Iconic Sydney bar Old Mate’s Place is looking forward to its sixth birthday with a new staff line-up and a new cocktail menu, the bar’s first-ever concept menu.
Jay Cozma has joined the team in a group role, being the creative lead and will be heading up the group’s extensive internal training program.
The co-owners of Old Mate’s Group said: “If you know Jay, you know the man is an absolute encyclopedia of knowledge, so we are beyond stoked to have him on board.”
The changes have also seen ALIA 2023 Bartender of the Year, Sarah Mycock, who has been at the bar for five of its six years, take up the reigns as General Manager. The team have worked together on a new cocktail menu at the bar, which is the first concept menu and was designed to fit the fitout and vibe of the bar, as the owners explained.
“This is our 12th menu put out over the six years. It has been a massive work in progress for us as we decided to go all in and overhaul almost the entire menu, including the actual menu itself. It’s Old Mates Place’ first ever concept menu.
“Everything had to change, the design, the layout, the drinks and our approach. As a team, we put our heads together and thought about what guests love the most about their experience with us (besides our exceptional service and products, of course).
“We always get complimented on the fit out and vibe of the bar, so we really wanted to lean into the aesthetic that everyone seems to love – so we have based our 12th menu on book subheadings, like you’d find in a library.
“The menu consists of 14 cocktails which we have categorised into six different book subheadings. Think – Horror, Romance, Adventure etc.
“The entire team put together a banging collection of original cocktails, taking inspiration from our chosen books, some personal experiences and just our venue in general. There are so many stand out drinks in this menu, look out for some weird and wonderful ingredients such as sweet potato, Kimchi and kale. We were absolutely blown away by the cocktails the team put together, the list is a direct reflection of the creativity and hard work put in by everyone at Old Mate’s Place. We are all so excited to share what we have been working so hard on. Come on in and try them for yourself.”
Stay tuned to Bars and Clubs to hear more from Jay and Sarah about how they came up with the concept, categories and drinks for the new menu.
