Exclusive Video: Danny Meyer On The Art Of The Cocktail Bar

Food Republic is honored to sponsor Danny Meyer's keynote discussion at this year's Tales of the Cocktail celebration in New Orleans. The evening will include a lively talk moderated by Tales cofounder Paul Tuennerman at Harrah's Theater on Wednesday, July 15, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Tickets are currently available for the event here.

Why would Danny Meyer, creator of insanely popular dining destinations both fine and casual, want to go and open a lil' old cocktail lounge? Turns out he enjoys a Sazerac. Here, in this exclusive video, he talks about how a love of New Orleans and its tremendous cocktail culture influenced his new bar, Porchlight, in New York City. Plus: why he believes that "hospitality" is about to become a buzzword in cocktail circles; how his restaurants have launched the careers of top bartenders; and why you should be able to call the shots when you're at the bar. "Maybe 90 percent of the time you're willing to experiment when you go to a new bar, but there's that one drink that is your go-to," he says. "Our challenge is to make your go-to drink better than you've ever had it before." Watch him preach.