Restaurant critic, broadcaster, and jazz pianist Jay Rayner joins us At The Bar - and he’s not afraid to speak his mind! Known for his sharp wit on MasterChef and The Kitchen Cabinet, Jay brings the same no-nonsense energy to our drinking games.

From his disdain for Negronis and Espresso Martinis to the family favourite cocktail known as Blood and Pus, Jay shares his sharp opinions, funniest stories, and a few unexpected insights into food, wine and bar culture. Jack even takes on the challenge of reimagining Blood and Pus for the modern palate - with excellent results.

Highlights include:

• Why Negronis and Espresso Martinis are on his blacklist

• The Daiquiri as his ultimate bartender test

• The story of Blood and Pus – and its 2025 revival

• What restaurants get wrong with wine lists

📸 Follow us on Instagram:

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Luxury hospitality consultant and former Savoy and Artesian bar manager Anna Sebastian joins us At The Bar to talk champagne rituals, women in hospitality and the drinks that shaped her career.

Anna shares her journey from running some of London’s most iconic hotel bars to founding Celebrate Her, a global platform championing women in the drinks industry. She reflects on the “Negroni era” and the hangovers that came with it, why she still loves a Vodka Martini, and how the Picante has become a modern-day classic.

Finally, Jack creates her Dream Drink - a whimsical Unicorn Picante with champagne, tequila, glitter and marshmallow garnish - inspired by Anna’s love of unicorns and a tattoo shared with close friends.

Highlights include:

• Changing perceptions of hospitality careers

• Her views on what makes a great modern classic cocktail

• Why English sparkling wine deserves a place alongside champagne

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TV chef, restaurateur and Sunday Brunch co-host Simon Rimmer joins us At The Bar to talk local beers, dive bars and why he’ll never order an Espresso Martini.

In our Mailbox segment, Simon samples a Margarita twist made with Japanese La Tomato liqueur, before setting Jack the task of creating a cocktail with his chosen ingredient: chicken skin. The result? A smoky Tequila Old Fashioned with hot honey and a chicken skin wafer garnish.

Finally, Simon describes his happy place - Del Mar, California - and Jack builds his Dream Drink: a lemongrass and basil Piña Colada, served with full holiday vibes.

Highlights include:

• Calling the Espresso Martini “a fantastic bit of marketing but a crap drink”

• Why he’d rather be in a dive bar than a posh cocktail spot

• Championing local Manchester breweries like Cloudwater and Track

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BAFTA award-winning presenter, DJ and live-fire cooking legend DJ BBQ joins us At The Bar for a riot of stories, drinks and barbecue wisdom. From natural wines and dive bars to Jamie Oliver’s birthday parties and snowboarding with Jamiroquai, nothing is off-limits.

In our Mailbox segment, the team take on a smoky Chipotle liqueur - with DJ BBQ bringing his trademark party energy to the tasting. And for his Dream Drink, Jack goes big: the Smoky Cokey Cherry Floatie - peaty Islay whisky, cherry syrup, Old Bay seasoning, Coca-Cola and smoked ice cream. A barbecue-inspired cocktail that’s as playful as it is delicious.

Highlights include:

• The art of “Catertainment” – mixing food, fire and music

• Snowboarding with Jamiroquai and partying with Jamie Oliver

• His love of lagers and natural wine - and why IPAs aren’t his thing

• The ultimate BBQ-inspired Dream Drink – the Smoky Cokey Cherry Floatie

📸 Follow us on Instagram:

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Broadcaster, author and DJ, Nihal Arthanayake joins us At The Bar - and he’s full of stories. From being teetotal until 1997 to Sambuca disasters, from White Russians to London’s legendary Momo Bar, Nihal reflects on the highs and lows of nightlife and the role it’s played in his career and creativity.

He also takes on our games, choosing Pornstar Martinis over Negronis (“they just taste disgusting”), defending the Piña Colada as a marker of confidence, and telling the unforgettable story of a stag-do Daiquiri laced with Viagra.

Finally, Jack builds his Dream Drink - a coconut-and-mango creation inspired by Nihal’s Sri Lankan heritage, mixed with cinnamon, lychee and arrack, served in a coconut shell.

Highlights include:

• London’s lost nightlife and the Momo Bar

• Using bars as urinals

• Sri Lankan bar snacks

📸 Follow us on Instagram:

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Journalist and presenter Kate Quilton (Food Unwrapped, Channel 4) joins us At The Bar to talk craft beer, Oyster Martinis and childhood memories of growing up in pubs. Known for investigating what really goes into the food we eat, Kate brings that same curiosity to the drinks world - from her scepticism of Big Beer to her love of provenance, fermentation and flavour.

