Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Suchan.
Josh, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story started when I graduated from Architecture school in 2009 — deep into the recession. I had helped pay for University by bartending, so I moved to Portland, Oregon to bartend until the bartending market revived itself. After a couple years I became impatient and moved to South Korea to teach English, regroup, and travel.
When I came back home, I landed a bartending gig that was my first introduction into the craft bartending scene. The home-made ingredients, references to history, context, and design gripped me immediately. I ran with it so much so that I had the opportunity to work with one of my biggest influences, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, before moving to Los Angeles to explore the cocktail scene here.
Since my move to LA in 2014, I created Ice and Alchemy to help restaurants and bars create solid cocktail programs that exemplify their concept, and that is grounded in contextual reasoning, detailed technique, and quality ingredients. It’s been an amazing ride establishing cocktail programs for smaller, family-owned restaurants to all the way up to corporate clients like the Foundation Room at the House of Blues in Anaheim.
My latest consultation, Otoño, a Spanish restaurant in Highland Park, was placed as one of LA’s top 13 cocktail spots by Eater soon after its opening in August 2018. I love educating and inspiring owners, bartenders, and home enthusiasts alike. I’m always excited to hear about how I can help someone’s vision come to life.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth or rough road, but it’s been an educational road, for sure! It’s exciting, exhausting, and humbling.
When I take on a project, I am all in. In the past, I wouldn’t sleep or eat until I got to a good stopping point in my creative process which would sometimes last a few days and nights. I am my own worst critic. It is a blessing considering my creativity, attention to detail and, strict standards of consistency has been a been part of how I got here today. It’s also been a curse because I demand so much from myself.
At one point the stresses got to me so intensely that I thought I should leave this career altogether.
Today, (in my 33 years of wisdom, ha!) I have modified my lifestyle so that I can better balance the stresses that come with this territory (early mornings, long days, late nights, booze). Life is very good, and I don’t see myself leaving this industry anytime soon!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ice and Alchemy – what should we know?
Ice and Alchemy is a cocktail consultation business that helps business owners navigate the modern day cocktail world in a way that best represents their bar/restaurant. I specialize in creating cocktails that explore the unexpected while being grounded in tradition and contextual reasoning. From there, I train management and staff to foster the highest sense of hospitality and ambiance.
Ice and Alchemy also hosts an Instagram account (@ice_and_alchemy) as a visual, educational platform where I hope to inspire professional bartenders and home enthusiasts.
I think what sets me apart from others is my experience and ability to make others just as excited as I am about any concept. I approach each project individually so that each cocktail tells a piece of the story of that specific space. I also know what it means to make that project sustainable and profitable. All of these things need to come together seamlessly.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are a lot of people who deserve credit on my journey. First, my beautiful wife, who has been by my side since day one and believed in me more than anyone. Next, my Portland mentors that guided my young, avid, mixology mind: Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Tony Gurdian. Third, every bar/restaurant/brand I have worked with. Each opportunity has helped me grow.
Lastly, those situations that ended up not being the right fit. These are great learning moments. From these moments, I sometimes find areas to improve my business. Other times, by not working together we have saved each other a lot of headaches and makes me available for the right opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iceandalchemy.com
- Phone: +15418448297
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @ice_and_alchemy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/iceandalchemy/
Image Credit:
DamonEats, Justin Sisson, Natasha Mounsey
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