Spirits stars among London’s most influential

A plethora of spirits industry names were listed among London’s 1,000 most influential people 2015, including Ryan Chetiyawardana and Tony Conigliaro.

Dandelyan founder Ryan Chetiyawardana was among those listed in London’s 1,000 most influential people list

Compiled by the Evening Standard, White Lyan and Dandelyan founder Chetiyawardana was recognised among the city’s most influential food and drinks stars, which included celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Heston Blumenthal.

He was described as a “top mixologist” who continues to “cement his place in the bar world” through his various bar ventures, competition judging and pre-bottled creations.

Cocktail veterans Conigliaro, the brains behind London’s 69 Colebrooke Row, The Zetter Townhouse and Bar Termini, also made the 2015 list as he furthered his hold on the capital’s cocktail craze with the opening of Seymour’s Parlour last month.

Also known as The Cocktail Guy, the Duck & Waffle’s mixologist Rich Woods was celebrated in this year’s list having won Bombay Sapphire’s 2014 UK and Ireland’s Most Imaginative Bartender competition.

Woods’ chef colleague Dan Doherty also graced this year’s list, cited as being responsible for 1,000 daily covers and commemorated for his cookbook, charity fundraising efforts (raising nearly £10,000 for Action Against Hunger and Learning for Life), and his Chefs of Tomorrow mentorship programme.

Adam Wyatt-Jones, head barman at Craft London, was mentioned for “making his mark” at Milk and Honey when it first launched, while Alastair Burgess, owner of Happiness Forgets and Original Sin, also made the cut for his “no-pretensions neighbourhood hangout where drinks are drinks, not cocktails”.

Completing the stellar line-up were Sandrae Lawrence and Gary Sharpen, founders and editors of The Cocktail Lovers magazine, named for their workshops, global cocktail competition judging, campaigns for more women in the drinks industry and two up-coming books, to name just a few qualities.