Dinner with

TESS POSTHUMUS

If you're in the mood for a cocktail you should slide up to Tess at the bar. Which café that is, is still a bit of a question, as she takes her shaker, knife, muddler, and strainer with her to different places each time. Tess, the best female bartender there is, gives many cocktail courses, prepares bartenders for the adult world, and occasionally stands behind the coolest bars in the city herself. But more importantly to tell you is that the book ‘Cocktails with Tess’ has recently hit the shelves, so you can easily get started at home with a shaker. Tess gives you 100 cocktail recipes, shares fun anecdotes with you and provides you with a lot of useful information about drinks and syrups, different glasses, and techniques. Then you can really show off in front of your friends.

Where in the world is your favorite restaurant?

‘That's actually very close, three streets from my house in Amsterdam. Restaurant Breda is an incredibly beautiful and delicious restaurant on the Singel and is run by three of my best friends. We've known each other since high school in Breda. Guillaume de Beer and Freek van Noortwijk are the chefs, and they can really work magic, while Johanneke van Iwaarden runs the front and selects the finest wines to pair with the dishes. A wonderful place!’

And who would you really like to have dinner with? It can be anyone.

‘Jamie Oliver is a great role model for me, and I would love to pick his brain for an evening. I've often shouted in interviews that I want to be ‘the Jamie Oliver of cocktails.’ The cocktail book has been accomplished, and my own line of bar products is coming out in October. Now just a few of my own establishments and a nice television program.’

Where do you prefer to sit in a restaurant?

‘I prefer to sit at the bar. That's where I feel at home. But no jokes, if a restaurant has a bar, I like to sit there. It always feels a bit less formal, and you often have a good overview of the entire place. I always enjoy watching the hustle and bustle, seeing which bottles are on the back bar, and if there's an open kitchen, you can often get a perfect view from the bar to see how the chefs plate their dishes.’

What do you always hope is on a menu?

‘Again, maybe a typical bartender answer, but I always hope they do something fun with other (non-)alcoholic drinks besides the standard soft drinks and wines. As for food, I’m always happy if there's steak on the menu. Then I can choose experimental options if I'm in the mood, but I can also safely opt for something familiar and classic.’

And is there something you really dislike? If so, tell me.

‘You make me very unhappy with a chef's menu full of organ meats, and fatty meats like pork belly are also not really my thing. I often find the taste quite nice, but I have issues with the texture.’

Do you find your way on the wine list, or do you always drink cocktails?

‘To be honest, I don't always navigate the wine list well. I know what I generally like and what I can pair it with, but I'm never a hundred percent sure of my choice when selecting wine from a list. Luckily, I have friends who are very good with wine, so I usually let them pick something nice for me.’

Starter or dessert?

‘Appetizer. I really love salty and savory. But I can always find a spot for a dessert with salted caramel, you know.’

And, let's say, you're cooking for a date for the first time. Which cocktail should you start with and why?

‘Ooh, tricky... It completely depends on what you're going to cook and what your date likes. But a refreshing cocktail with champagne (like a French 75, for example) might be a safe and festive opener.’

What fun project are you currently working on?

‘Right now, I'm very busy preparing for a gin presentation that I'm going to give in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail. That's the most important conference in my industry and a week full of seminars, tastings, and events. Everyone who plays a bit internationally will be there, and the room will be filled with wonderful bartender nerds. And of course, I don't want to get a question that I can't answer. As a break, I'm also busy finalizing the last details for The Collection, by Tess Posthumus. That's my own product line, including cocktail shakers, jiggers, and bar spoons, which will be released in October.’

Do you want to buy the book “Cocktails with Tess”? You can then here.