Manhattan Cocktail Classic Begins Tomorrow

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, New York's first cocktail centered convention, begins tomorrow at Astor Center—or, at least, what they're calling a two-day preview of the real event, which will happen in May. I'll be there at the "Official Bar," which, I predict, will be where all the action is. As I reported for the New York Times, it will be manned by a rotating roster of fantastic bartenders from both New York and other parts of the country. I mentioned some of the brighter lights in the Times article, but here's a fuller tally:

Alex Day, Death & Co., NYC
Amanda Gager, Mandalay Bay Hotel/StripSteak, Las Vegas
Andrew Friedman, Liberty Bar, Seattle
Angus Winchester, Alconomics, London
Brian Matthys, Izakaya Ten, NYC
Brian Miller, Death & Co, NYC
Chris Bostick, The Varnish, LA
Charles Steadman, The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL
Chris Johnson, Bao 111, NYC
Christian Sanders, Prime Italian, Miami Beach, FL
Colin Appiah, NYC
Damon Dyer, Flatiron Lounge, NYC
Don Lee, Momofuku, NYC
Enzo Lim, The Standard, NYC
Gerry Corcoran, PDT, NYC
Giuseppe Gonzalez, Dutch Kills, NYC
Hillary Choo, Plunge at the Gansevoort South, Miami Beach
Jackie Patterson, Heaven's Dog, SF
Jackson Cannon, Eastern Standard, Boston
Jeremy Thompson, The Raines Law Room, NYC
Jim Meehan, PDT, NYC
Joaquin Simo, Death & Co., NYC
Joel Baker, Bourbon & Branch, SF
John Myers, The Grill Room, Portland, ME
John Deragon, PDT, NYC
Katie Stipe, Mayahuel, NYC
Kenta Goto, Pegu Club, NYC
Kevin Diedrich, Clover Club, NYC
Laura Cullen, Clark’s, Miami Beach
Leo Robitschek, Eleven Madison Park, NYC
Marshall Altier, Crosby Bar at Crosby Street Hotel, NYC
Michael Madrusan, Little Branch, NYC
Naren Young, Bobo, NYC
Neyah White, NOPA, SF
Phil Ward, Mayahuel, NYC
Rhiannon Enlil, Cure, New Orleans
Richie Boccato, Dutch Kills, NYC
Ryan Fitzgerald, Baretta, SF
Ryan Maybee, Manifesto, Kansas City, MO
Sean Kenyon, Steuben’s, Denver, CO
Tad Carducci, Tippling Bros. NYC
Todd Appel, Crimson Lounge-Hotel Sax, Chicago
Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, Craigie on Main, Cambridge, MA
Tonia Guffey, Prana, NYC

The following distaff members of the bar trade will step behind the bar until 1:30 PM on Saturday:

Charlotte Voisey
Julie Reiner
Elayne Duke
Katie Darling
Lisa Hare
Lynette Marrero
Vanessa Polk
Meaghan Dorman
Erin Williams
Eryn Reece
Franky Marshall

These folks, involved in other aspects of the convention, are also expected to mix a drink or two:

Aisha Sharpe, Contemporary Cocktails, NYC

Andy Seymour, aka wine geek, NYC
Willy Shine, Contemporary Cocktails, NYC
Steve Olson, aka wine geek, NYC
Tim Cooper, Contemporary Cocktails, NYC
Leo DeGroff, aka wine geek, NYC
Brent Lamberti, Contemporary Cocktails
Ben Clemons, 33 Libations, NYC
Carlos Yturria, San Francisco
Danny Valdez, New Orleans
Eric Alperin, The Varnish, LA
Jacques Bezuidenhout, San Francisco
John Lermayer, Morgan Hotel Group, Miami
Jon Santer, San Francisco
Jeff Grdinich, New Hampshire
Misty Kalkofen, Drink, Boston
Ricky Gomez, Cure, New Orleans
Matty Eggleston, The Milk of Paradise Spirits Co., LA

And don't be surprised if some others show up.