David Perez from Miami is the Disaronno Mixing Star of the U.S.

By Chilled Magazine

Disaronno is excited to announce David Perez from Miami as the Disaronno Mixing Star of the US with his cocktail, the Fresco, which included Disaronno, homemade vanilla apricot Orgeat, lemon juice, peach juice, Osborne Manzanilla sherry, egg whites and St. George Absinthe.

David Perez

David Perez

Photo Courtesy of Ben Lozovosky

Recently at New York City hotspot No. 8, six of the nation’s top bartenders, each selected from thousands of submissions from a different region of the country, competed in a head-to-head challenge for the title of the Disaronno Mixing Star of the US. This year’s finalist, David Perez, is from the famed 27 Restaurant and Bar in Miami. He will head to New Orleans this July where he will showcase his winning cocktail at Tales of the Cocktail with the 14 other global winners of the Disaronno Mixing Star Program. Perez celebrated the victory by serving up his winning cocktail to the delighted guests.

Mixing Star Cast with Judges

Mixing Star Cast with Judges

Photo Courtesy of Ben Lozovosky

The evening’s competition was split into technical judging and a popular vote. The technical judging was done by Disaronno Brand Ambassador, Paul Sevigny, famed spirits writer, Camper English, and last year’s US Mixing Star winner and USBG Reno Chapter President, Nicole Barker. To decide the popular vote, New York City’s craft cocktail enthusiasts were seen sipping on each of the regional winner’s Disaronno cocktails and then cast their vote for their favorite.

The Fresco

The Fresco

Photo Courtesy of Ben Lozovosky

Winning Cocktail: The Fresco

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz. Disaronno Originale
  • 3/4 oz. Home Made Vanilla Apricot Orgeat
  • 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Peach Juice
  • 1/2 Osborne Manzanilla Sherry
  • Egg White, 1 Whole Egg White
  • St. George Absinthe Rinse Inside the Coupe, 1 Spray

David Perez, 27 Restaurant and Bar, Miami

David Perez started his career in hospitality as a busser/barback in a fine dining establishment located in the Coral Gables neighborhood of Miami, FL. A native of Chicago, IL, he used his Windy City-blue collar work ethic to eventually land him promotions that would take him through every front-of-the-house position from runner, to server, to supervisor, to bartender. That final promotion would give him an itch he couldn’t scratch as he became fascinated with the intricacies of the cocktail world.

Through vigorous studying he started to elevate his craft, eventually creating cocktail menus for local gastropubs located in the Miami area and winning local competitions. He has also been under the wing of some of Miami top mixologists in Julio Cabrerra and Danny Valdez when he tended bar at the 1930’s House located inside the Thompson Hotel in Miami Beach, as well as his present place of employment at 27 Restaurant and Bar also located in Miami Beach, under Gabe Orta and Elad Zhvi of Broken Shaker fame.

“I continue to push myself to be the best I can be and can only hope to achieve success in the craft that I have such passion for. The Mixing Star competition gives me conformation that I’m on the right path with my unlikely twist on the Disaronno Sour, the Fresco.”
– David Perez on his winning cocktail

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