About Us

Creative Cocktail Consultants:
A Unique Beverage Consulting Company

Our Mission is to create highly profitable luxury cocktail programs by designing original fresh craft cocktail lists, training your staff in the art of mixology and spirits education, and reviewing the fundamentals of Michelin three-star beverage/dining standards.

Our deliciously innovative and easily reproducible original craft cocktails are served in the best hotels, restaurants, and resorts in over fifty countries world-wide. When executed properly, our recipes reduce liquor costs, raise check averages and give your guests a superior luxury experience.

Our custom tailored cocktail programs inspire your bar staff to approach their jobs as careers, instilling pride in their profession thus increasing profits and eliminating ego while reducing staff attrition and shrinkage due theft.

Brian Van Flandern
President & Master Mixologist
Creative Cocktail Consultants

 

 

Some of our Clients Include:

Seabourn Ultra Luxury Cruise Lines
The World Ship
Bemelmans Bar in The Carlyle Hotel (New York City, NY)
The Palm Court in Plaza Hotel (New York City)
The Montage Garden Bar and Georgie Bar (Beverly Hills, CA)
The Mansion on Turtle Creek (Dallas, TX)
The Intercontinental Hotel (New York City, NY))
The Four Seasons (Flagship Resort-Costa Rica)
Little Dix Bay Resort (British Virgin Gorda)
Caneel Bay Resort (St. Johns Island)
The Grand Hyatt in Grand Central Station-(New York City, NY)
The Edgewater Hotel (Seattle, WA)
Point Royal (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
The Lambs Club (New York City, NY)
The National (Greenwich, CT)

Brian Van Flandern
Founder, Master Mixologist and Industry Influencer

Mixologist Brian Van Flandern with bar tool kit
Master Mixologist Brian Van Flandern 

Brian Van Flandern’s creativity and reputation as an industry influencer have earned him FOOD NETWORK’s highest praise as “America’s Top Mixologist!”.  As a world-renowned Michelin Three-star mixologist Van Flandern was the former head mixologist for Chef Thomas Keller, at PER SE Restaurant in NYC. It was there that Brian began to apply the principles of ‘flavor profiling’ to cocktails and discovered techniques to create well-balanced food friendly cocktails. In an environment where creativity is encouraged, Van Flandern’s attention to detail and innovation quickly garnered international attention and awards and established him as a leader in the burgeoning field of mixology.

After being ranked the number two mixologist in the world at the Bols Mix Masters Championship, Van Flandern founded CREATIVE COCKTAIL CONSULTANTS, dedicated to designing craft cocktails lists and training bartenders in the art of mixology.  He currently designs cocktail lists, trains bartenders in the art of mixology, and consults on beverage program profit increase for the finest restaurants and resorts worldwide.

Featured Media appearances include:

BAR RESCUE, THE EARLY SHOW (WNBC), DIARY OF A FOODIE (PBS/Gourmet Magazine), FOODOLOGY (Cooking Channel), BAR RESCUE (Spike TV), THE RED EYE (Fox & Friends) and THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA (Food Network).

Mentioned or Featured in:

THE NEW YORK TIMES, GOURMET MAGAZINE, THE WASHINGTON POST, CONDE NAST TRAVELER, BLOOMBERG MARKETS, USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD ARTS MAGAZINE, CHEERS MAGAZINE and many more (a full list is available upon request).

ACCOLADES:
2006- Brian ranked the number two bartender in the world at the BOLS 200 International Mix Masters Championship in Amsterdam.  Later that year, Brian designs the cocktail program for The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas.

2007- Brian wins the first ever USBG Iron Bar Chef competition hosted by Tony Abu-Ganim and Charlotte Voisey, judged by Francesco LaFranconi and Dale DeGroff.

2008- Tanqueray Ten Gin names Brian one of the top ten bartenders in the world and that same year Brian is hired as Diageo’s Global Tequila Ambassador.   Brian also designs the cocktail program for the famous Bemelman’s Bar at The Carlyle hotel in New York.

2009- Travel and Leisure Magazine names Brian one the Top Ten Hotel Bartenders in the World.

2010- Brian releases his first award winning book Vintage Cocktails which wins The Best Cocktail Book in the World for 2009 by the Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris.

2011- The Food Network hails Brian as “America’s Top Mixologist” while appearing on The Barefoot Contessa starring Ina Garten.

2012- Brian nominated as one of the Top Ten Global Spirits Ambassadors at Tales of the Cocktails in New Orleans

2013- Brian releases Craft Cocktails published through Assouline Publishing which is nominated as one of the top ten new cocktail books of the year at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

2014- Brian collaborates with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian to redesign the Palm Court at the famous Plaza Hotel in New York City.  He also releases his third book Celebrity Cocktails published through Assouline Publishing

2015- Brian continues to work with Chef Zakarian to design the cocktail program for The National restaurant in Greenwich, CT followed by The Lambs Club later this year

2016- Seabourn Ultra Luxury Cruise Lines announced their partnership with Brian Van Flandern and Chef Thomas Keller to redesign their cocktail program and food program respectively.   Brian designs the cocktail program then opens The Georgie Bar and Garden Bar at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.  Brian has just released his fourth book: Tequila Cocktails in collaboration with Randy Gerber and George Clooney.

2017- Brian designs the cocktail program for Point Royal in the Diplomat Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale with chef Geoffrey Zakarian

ADDITIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
♦ Ranked Top-Ten Global Brand Ambassador by Tales of the Cocktail
♦ Judged World Spirits Competition (NYC) (w/Antony Dias Blue)
♦ Certified Spirits Professional United States Bartenders Guild (USBG)
♦ Judge for World Class Cocktail Competition regional heats in over 40 countries
♦ Founding Board Member, United States Bartenders Guild NYC Chapter (USBGNY)
♦ Winner of Gourmand Cookbook Award Best Cocktail Book in the World 2009
♦ Author of best selling book Vintage Cocktails by Assouline Publishing
♦ Ranked Top Ten Hotel Bartenders in the World, Travel & Leisure Mag.
♦ Ranked Top Ten Bartenders in the World by Tanqueray Ten
♦ Winner of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) Iron Bar Chef Competition
♦ Ranked #2 Mixologist in the World (Bols 200 Int’l Mix Masters Competition)
♦ 2nd Place in First Annual National Sherry Cocktail Competition
♦ Named CHEERS! Magazine’s Top Ten Top Shelf Bartenders in America
♦ Michelin Three-stars, NY Times Four Stars and Mobile Five Star Mixologist
♦ Graduate of Beverage Alcohol Research B.A.R. program (with Dale DeGroff)
♦ Winner Best Cocktail Book in the USA 2016, Gourmand Cookbook Awards