From Behind the Bar with Nicole Giampino of Platform 18

Nicole Giampino is the Bar Manager at Platform 18 at the Century Grand and a key part of the team that received the title of 2023’s “Best US Cocktail Bar” award from the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and No. 48 in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023.

Her rise in the industry is impressive, to say the least. At sixteen she began working in local dive bars and nightclubs in Portland, Maine. In 2017 she moved to Arizona and went from prep bartender to lead bartender, also taking charge of marketing and social media.

She joined Platform 18 in 2019, contributing to its success right from its inception. In 2022, she received the Executive Bourbon Steward Certification and was named one of the Top 24 Bartenders of North America, Most Imaginative Bartender by Bombay Sapphire and Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in 2022. Outside of work she participates in the charitable organization Speed Rack.

How would you describe your bar?

Platform 18 is a one-of-a-kind cocktail bar set inside a glamorous Presidential Pullman-inspired train car.

What drink have you created for a competition recently?

The last cocktail I made for a competition was for Most Imaginative Bartender 2023. My cocktail “Back in Focus” was inspired by how therapeutic photography was for me when I had to return to Maine during the Covid shutdown. The cocktail itself was very refreshing but the garnish of a sea bean salad worked hand in hand with the cocktail. The idea was to sip the cocktail and take a bite out of the salad. The savory salad brought out more citrus and spice notes of the cocktail while the cocktail brought out more of the vegetal flavors of the salad.

Back in Focus

2 oz Bombay Sapphire

3 Sea beans Muddled

3 Basil Leaves Muddled

2 Dashes St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram

.5 oz Lillet Blanc

.5 oz Amara Amaro

.5 oz Giffard Pamplemousse

.75 oz Lemon Juice

.25 oz Simple Syrup

Garnished with a Sea Bean Salad

25 grams Sea Beans

1 Bar Spoon Bombay Sapphire

3 grams Black Vinegar

3 grams toasted sesame oil

6 grams lemon juice

1 gram toasted sesame seeds

1 gram crushed black pepper

Put basil, and sea beans in a shaker tin, muddle, then pour the rest of the ingredients into the tin with ice, shake it up, double strain into a champagne flute. Having the cocktail in a champagne flute with centralize the aromas of citrus, gin, and sea beans.

For the salad garnish, combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, dry shake (with no ice) and then use tongs to plate the sea beans in a bowl.

How do you stay up to date with current drink trends?

A lot of the time it’s through social media and seeing what my peers around the world are doing. I am also very grateful to be around so many talented bartenders in Phoenix who are always trying to push the boundaries. We’re all nerds who are inspired by the science behind techniques and ingredients and not the trends. At Barter and Shake, the minds of Jason Asher and Jack Allen are astonishing. They can take the impossible and figure it out and then here I am going, “Okay, teach me how the heck you figured this out.” Then they’ll hand me a book and be so nonchalant about how they figured it out. Meanwhile, my jaw is on the floor because of how brilliant they are. I try to read as many articles and books as I possibly can given to me. I don’t have a tv so all I do is read.

Which new (or new to you) spirits brands have you been using lately and why?

Oh gosh, there are so many. However, I’ve been using two during my own time and they are Lost Irish Whiskey and Kiyomi Japanese Rum from (Helios Distillery). Lost Irish isn’t even sold in Arizona, but I can’t get enough of it. I’ve always been a whiskey girl and had the luck of having Lost Irish Whiskey be a sponsor of my cabin at Camp Runamok. That is where I met Tim Herlihy and Donna Stewart and tried Lost Irish for the first time. I absolutely adore the product as much as I adore the people behind it. While Lost Irish is fantastic to drink by itself and in cocktails, Kiyomi is weird which is why I like it.

