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TOMMY LANSAW
26, Lakeview

Behind the bar: Wednesdays-Saturdays at Wood in Boystown

Bartending bio: Originally from Cincinnati, Tommy’s first break in bartending came while working for an herb and spice business at a local farmers market. Molly Wellmann, who owns several local cocktail bars, would visit regularly to buy lavender, vanilla beans and other fresh ingredients for drink-making. “All I knew how to make was a vodka Red Bull, but she took me under her wing,” he said. After learning the ropes from Wellmann, Tommy made the move to Chicago, charmed by its combination of big-city opportunity and Midwest sensibility. “[Chicago] feels like New York, but it also feels like Cincinnati, so I thought that was the perfect mix for me.” He’s been manning the bar at Wood since 2012.

Signature drink: The Two Timer, a pisco- and yellow chartreuse-based cocktail with apricot and cinnamon flavors ($12 at Wood)

Bartending style: “Being a bartender is like being a social doctor. People come to celebrate, to grieve, to be taken care of,” he said. “I would say I’m fun behind the bar. I’m not one of those bar snobs. I’m not going to sit there and not talk because I’m too busy stirring.”

On working in Boystown: “During the week, it’s more dinnery, but on a Friday or Saturday, all of a sudden it’s just full-on ‘Let’s drink.’ … [In the] summer, people want to go out and rage all the time. It’s tank tee time; people want to go out and show their muscles. Suns out, guns out,” he said. “It’s all party, but my goal is to still keep it classy. It’s a place where its not just about a specific sexuality or gender, people just come over and hang out. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s about company.”

He’s bringing shots back: Shots may have fallen out of favor with the rise of craft cocktails, but Tommy features some creative shots at Wood. He infuses bourbon with cinnamon and vanilla to make his own version of Fireball, which he calls Sling Shots. After meeting Ketel One brand ambassador Kate Hartman while taking part in GQ’s America’s Bartender competition, they created Mulies, a shot version of a Moscow Mule made from vodka infused with peppercorns, ginger and lemongrass served in a copper shot glass, a nod to the copper mugs that Moscow Mules are traditionally served in. “It’s become a hit at Wood,” he said. “I just have to watch out for the copper containers because people like to steal them.”

Off-shift hangouts: “I like dive bars. I like going to [bleepy] bars and getting Jameson and a beer. You’re not necessarily getting the best-quality cocktails, but it’s about having a good time.”

When he’s not bartending: You’ll find him watching Food Network shows, cooking (“My grandmother would make fried pork chops, mac ‘n’ cheese, green bean casserole, so I’m definitely a hillbilly at heart,” he said) and hanging out in the essential oils department at Whole Foods. “Not many people know this about me, but I’m really into the whole apothecary thing. … When I was a freshmen in college, I decided to make my own candles. It didn’t turn out so good.”

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