Sean Muldoon

The Path

Sean Muldoon began by shaping two very different worlds, each demanding a different kind of discipline and instinct. Until 2013, he was director of a bar at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a role that placed him at the heart of hospitality, where the details of pace, polish, and personality matter as much as the pour itself. Then, from Belfast to Louisville, Kentucky, USA, his remit widened dramatically: until 2016, he served as senior vice president, research and development, quality assurance and supply chain at Papa John’s International Inc, where the work moved beyond the visible theatre of service into the more technical and unglamorous systems that keep a large operation running. That duality is central to understanding his trajectory. Muldoon has never been confined to a single lane; instead, he has worked across front-of-house energy and behind-the-scenes structure, the kind of career that requires both a feel for the room and a grip on the mechanics that support it. Since 2013, he has been co-owner and opener of The Dead Rabbit, a role that speaks to his reputation for building something from the ground up and carrying it into the world with conviction. Then, in 2016, his responsibilities at Papa John’s International Inc. evolved again, and he became chief ingredient officer, extending his influence into the choices and standards that shape what ultimately reaches the table.

The Work Today

Today, Sean is co-owner and opener at The Dead Rabbit, a title that suggests not only ownership, but authorship — the shaping of an experience from its earliest days. He is also chief ingredient officer at Papa John’s International Inc, where his work sits at the intersection of food development and supply-chain oversight. Together, those two posts define the breadth of his professional life: one rooted in the craft and character of hospitality, the other in the practical precision of food systems and product thinking. It is a combination that feels especially revealing. On one side is the energy of a bar concept that must live in the memory of its guests; on the other is the deep, often invisible labor of making sure ingredients, standards, and processes hold together at scale. Muldoon’s career has been built in the space between those worlds, where vision has to meet execution and ideas have to survive contact with reality.

In Their Words “I just need believers, I can do the rest. I just need people who believe.” The line captures a great deal about his approach: the confidence to lead, certainly, but also the recognition that ambitious work often begins with trust. For Muldoon, belief is not a decorative extra; it is the starting point, the essential spark that lets a project gather momentum.

Acclaim

Sean’s honors include Awards from Tales of the Cocktail and 50 Best, World’s Best Cocktail Bar, and Tales of the Cocktail awards. The recognition underscores the reach of his work and the respect his name has drawn across the industry, reflecting a career that has moved with purpose from one high-profile challenge to the next.