Most of my education in spirits is based on the world of whiskey but rum? Rum was so foreign to me up until about a year ago. Kiyomi is a challenge to use and to balance in cocktails because there’s a lot going on. If someone asks for a savory martini, I usually go with Hendrick’s Neptunia but if they want to mess around, I’ll use Kiyomi with a little bit of dry vermouth and Lillet Blanc. It’s not for everyone but I like it.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

When the passion of my team becomes contagious to the guest and the other bar teams around us. Not just nerding out about cocktails and/or ingredients but the passion for just the hospitality industry in general. Reminding everyone we are there to not only create an exceptional experience with our cocktails but also in conversation and make people feel like people. We all are really trying to make the industry and cocktail world a better place for everyone, personally and professionally. I could not ask for a better squad. My team is the reason I love my job.

What’s the best thing to happen in your bar lately?

I think winning “Best US Cocktail Bar” from Tales of the Cocktail takes the cake. We’re still buzzing about it.

What do you get out of participating in bartender competitions?

In all honesty, I stopped participating in bartending competitions. I have nothing against them, I love bartending competitions. It’s the best way to make new friends while simultaneously learning and growing at a rapid pace. Now, I find more happiness helping people prepare for competitions. There’s such a gratifying feeling when someone I helped succeeds in a competition or even when they make a cocktail they are proud of. I love to revel in other people’s success.

Who’s your favorite bartender or mentor and why?

I don’t have a favorite bartender because who can? There are so many who bring a smile to my face thinking about them. I am lucky enough to have a team of mentors. They all help me be the best version I can be in different ways. Jason Asher, Jax Donahue, and Kailee Asher have all mentored me as a bartender. When I started at Platform 18, I was a server and had no clue about the depths the cocktail world has. They trained me in spirits, ingredients, classic cocktails, techniques, and flavors. The list goes on. Becoming a leader and being responsible for a team was the hard part which I owe to Cortnie Cozeck and Mat Snapp. They are the ones who saw my potential not just as a bartender but as a person. They knew what I needed to grow and be the leader I am today so I can be the one coaching and mentoring. I am so grateful I have a team who look out for me to grow with patience and grace; I owe everything to them.

How do you keep your team engaged and motivated?

I preach about the “Bigger Picture”. I constantly remind my team to look at the broader vision of what we are trying to accomplish which is creating an experience where every guest leaves with the thought, “Wow, that was something different. I can’t wait to do it again,” while also having an identity outside of this work. What we do is so special, it’s easy to get lost in the workload because we all care so much about making a difference not just in the craft but in a guest’s day-to-day life. I constantly remind them all we’re doing is pouring liquid into a glass and putting smiles on people’s faces.

You can hear me say, “Slow down to speed up,” or, “Bro, dude, give yourself some grace,” a lot during the shift. Making sure my team is taken care of on a basic human level is also something we practice. We all make sure everyone is given a 10-minute break to eat or just sit-down during service. We all remind each other to drink water. It sounds corny, but when people take care of each other it unites them.

The most important part of my job is probably explaining the why behind a decision or a change we must make. I never wanted to be the manager who said, “Because I said so,” because I am as much a part of the team as they are. I do not know everything, so I welcome feedback and different perspectives from my team. At least once a day someone asks me a question I don’t know the answer to, and we go find the answer together. If that’s not growing and rising together, I don’t know what is.

What’s your after-work drink?

A Bottle of Budweiser

What cocktail or spirits book have you read recently?

The Way of the Cocktail by Julia Momosé and The Science of Ice Cream by C. Clarke

Any techniques that you’ve been experimenting with?

Understanding how to make alcoholic ice cream has kind of taken over our lives in a good way.

What jigger do you use and why?

We use the “double jigger” technique for as much consistency and efficiency as possible. The Japanese style jiggers are perfect for this with a 2oz/1oz jigger in-between my thumb and pointer fingers and a .75oz/.5oz/.25oz jigger between my ring and pinky fingers. (See attached photo)

What advice would you have for your younger self or a bartender starting out today?

Hard work prevails. Always assume good intent but trust your gut. Do not let your ego get in the way of your growth. Give yourself some grace.