23/09/2026
Who are you and what’s your bar philosophy?
I’m Leo Fori, KINK’s new Beverage Director. My approach to drinks is built around storytelling, research and not taking ourselves too seriously. A cocktail can have a lot going on behind the scenes, but ultimately it has to connect with someone sitting at the bar.
I’ve been around the mixology moon and come out the other side. Cocktails need to be, first and foremost, easy to receive, understand and enjoy. The old speakeasy era of mixology, the bartender in moustache and suspenders lecturing the guest on some obscure clarification method, has run its course. Now is the moment for pop mixology: serious technique, accessible drinks, strong ideas and no homework required for the guest.
What’s your mixology hot take?
Service is a vocation. It’s a bit like priesthood or saving lives as a doctor, just with much lower stakes and better drinks. You have to genuinely enjoy taking care of people. Everything else can be taught.
What is KINK’s new bar program about?
Making difficult things taste easy. At KINK, the challenge is serving a huge volume of guests while keeping every drink creative, consistent and delicious, without the guest ever feeling the weight of the work behind it.
Our new bar menu, The Perfect Album, comes from the same idea. We treat the menu like a record. Every drink plays a different role, but tasted one after another, they flow naturally, like a great album you can just put on and enjoy.
The Perfect Album is out on September 28th. We look forward to seeing you at the bar.
📸 Nadav Dov Yahalomi