Highlights include:

• Lager nostalgia, craft vs mass production, and her early memories of pubs

• Oyster Martinis at The Suffolk - and why she calls oysters a “super food”

• Tasting Mahura, a resurrected Indian spirit, and Jack’s jasmine-inspired cocktail twist

• Kate’s Dream Drink, built from foraged and homemade ingredients - her favourite cocktail ever

📸 Follow us on Instagram:

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At The Bar is a new video series that brings together well-known names from food, drink, and broadcasting to share stories, swap opinions and celebrate cocktail culture.

Hosted by presenter Matty White, bartender Jack Sotti, and series producer Jon Almond, At The Bar blends unscripted conversation with imaginative cocktail creations.

Each episode invites a guest to share their personal drinking preferences and memorable experiences, while also exploring new and unusual drinks that challenge expectations and celebrate the creativity of modern cocktail culture.

It’s our Festive Fizz Christmas Special - and we’re popping the good stuff! 🥂

Luxury hospitality consultant Anna Sebastian returns to At The Bar to share a whopping EIGHT premium sparkling wines, from English Blanc de Blancs to legendary Champagne houses - all chosen for celebration, indulgence and those once-a-year moments worth splurging on. 🍾

This episode is less about price and more about pleasure: which bottles feel special, which deliver on the hype, and which deserve a place at your Christmas table?

Hosted by Matty White, Jon Almond & Jack Sotti.

Tasting order:

Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2019 • Fiol Rosé • Telmont Blanc de Noirs • Ruinart Blanc de Blancs • Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs • Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé • Veuve Clicquot Brut • Dom Pérignon Rosé 2009

And from all of us At The Bar, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas! 🎄

We’re kicking off Series Two of At The Bar with the brilliant GEORGE EGG - AKA The Snack Hacker! 

And when the comedian, creator, and author joined our hosts Matty White, Jack Sotti, and Jon Almond, things escalated quickly…

In this episode:

• Guinness, Irish whiskey, a vanilla milkshake and McDonald’s fries given a cinnamon sugar makeover, then dipped straight in. Our take on the famous Shamrock Shake. 🍀

• A brand new Challenge Jack, with George throwing down the gauntlet using BOVRIL. Will it cocktail?

• George’s Dream Drink - a multi-sensory experience with smoking bubbles, sweet doughnut aromas, and clarified cereal milk.

Along the way, we get into snack hacking, food snobbery, guilty pleasures, and why curiosity usually beats convention.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode!

What happens when Sorted Food step behind the bar?

Gochujang, steak as a cocktail garnish, and a level of chaos we probably should’ve anticipated.

In this episode of At The Bar, we’re joined by Jamie Spafford and Barry Taylor from global cooking community Sorted Food for a no-rules session around drinks, food, and strong opinions.

With drinks in hand, things escalate quickly.

Along the way:

• Discovering one of the world’s oldest lagers
• Cocktails built around bold flavours, including gochujang
• Taste tasting of some of the best canned cocktails on the market
• Big opinions on what does - and definitely doesn’t - belong near a drink

As ever, Jack Sotti is behind the bar doing the damage, while Matty White and Jon Almond keep things moving.

This episode is about curiosity over convention, flavour over fear, and what happens when food people wander into cocktail territory.

If you like your drinks conversations loose, opinionated, and a little unpredictable, this one’s for you!

Follow At The Bar for new episodes every week, and let us know:

Would you order a cocktail with a side of steak?

What happens when The Great British Bake Off meets At The Bar?

Miso and tahini in an Espresso Martini, Yakult in a matcha cocktail, and plenty of Bake Off secrets from behind the scenes.

In this episode, we’re joined by Crystelle Pereira - cook, author, Great British Bake Off finalist, and Series Judge on Amazon Prime’s The World Cook.

We talk drinks (obviously), and plenty more besides - from unexpected flavour combinations to life after Bake Off, Paul Hollywood vs Prue Leith, awkward interactions with Robert Pattinson, and what it’s really like when the cameras stop rolling after the Showstopper.

On the table:

🍸 A Miso Maple Espresso Ma-Tahini 

🥛 Yakult reimagined as a matcha cocktail

🔥 Strong opinions on sweet vs savoury drinks

🎥 Honest reflections on Bake Off, identity, and celebrity encounters

🍹 A Dream Drink built entirely around Crystelle’s favourite flavours

Jack Sotti is behind the bar, while presenter Matty White and producer Jon Almond keep the conversation moving - and occasionally stirring things up.

If you like drinks with opinions, flavour combinations that shouldn’t work (but somehow do), and conversations that feel more like the third round than a formal interview - you’re in the right place.

Follow for more episodes of At The Bar, and join us on Instagram:

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Big Ben. James Bond. And a Martini trolley that’s become part of London folklore.

In this episode of At The Bar, we’re joined by Ago Perrone, Director of Mixology at The Connaught Bar.

Yes, we talk Martinis - a lot.

But this conversation goes much deeper than specs and glassware.

We get into stirred vs shaken (and whether you’d ever correct James Bond), what it really takes to sustain world-class standards over nearly two decades, and why Ago sees mentorship as one of the most important parts of his role.

