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Tim Philips-Johansson
World's 50 Best Bars
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Built on classic cocktails and exacting bar work, Tim Philips-Johansson has built a career around precision, restraint, and respect for what lands in the glass. Melbourne is the starting point given, but the work now runs across multiple rooms and markets: as a global brand ambassador for Johnnie Walker, and through co-ownership of Bulletin Place in Sydney and Dead Ringer in Sydney, he stays tied to the trade even as the scope widens beyond a single bar seat. The throughline is not novelty; it is consistency, and a bar discipline that holds across service, ownership, and brand work.
The Climb
The bar discipline was formed at Black Pearl in Melbourne, Australia, where Tim Philips-Johansson began behind the bar and set the pace for the rest of his work. Milk & Honey in London, United Kingdom, Milk & Honey in New York, United States, and The Clubhouse in France each added another layer of technical repetition and judgment, in rooms where classic cocktail standards matter and there is little room for looseness. Those years established a way of working that favors clarity, control, and hospitality built on consistency. Ownership extended that same approach from service into venue-making. Tim Philips-Johansson became co-owner of Bulletin Place (since 2012), then co-owner of Dead Ringer (since 2016), taking on responsibility not just for drinks, but for the shape and rhythm of the bars themselves. In 2021, the role of global brand ambassador of Johnnie Walker added a wider platform without loosening the connection to the bar. Across each step, classic cocktails remain the reference point, and the standard stays exacting.
Today
Bulletin Place in Sydney and Dead Ringer in Sydney remain part of Tim Philips-Johansson’s day-to-day bar world through co-ownership. Alongside that, the global brand ambassador role for Johnnie Walker places him in broader conversation with drink culture, while keeping the work anchored in the same trade values that shaped his earlier years. Classic cocktails still sit at the center of that practice, giving the present a clear line back to the work that formed it. “My drink ethos is generally based on simple things, done perfectly, with great ingredients.” That approach reads as a working bar principle rather than a slogan: keep the parts clear, keep the execution tight, and let quality carry the drink. It is a plainspoken standard, and one that fits a career built on restraint, repetition, and confidence in the fundamentals.
Signature
Tim's signature dishes include Rhubi Mistelle.
In Their Words “My drink ethos is generally based on simple things, done perfectly, with great ingredients.”
Recognition
Tim's honors include Global Diageo World Class Champion (2012), UK Bartender of the Year (2011), and Australian Bartender of the Year (2011).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Tim
What is Tim Philips-Johansson's current role?
As of 2026, Tim Philips-Johansson is Global brand ambassador for Johnnie Walker.
Where did Tim Philips-Johansson work before?
Tim Philips-Johansson's earlier career included Black Pearl, Milk & Honey, and Milk & Honey.
What recognition has Tim Philips-Johansson received?
Global Diageo World Class Champion (2012).
