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DC Cocktail Week is Back at 75+ Area Restaurants and with Seven Marquee Virtual Events

November 11, 2020

Cocktail Enthusiasts, Local and International Experts, Acclaimed Chefs, and Entertainers Host Virtual Happy Hours and Cocktail How-Tos

Washington, DC (November 10, 2020)—Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) kicks off its celebration of cocktail culture and restaurants as DC Cocktail Week returns – with a twist – November 16-22, 2020, at more than 75 restaurants across the Metropolitan Washington region. Diners can enjoy thoughtfully and deliciously paired cocktails and small plates from restaurants next week as chefs and mixologists collaborate to present unique tasting experiences.

The limited-time food and drink pairings are available for indoor and outdoor dining, takeout, delivery, and curbside pickup depending on the participant. Select restaurants will also offer cocktail-kits-to-go, where diners can order the kit and make the cocktail in the comfort of their own home with easy-to-follow instructions or video tutorials.

NEW this year: Cocktail Week offers an impressive lineup of seven marquee virtual events that fuel cocktail and mocktail intrigue for foodies and spirited enthusiasts, through live interactive conversations, educational programming, and exclusive experiences.

Diners can see the list of participating restaurants by visiting www.DCCocktailWeek.com to plan their dining out or at home experiences, as well as links to register for the marquee virtual events. The events are free, or require a minimum $1 donation to register, supporting the RAMW Worker Relief Fund. The virtual events require registration.

Monday, November 16, 2020

  • 5:30pm: What’s In Your Home Bar? Secrets of Great At-Home Cocktails
    • Featuring: Duane Sylvestre, Campari Group Representative, Cocktail Expert, and RAMMYS Cocktail Program of the Year Winner and 5x Finalist
  • Followed by: Rum Talk with Chef Peter Prime and Duane Sylvestre
    • From RAMMYS New Restaurant of the Year Cane, spend time with acclaimed Chef Peter Prime and Campari Group’s Duane Sylvestre as they explore rum, talk island food and drink pairings, and cook and mix drinks!
    • Moderator: Nevin Martell, DC-Based food and travel writer, parenting essayist, and photographer

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

  • 7:00PM: Industry Night with Nycci Nellis on Tommy McFLY and Kelly Collis’ Real.Fun.DC.
    • Industry Night brings you up close and personal with the trends and trendsetters across today’s diverse food, wine, spirits, brews and hospitality landscape. Tune in to join Nycci as she talks cocktails with the region’s best restaurants.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

  • 5:00PM: It’s 5:00 Somewhere in the World! Global Cocktails and Conversation from Capital Cities Around the World, presented by Perrier
    • Join Mr Lyan himself, Ryan Chetiyawardana, the “World’s Most Influential Bar World Figure” and winner of the 2020 Best American Cocktail Bar award for Silver Lyan at Riggs Washington, DC for a special industry talk with Editor-in-Chief of PUNCH Magazine, Talia Baiocchi. Welcome special guest bartenders from around the globe for a live on Zoom conversation on cocktails, the influence of capital cities around the globe and how they look to reflect the people, culture, history, future and landscape of a place. Be part of the fun as Mr Lyan his guest talents talk shop, make drinks, and share culture and recipes too.
    • Featuring: 
      • Ryan Chetiyawardana, A.K.A. Mr Lyan, Silver Lyan, White/Super Lyan, Cub, Dandelyan/Lyaness
      • Stephanie Polly Simbo, Behind Bars Akademia; Global Brand Manager Plantation Rums; Cape Town, South Africa
      • Liz Furlong, Maza Bistro, Bebedero; San Jose, Costa Rica
      • Chef Johnny Spero, Reverie; Washington, DC, USA
      • Vijay Mudaliar, Native Cocktail Bar; Singapore

Thursday November 19, 2020

  • 6:00PM: Food & Drink - The Art of Cocktail & Food Pairing, presented by Bacardi
    • Award-winning Chef and Bar teams at four of DC’s top restaurants come together for a conversation on the marriage of food and spirits as they cook and bartend in delicious collaboration. 
    • Moderator: Eun Yang, News4 Today Anchor/Reporter
    • Featuring: 
      • Maydan and Compass Rose: Chef Paola Velez, Executive Pastry Chef and Jess Weinstein, Development and Drinks
      • Serenata & Zumo: Andra Johnson Managing Partner & Beverage Director and Tatiana Mora Chef & Partner
  • Daikaya Izakaya: Chef/Partner Katsuya Fukushima and Beverage Director Nalee Kim
  • Jack Rose Dining Saloon: Chef Russell Jones and Beverage Director Andy Bixby

 Friday, November 20, 2020

  • 4:00PM: Who Said It Has to Be Liquid!? Boozy Frozen Delights with Dolcezza’s Violeta Edelman and Robb Duncan, presented by Campari

Friday, November 20, 2020

  • 5:00PM: Brightest Young Things and Bacardi Present “Community + Cocktails”
    • Bars and restaurants hold our communities together. They are the places we go to celebrate to congregate. They are our homes away from home. But we don’t just go to bars for the ambience, food or drink — we also go for the people. Join us on this Friday before Thanksgiving week as three of the most vibrant, community involved young bartenders mix some drinks for you, and catch up with artists, musicians, comedians and other creatives that make our community something worth cheering for.
    • Featuring: Andra Johnson of Serenata, Frank Mills of Roy Boys and Al Thompson of Thip Khao

Sunday, November 22, 2020

  • 3:00PM: NON-PROOF: Alcohol free and low-proof cocktails and conversation
    • In the past few years, in response to the rise of the sober-curious movement, a growing number of new brands and “mocktails” have entered our world, as nonalcoholic replacements for traditional spirits, but intended with the same purpose: sippable, mixable, complex drink ingredients intended to be enjoyed by adults. Join us for an afternoon of recipes, demos and conversations with some of the brightest, most creative voices working in the space today.
    • Featuring:
      • Derek Brown, spirits and cocktail expert, owner of award-winning Columbia Room, and author of Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World
      • Julian Bainbridge, James Beard Award-nominated food and beverage writer and editor, whose stories have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Food & Wine, among others.
      • Lauren Paylor, award-winning bar expert, formerly of Drink Co. and Silver Lyan, and co-founder and owner of Focus On Health
    • Sponsored by: Perrier and Bacardi North America

DC Cocktail Week sponsors include Bacardi North America, Perrier, Campari Group, PepsiCo, and Brightest Young Things.

To share and explore DC Cocktail Week experiences, guests can use the hashtag #DCCocktailWeek on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as tagging RAMW. Follow RAMW at @ramwdc on all platforms to hear the latest updates on DC Cocktail Week and other programming.

Contact media@ramw.org for images or further information about DC Cocktail Week.

Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)

The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is the regional trade association representing restaurants and the foodservice industry in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Established in 1920, RAMW is an advocate, resource and community for its members. The Association works to promote and sustain the growth and development of the industry while providing its members legislative and regulatory representation, marketing and small business support, programming and events. RAMW strives to serve its members with professionalism and integrity, and provide them the training, education and support they need to grow a successful business

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