HARRISON GINSBERG
25, Logan Square
Behind the bar: Tuesdays through Saturdays at The Dawson in River West
Bartending bio: Growing up on the east coast, Harrison worked a number of restaurant jobs—busboy, server, host, deli counter dude—before going to Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. Though he initially wanted to be a chef, he ended up studying food and beverage management. After finishing school early and working as a server in a fine-dining restaurant, a colleague suggested he check out the craft cocktail program at a well-known Providence restaurant and bar, The Dorrance. “I went into The Dorrance and was like, ‘I will work here for free, I want to learn,'” he said. That enthusiasm led to a paying job and hands-on education behind the bar. He later moved to Chicago and has bartended at The Dawson since it opened in late 2013.
Signature drink: Day Spa, a gin-based cocktail with aloe, chamomile and cucumber flavors ($12 at The Dawson)
Bartending style: “I really like the style of European bartenders … they move so fluently and their technique and style is so on point,” he said. “American bartending is more fast-paced and high-volume, but I think there’s a way to combine the two.”
Competitive spirit: Harrison caught the cocktail competition bug after making the Midwest finals of the Bacardi Legacy competition in 2013. “I absolutely love doing competitions. It’s a great way to meet new people from all around the county and [provides] opportunities to travel,” Harrison said. “After that, I started entering everything I could. … It really pushes you to do something outside of the box. A lot of people are making cocktails now, so how can you make something different?”
Drinks of choice: “I think low-alcohol drinks are great right now, whether it’s sherry- or vermouth-based cocktails, just so you can kind of last the whole night. Right now, I’m really into aperitifs and vermouth.”
Most memorable customer: A man who came into The Dawson claiming to be an African prince. “He was asking for Johnny Walker Blue … and shouting ‘Don’t you know who I am?’ … putting on a big show,” he said. “It’s no fun if you are too serious, [so] I had to play with him just as much as he was messing with me.”
When he’s not bartending: He’s cooking at home, or exploring new restaurants, bars and shops outside his own neighborhood.
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