Chef Salad is taking a detour this week and next, interviewing four of the country's leading beverage industry experts, all of whom will be speakers at seminars held at the Hotel Valley Ho for the second annual Arizona Cocktail Week, February 16-22. Their excitement about cocktail culture is infectious and their knowledge of wine, spirits, cocktails and the history behind them is beyond impressive.
See also: -- Small-Batch Spirits Dazzle at Micah Olson's Bar Crudo -- AZ Cocktail Week Kicks Off Feb. 16. Expect a Carnival, Competition and Seminars. Better Line Up a Designated Driver.
Geeky? You bet! But they're also down-to-earth hospitality types who started out behind the bar (Olson excepted) and still love being there. Today, you'll hear from Steve Olson (background after the jump). Come back Tuesday for Charlotte Voisey's take on bartenders versus mixologists and how Prohibition affected cocktail culture.
