JJ Goodman (bartender)
Encyclopedia
John James Goodman known as JJ Goodman is a British bartender
. Together with his partner James Hopkins he won BBC2's The Restaurant
with Raymond Blanc
in December 2009.
, Birmingham
, he moved to Worcester
as a child where he started collecting glasses at a local nightclub
aged 15. When he turned 18 he started bar-tending at an underground bar in Worcester whilst studying. He started training at flair bartending
.
After working across the UK
and Australia
, Goodman moved to London in 2004 to work directly for Leigh Miller (two time ex world flair champion for TGI Friday's) at Covent Garden
based Be At One. Since he has continued to work and developed bars such as The Livingroom, The Roadhouse, Navajo Joes, Teatro and Peoples Republic all of which have awards during and after his tenure. His competition standing also doing well, competing in the UK finals for Snow Leopard Vodka, Bombay Sapphire
Gin, and Grey Goose Vodka in mixology as well as the IFL (International Flair League) in 2006 and 2007 in Poland
.
in 2008 winning the 42 Below
Cocktail World Cup, as well as winning London Club Awards bartender of the year in the same year.
In 2009 Goodman won the Patron UK challenge and his young team, Andy Milz and Lee Ottery won the Beefeater 24 best cocktail, Jose Cuervo Platino best cocktail as well as 42 Below vodka UK final 2010.
Goodman and Hopkins were the surprise winners of The Restaurant, and the decision caused considerable controversy, mainly due to the pairs' inability to cook. 2010 sees JJ training at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
, where together they are devising the launch of Goodman and Hopkins' first restaurant concept.
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
. Together with his partner James Hopkins he won BBC2's The Restaurant
The Restaurant (UK TV Series)
The Restaurant was a British reality television series in which a group of couples competed for the chance to set up a restaurant financially backed and personally supported by French chef Raymond Blanc. The winning couple were given their own restaurant to run...
with Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc OBE is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain's most respected chefs. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the...
in December 2009.
Career
Goodman was born in Selly OakSelly Oak
Selly Oak is a residential suburban district in south-west Birmingham, England. The suburb is bordered by Bournbrook and Selly Park to the north-east, Edgbaston and Harborne to the north, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill to the west, and Bournville to the south...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, he moved to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
as a child where he started collecting glasses at a local nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
aged 15. When he turned 18 he started bar-tending at an underground bar in Worcester whilst studying. He started training at flair bartending
Flair bartending
Flair bartending is the practice of bartenders entertaining guests, clientele or audiences with the manipulation of bar tools and liquor bottles in tricky, dazzling ways. Used occasionally in cocktail bars, the action requires skills commonly associated with jugglers...
.
After working across the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Goodman moved to London in 2004 to work directly for Leigh Miller (two time ex world flair champion for TGI Friday's) at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
based Be At One. Since he has continued to work and developed bars such as The Livingroom, The Roadhouse, Navajo Joes, Teatro and Peoples Republic all of which have awards during and after his tenure. His competition standing also doing well, competing in the UK finals for Snow Leopard Vodka, Bombay Sapphire
Bombay Sapphire
Bombay Sapphire is a brand of gin distributed by Bacardi that was launched in 1987. Its name originates from the gin's popularity in India in of the days of the British Raj and the sapphire in question is the Star of Bombay on display at the Smithsonian Institution...
Gin, and Grey Goose Vodka in mixology as well as the IFL (International Flair League) in 2006 and 2007 in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Prizes Won
At age 24 he opened his first bar 'The London Cocktail Club', which has become well known through the television series "The Restaurant" as well as various competition wins in mixology. Travelling to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 2008 winning the 42 Below
Pacific Dawn
Pacific Dawn Limited is the former name of 42 BELOW Limited, a drinks manufacturing company based in downtown Auckland, New Zealand. They produce the flagship vodka 42 BELOW and the gin South Gin, as well as 420 spring water and the House Quality Vodka brand Stil Vodka.-Brand information:The 42nd...
Cocktail World Cup, as well as winning London Club Awards bartender of the year in the same year.
In 2009 Goodman won the Patron UK challenge and his young team, Andy Milz and Lee Ottery won the Beefeater 24 best cocktail, Jose Cuervo Platino best cocktail as well as 42 Below vodka UK final 2010.
Goodman and Hopkins were the surprise winners of The Restaurant, and the decision caused considerable controversy, mainly due to the pairs' inability to cook. 2010 sees JJ training at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons is a luxury hotel-restaurant in the village of Great Milton near Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England. It is located in an historic manor house near the church that was visited by Oliver Cromwell.The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scores 9/10 in the Good Food Guide...
, where together they are devising the launch of Goodman and Hopkins' first restaurant concept.
External links
- http://www.londoncocktailclub.co.uk