At American Kitchen, a bartender with the right stuff

Pete on the job at American Kitchen

Doc's report:

I see on the newswire that one Jennifer Le Nechet has been crowned the world's best bartender at a competition in Miami. In a hopeful preview of our national election, Jennifer is the first woman to claim the title.

Nearly 10,000 bartenders from around the world entered the competition, with an elite group of six making it to the final round, where they were judged on technique, personality, spirits knowledge and how well they perform under pressure.

Based on those criteria, Pete, our bartender at a recent visit to American Kitchen, would have won by a furlong. His personality is sweeter than the cargo on sugar beet trucks struggling down Kosciuszko in autumn. Like every young person I meet, Pete wants to make movies.

Pete doesn’t just ask you what you’d like. He says: “You look like you’d like something ...” And then he says something clever and flattering: “… tart and sweet?”

Pete gives you a taste of something before he serves it, like Absinthe Ordinaire (Just one sip was all it took for me, unless you want to drink black licorice). (Hamlet’s dying request to his best

Reflection in front windows at American Kitchen

friend Horatio: “Absinthe thee from felicity a while.” It's a joke: The actual line is “Absent thee…”)

Pete is hilarious, serving my delicious burger, best I’ve had in the city, with a fried egg: “I like my eggs like I like my lovers: over easy.”

The food at American Kitchen is great. My burger came with creamy mashed potatoes and crispy onion rings. I mean, really.

Pete is knowledgeable. He recommends sour ales; He makes an Old Fashioned with basil, brown sugar and orange zest. And he can whip up a Moscow Mule in a copper mug.

Pete is dedicated to his craft. I respect that. He’s the real deal.

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See the hairy guy's report on American Kitchen: A burger with egg, absinthe with laughter (but no hallucinations) and malts with booze