drinking these days?
Lately, I've been exploring the incredible, expressive world of agave and dasylirion spirits. The market is starting to fill with a myriad of small batch, single Palenque products that are constantly surprising me. Yoowee Palmilla, for example, has an old mown grass and a weird brass instrument note which is fantastic. Meanwhile, the Mezonte Raicilla Tepe is piney and resinous with a note of burnt milk. Perhaps the beauty of these products is the lack of technology in the production. It's embracing wild fermentations and earth ovens that open the door to truly off-the-wall flavor profiles.
- Max Curzon-Price
Amaro and Vermouth mostly, it's really my nerdy obsession. They're both so versatile, has a huge range of flavors, lower ABV, and easy to introduce to people.
- Andrew Kong
Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Water! Sparkling water in particular. I've always been terrible at staying hydrated and I think that penny only dropped for me a couple years ago. It turns out, drinking a liter of water first thing in the morning and keeping hydrated throughout the day has magical effects! Who knew? I wish someone would've told me sooner.
Anyone who knows me well knows that an ice-cold bottle of Topo Chico is the way to my heart.
- Max Curzon-Price
Coffee of course! Turns out coffee is just as complex as the world of spirits! Espresso, pour overs, French press, mocha pots!
- Andrew Kong
How have your cocktail tastes changed over the years?
My tastes have grown and adapted. I've always had a deep affinity for Tiki, tropical and all-things rum, but I've become less enthusiastic about the over sweet and (almost always) unbalanced profiles of the drinks associated. It was always the playfulness of Tiki that I was most attracted to and that's something I still find myself channeling in my cocktails. There’s a lot of value in taking yourself seriously in the production of cocktails, but not overly serious in the delivery of them.
- Max Curzon-Price
I've been quite enjoying low ABV cocktails more and more, being able to drink without worrying about my next morning!
- Andrew Kong
What’s the biggest misconception about mixology or cocktails in general?
Perhaps the idea that the bartender isn't to be trusted or is trying to rip you off. For example, the current trend now is people trying to "out" their bartender as a scam artist by using large ice blocks to avoid filling your glass to the brim. I promise you, we all just want to make you a tasty drink, served well, that you’re going to enjoy over the course of 20 minutes or so. There’s no smoke and mirrors, there’s no big liquor robbery - promise!
- Max Curzon-Price
There's a general ignorance of cocktails in which people should learn to trust in bartenders/mixologists more, similar to having a conversation with a sommelier about what wine to drink. It's far more interesting to be adventurous and taste new concoctions or spirits, than to fall back on what you know, drink, or are comfortable with. I can certainly acknowledge that spirits typically get abused in many people's younger years, so there's a bit of an uphill battle to change people's perception of alcohol.
- Andrew Kong
What’s your ideal meal and pairing?
I suppose that really depends on the context and who I'm eating with. Spicy Thai and Spätlese riesling is special, but ice cold beer and 24 hour phó after a long day at work hits the spot nicely too. In fact, I think my favorite pairing this year was a bottle of Pierre Peters champagne and a tray of take out sushi that my partner and I shared off paper plates at sunset.
- Max Curzon-Price
One of my recent favorites has been Spanish tapas and sherries, nothing like a good gilda and a little fino sherry.
- Andrew Kong
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