Along the way, we hear stories from behind the bar - including Pierce Brosnan as a guest, Russell Crowe’s unexpected cocktail order, and why people now come to The Connaught before they go to Big Ben.

Ago also swaps sides and delivers a full Connaught Martini experience - bespoke bitters, silent stirring, and that unmistakable pour from height.

We also explore Ago’s parallel life as an exhibiting photographer, how travel shapes his creative thinking, and finish with a Dream Drink inspired by Lake Como, Japan, and classic Italian flavours.

As ever, Jack Sotti is behind (and briefly in front of) the bar, while Matty White and Jon Almond try not to knock anything over.

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What happens when a pint-loving comedian walks into a cocktail bar?

This week we’re joined by Jack Skipper - comedian, touring stand-up, and social media favourite known for his brilliantly relatable takes on British life.

We talk pub culture, airport pints, the chaos of a day at the races, and why open mic nights still matter - even when you’re already going viral.

There’s debate over kids in pubs. A strategy for avoiding “the fear”. And a serious discussion about why 4% lager might just be the secret to going the distance.

Then our resident bartender Jack Sotti builds Jack’s Dream Drink - The Skipper - a cocktail designed to look exactly like a pint of lager and taste like a cup of tea, complete with Hobnob foam on top.

It shouldn’t work.

But it absolutely does.

Hosted by Matty White and Jon Almond.

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Buy tickets for Jack’s UK tour on his website:

http://jackskipper.com

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There are people who love pubs. And then there's Thomas J. Vosper - the man behind Historic Pub Crawls, who has made pub crawling his full-time job.

Thomas is a content creator, published author, and self-described professional drinker. With over 50 million views and a growing library of books covering London, England, Scotland, New York, and Ireland, he has turned a birthday pub crawl tradition into one of the most beloved channels in British pub culture.

In this episode, we get into how it all started - walking into 15 pubs on day one, getting knocked back by ten of them, and finding the one that said yes. We talk about what makes a great pub versus a favourite pub, why pub crawls aren't just for stag dos, and how people are flying in from Argentina with a list of Thomas's recommendations in their pocket.

There's a deep dive into the New York bar scene, the wishbones at McSorley's Old Ale House, and why Prohibition is the reason American bartenders are built different.

Then Jack goes fully historical for the Dream Drink - a 300-year-old ale flip, traditionally finished with a red-hot fire poker plunged straight into the mug. We couldn't do it quite like that. Health and safety had thoughts.

Hosted by Matty White and Jon Almond, with resident bartender Jack Sotti.

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Follow Thomas: https://instagram.com/historicpubcrawls

Get His Books: https://buythebooks.pub

What happens when a former F1 driver takes a pit stop At The Bar?

In this episode, former Williams driver Nicholas Latifi joins us with tequila, strong opinions, and a surprising amount to say about Nutella.

We start with a Tommy’s Margarita made using Nicholas’s own brand, Leve - a half-strength agave spirit created for people who want something between full-strength and alcohol-free.

From there, we get into what it’s actually like to make it to Formula 1, why Nicholas never became a beer guy, how a racing driver thinks about travel, weight, and performance, and why tiramisu might be a little overrated.

Then Jack builds Nick’s Dream Drink, the Monza Flip - a dessert cocktail inspired by Nutella, maple syrup, Italy and Canada, served with a freshly fried beaver tail on the side.

It sounds like a lot - but, as always, Jack delivers.

Hosted by Matty White and Jon Almond, with resident bartender Jack Sotti.

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A crab cocktail. Restaurant red flags. Michelin star pressure. And one very blue tongue!

Michelin-starred chef, author and familiar face from TV shows like Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen, Nathan Outlaw joins us At The Bar for a conversation about seafood, Cornwall, critics, influencers, hospitality, wine, pubs, and the reality of running restaurants at the top level.

Nathan tells us why he prefers à la carte to tasting menus, what really matters when guests walk through the door, why over-the-top hospitality can get weird very quickly, and what happens when Michelin inspectors come in for dinner.

Then, because this is At The Bar, we make him drink crab.

For Challenge Jack, Nathan chooses crab as the ingredient - so Jack creates a cognac-based seafood cocktail inspired by sauce Américaine, complete with roasted crab shells, butter, tomato liqueur and a crab called Pinchy.

For Nathan’s Dream Drink, Jack goes nostalgic: pub gardens, Calvados, Dandelion and Burdock, London Pride, salt and vinegar crisps, blue slushie energy and a packet of Salt ‘n’ Shake - all with a nod to Hawksmoor’s modern classic cocktail - Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew.

Hosted by Matty White and Jon Almond, with resident bartender Jack Sotti.

Nathan’s new book, On Fish, is available now from all good booksellers.

👇 Let us know in the comments:

1. Would you drink a crab cocktail?

2. What’s your biggest restaurant red flag?

3. Is wine pairing overrated?

Follow us on Spotify for more episodes of At The Bar.

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