CleverRoot

s u m m e r 2 0 1 7 | 5 3 J ohnny Spero and Juan Coronado are like-minded in their belief that the culinary and cocktail worlds are inextricably linked. "If you are a guest and you come into a restaurant for the first time, you need to see the synergy working from the dish to the drink," Coro- nado says. He remembers his early days in the restaurant industry, when a French chef declared the kitchen to be his domain and his alone, kicking everyone else out. Today, that way of thinking is stifling and outdated. So if your concept serves Asian food, he says, skip the Sidecar on the cocktail list and serve drinks influenced by ingredients on the food menu: saké, soju and seaweed, for example. "Bartenders should always leverage from the opportunity and buying power of the kitchen." Spero and Coronado met four and a half years ago, when they were both working under José Andrés, a chef known for creative and boundary-pushing food and drinks. The duo quickly discovered that the wall between kitchen and bar was, and should be, invisible, and developed a fast rapport. Today, Spero flexes that muscle as Executive Chef in one of D.C.'s hottest cocktail dens, and later in 2017, he'll open a modern-American restaurant in an historic alleyway in Georgetown. There, seats will be set around an open kitchen, giving Spero accountability and transparency, as well as instant gratification and feedback from his guests. Coronado is partner and creative director a Cuban café, bakery and bar with locations in Dupont "After tasting a cocktail, the way it makes your mouth feel texturally sometimes makes me think about a dish that would work well with it," says chef Johnny Spero as he collaborates with Juan Coronado. ONE CHEF AND ONE RUM EXPERT PARTNER UP FOR A CREATIVE MENU

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