Stefano Catino: Why Hospitality Matters More Than Cocktails

This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with one of the most respected operators in global hospitality, Stefano Catino.

As the co-founder of the world-renowned Maybe Sammy and leader of The Maybe Group, Stefano has helped build one of the most celebrated hospitality businesses in the world. But as you'll hear in this conversation, his success has far less to do with cocktails than it does with people.

From growing up in his father's restaurant in Italy to building a hospitality empire in Australia, Stefano shares why creating memorable guest experiences, building great teams, and having fun at work are serious business strategies.

We discuss the difference between service and hospitality, why culture should come before cocktail knowledge, the importance of leading from the front, and why the world's best bars are moving back towards simplicity.

If you're a bartender, bar owner, hospitality professional, or anyone interested in creating experiences people never forget, this episode is packed with practical insights.

• Stefano's journey from a small town in Italy to Sydney's cocktail scene
• The origins of Maybe Frank, Maybe Sammy, and The Maybe Group
• Why hospitality is more valuable than service
• The hiring philosophy behind world-class teams
• Creating a culture people want to be part of
• Why "fun" is a serious business strategy
• Leading by example as an owner and operator
• The atmosphere and energy behind Maybe Sammy
• Cocktail trends, tequila, and the return to simplicity
• Why hospitality remains the ultimate competitive advantage

Hospitality Is What People Pay For

Stefano argues that service and hospitality are not the same thing. Service is completing the task. Hospitality is how you make people feel throughout the experience. It's often the difference between a customer returning and never thinking about you again.

Hire Humans, Not Talent

Technical skills can be taught. Genuine care for people is much harder to develop. Stefano believes operators should hire people they genuinely want to spend time with and then train the skills afterwards.

Fun Is Not an Accident

The atmosphere at Maybe Sammy isn't random. It's deliberately protected, modelled by leadership, and reinforced every day. According to Stefano, taking the job seriously while not taking yourself too seriously is one of the keys to creating memorable hospitality.

Culture Starts at the Top

Whether you're a bar owner, manager, or team leader, culture isn't something you delegate. Stefano believes leaders must consistently demonstrate the behaviours they want to see in their teams.

Simplicity Is Winning Again

After years of increasingly complex cocktails, Stefano sees the industry moving back towards simpler drinks, shorter menus, classic serves, and better guest experiences.

Instagram: @stefanocatino

Maybe Sammy - @maybe_sammy_sydney

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If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow The Cocktail Academy Podcast on your favourite podcast platform and leave a rating or review. It helps more hospitality professionals discover the show.

Share this episode with a bartender, manager, or venue owner who believes great hospitality is still the most powerful tool in the business.

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Benji Purslow joins Damian this week to discuss his journey from pub bartender and aspiring musician to International Advocacy Manager at Heaven Hill.

From pulling pints in seaside pubs to representing one of the world's largest whiskey producers, Benji shares lessons learned from more than 25 years in hospitality and explains what modern brand advocacy really looks like.

The conversation explores career progression, supplier relationships, bourbon's current challenges, and why deep expertise remains one of the most valuable assets a bartender can develop.

Hospitality teaches resilience, adaptability and work ethic that transfers into almost any career. The best brand advocates aren't simply marketers—they connect producers, distributors, bars, bartenders and consumers. Benji explains why brands look for the right fit rather than simply chasing social media numbers, and why developing specialist knowledge in a single category can create significant career opportunities.

The discussion also explores bourbon's current oversupply concerns, why the situation is more nuanced than many headlines suggest, and how today's challenges could ultimately benefit whiskey drinkers in the years ahead. Above all, Benji argues that passion matters, and that the most successful advocates tend to work with products and categories they genuinely love.

Benji's route into hospitality, the realities of modern brand advocacy, working with Heaven Hill and American whiskey, what brands look for in bartenders and venues, bourbon's boom, slowdown and future outlook, career advice for aspiring advocates, and reflections on Tales of the Cocktail and industry networking.

Follow Benji on Instagram: @benjipurslow

Follow The Cocktail Academy:

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Website: www.thecocktailacademy.com

Email: sayhello@thecocktailacademy.com

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This week on The Cocktail Academy Podcast, Damian sits down with Steve Schneider, partner at Sip & Guzzle in New York and one of the defining figures behind modern cocktail hospitality.

Steve talks through his journey from the Marines and high-energy DC bars to Employees Only and eventually building Sip & Guzzle alongside Shingo Gokan. What starts as a conversation about cocktails quickly turns into a deep dive into bar identity, hospitality, storytelling, service culture, and what it actually takes to create bars people emotionally connect with.

Steve breaks down the philosophy behind Sip & Guzzle, explaining how the venue was designed as a “love story between New York and Tokyo,” inspired by the history of Japanese samurai arriving in New York in the 1860s and the evolution of Japanese bartending culture. He also opens up about building concepts with intention, managing high-volume service, training teams, and why modern bartending is now more about flavour and experience than showing off technical knowledge.

The episode is packed with stories, hospitality philosophy, operational insight, and the unmistakable energy Steve has become known for.

In this episode:

• Steve’s journey from the Marines into bartending

• Winning speed bartending competitions and early industry life

• Joining and eventually becoming partner at Employees Only

• Building Sip & Guzzle alongside Shingo Gokan

• The concept and storytelling behind the venue

• The difference between SIP and Guzzle

• Japanese bartending versus New York bartending culture

• Designing hospitality experiences around emotion and atmosphere

• Why lighting and music matter more than people realise

• Managing consistency in high-volume cocktail bars

• Training experienced bartenders versus younger staff

• Why patience matters for young bartenders wanting to open bars

• The evolution of modern cocktail guests and flavour-driven drinking

Highlights:

• “Sip & Guzzle is a love story between New York and Tokyo.”

• “You fight through the hustle and bustle upstairs, then go downstairs and drink amongst the samurai.”

• “The worst thing somebody can say is: ‘I don’t understand this place.’”

• “The gloves are off now. You can really do whatever.”

• “I stayed behind the bar for 13 years before opening my first place.”

• “We’re smarter downstairs at SIP, but we’re better looking upstairs at Guzzle.”

• “I don’t like telling people what they should or shouldn’t do behind the bar. If your guests are happy, go for it.”

Steve also shares his thoughts on:

• Why the best bars aren’t necessarily the ones with the best drinks

• How hospitality has evolved in the social media era

• Why experienced teams matter in high-volume environments

• The importance of understanding your concept and market

• Why guests today are far more educated and adventurous than ever before

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www.thecocktailacademy.com

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