The Cocktail Guy: Sushisamba mixologist Rich Woods presents his cocktail book

Rich Woods, aka The Cocktail Guy, presented his first recipe book at Sushisamba, where he is head of spirit and cocktail development. Featuring 70 of Woods’s iconic drinks – available globally at Sushisambas and at Duck and Waffle – and some of his new creations, this is the ultimate guide to modern cocktailing, whether you are a home enthusiast or professional bartender.

The mixologist’s signature style and cutting-edge cocktails make him one of the world’s most exciting bartenders; Woods oversees the development of ever-changing drinks programs across the globe, as well as creating new brands and products for the Sushisamba group.

“In this book, I hope that you find drinks that will both engage your senses and ignite your creative desire. Included are those that are ‘greatly simple’ and others that are ‘simply great’ – but might require a bit more effort on your part. With all the drinks, the approach is always the same. My aim is to take you step-by-step through the creative process and also to enlighten you as to where the ideas behind these drinks came from. After all, they say the devil is in the detail.”

“Whether you follow my recipes verbatim or use them to inspire your own creations, I hope that you find something new and exciting within these pages and enjoy experiencing my kind of drinks. Just remember, no recipe is a proven perfect drink. There is no such thing as failure – each misstep is another move forward on the path to success. Write down all your ideas and note even the unsuccessful ones. You never know when an occasion or smell or moment will spark a new creation. Above all, create something different.”

As an international award-winning bartender, Woods is at the forefront of cocktail development and a key figure in bridging the gap between the worlds of food and drink. His social media channels are awash with inspirational, mouth-watering creations; he can be followed @the_cocktailguy on Instagram and Twitter.

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Photos: Filippo L’Astorina