Master Mixologist: Director of Operations, Victor Dedushaj of BENJAMIN RESTAURANT GROUP

Victor Dedushaj has been in the restaurant business since 1998 where he has been able to combine and cultivate his love for the hospitality and spirits industries. Currently the Director of Operations for Benjamin Restaurant Group he has created the beverage list for all of their restaurants (Benjamin Steakhouse, Benjamin Prime & The Sea Fire Grill). From classic cocktails to his own signature recipes, Victor has extensive knowledge of wine and spirits and how to perfectly pair them to any dish.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Victor Dedushaj about his career in mixology and Benjamin Restaurant Group.

When did you first become interested in the cocktail culture?

With cocktail culture being so closely intertwined with the culture of bars, restaurants and the hospitality industry as a whole, especially so in New York (arguably the spiritual home of mixology), I have been interested in the cocktail culture for as long as I have been fortunate to have be involved in the industry of great food, drink and merry times, (which is most of my life)!

What innovations in mixology and bartending do you find fascinating?

I have a bit of a purist mindset, so trends involving fresh ingredients, especially herbs are very appealing to me. For similar reasons I am a fan of gin in cocktails, as well as mezcal and amaro.

How do restaurant and bar guests encourage your creativity?

An old motto comes to mind, "when in Rome...". Having said that, my firm belief is that understanding your client base is key to success! Once you have that established that, you will have a great platform to build upon, and also to know in what direction you can "push the envelope" in order to keep things fresh and interesting.

What are your preferred "classic cocktails" and why?

I will certainly not be surprising anyone here by my answer, but it is what it is. Old Fashioned and Manhattan are probably my favorite two. For many an obvious reason I'm afraid! It's in the name after all, a few words are linguistically more synonymous with "classic" than the very word "old-fashioned"! On The Manhattan, well it's New York in a glass, so you just gotta love it...and besides they are both darn great cocktails.

What are some of your favorite infusions and how you like to use them in drinks?

One of our favorite creations here is a Champagne cocktail called "Fleur Garnis" which utilizes "Greenhook Ginsmith" beach plum gin infused with lavender, topped with champagne, and lemon juice for this effervescent and herbaceous-floral finish that is just so ethereal and delightful!

Tell us about a few of your signature cocktails and why they are distinctive.

The Benjamin Cure, is one of our whiskey cocktails that builds upon the concept of "the Manhattan" using a "rooibos tea" infusion for that smokey finish that gives the cocktail a distinct personality.

Another favorite on our list is the tequila (or mezcal) based "South of the border" which captures the spirit of the Latin-Caribbean flavors, with passionfruit & ginger liqueur providing for a crisp and zesty cocktail with a spicy cayenne finish. For added character we recommend substituting the tequila with mezcal, adding a smoky element to the mixture!

Give us your perfect pairing for a cocktail and a culinary selection.

The honest answer here is that from a restaurant perspective we see cocktails more as aperitifs or digestifs, and as such a great and fun way to start your meal and open-up your appetite and also a great way to conclude your dinner. Having said that, for those of us who would rather have cocktails than wine with their meals we are happy to match up their courses up with our signature cocktails.

The south of the Border is a great pairing with our blackened swordfish

The Nippon Connection is matched wonderfully with our sushi grade tuna

....and a plethora of our whiskey cocktails match quite well with our dry-aged steaks and chops.

Tell us a little about your company or restaurant.

Benjamin Restaurant group consists of 4 restaurants in New York, three in New York City and one in Westchester and then we have two in Japan, Tokyo and Kyoto. We originally created Benjamin Steakhouse with the aim to create a classic steakhouse experience. We wanted to use the ambiance that was already a part of the building and keep the old world charm. When you dine at Benjamin Steakhouse, you're able to experience a classic New York restaurant. We created a great wine and cocktail list that pairs well with our delicious sizzling steaks. When The Sea Fire Grill opened, we wanted to introduce a more modern restaurant. The menu, and the ambiance at The Sea Fire Grill is more contemporary so we created a wine and cocktail list that reflected the feel. When Benjamin Prime opened, we created the best of both worlds. We kept the old world charm from Benjamin Steakhouse and added the more modern menu items from The Sea Fire Grill. To make it perfect, we paired it with an extensive wine list and signature cocktail options. All of our restaurants provide top-notch service and cuisine to create a perfect evening out for our guests.

To learn more about Benjamin Restaurant Group, their locations, and menus, please visit https://benjaminsteakhouse.com/prime/about/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Victor Dedushaj

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