Bartender / bar director
Brian Van Flandern
- Discipline
- Bartender / bar director
Portrait of Brian Van Flandern
i. Biography
Brian Van Flandern worked across bar programs where cocktail structure, ingredient selection, and service discipline mattered. At Per Se in New York City, he served as head mixologist from 2004 to 2007, with work centered on innovative cocktails built with fresh and exotic ingredients. That remit places the focus on the bar craft itself: balancing flavor, sourcing, and execution under fine-dining pressure.
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The Climb
Training at State University of New York gave Brian Van Flandern the formal base before the trade floor. He moved through New York bars as bartender at Esca and Ilo, then into mixology at Per Se, where technique and menu development carried more weight than volume alone. In 2007, he shifted into consulting at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel in New York, and from 2011 he served as global ambassador for tequila Don Julio at Don Julio. Since 2019, Brian has been Executive Director of mixology and Spirits Education of Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits.
Today
The calling card remains the same: innovative cocktails using fresh and exotic ingredients. In Brian Van Flandern's case, the recognition comes from working that brief across restaurant bars, consulting, brand representation, and Spirits Education.
Signature
Brian's signature dishes include Vintage Cocktails, Craft Cocktails, Celebrity Cocktails, Tequila Cocktails, and Whiskey Cocktails.
FAQ
Asked of Brian
What is Brian Van Flandern's current role?
As of 2026, Brian Van Flandern is Head Mixologist.
Where did Brian Van Flandern train or study?
Brian Van Flandern trained at State University of New York.
What recognition has Brian Van Flandern received?
Gourmand World Cookbook Award for best Cocktail book in the World (2009).
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The Sunday email
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Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
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