Chitchat with Isaiah Sullivan

In our chitchat format, we meet a person we like and talk about food, drink, parties, atmosphere and the great life in the pub. This week we meet Isaiah Sullivan who is the bar manager at Gastrotek Zink!

Hey Isaiah! Tell me about yourself.
I was born in NYC and grew up in the American Virgin Islands. I started working as a bartender in NY and London over 20 years ago and came to Sweden in 2008 as a "love refugee"... Here in Stockholm I have worked at Morfar Ginko and Rival, among other places. I have an 8 year old daughter who of course I spend a lot of time with! Among other things, I coach her basketball team.

For those who haven't visited Zink before, how would you describe the restaurant?
Zink has a wide menu and the pub is laid back, but with a nice international vibe! Guests are a perfect mix of people who live or work in the area, regulars and guests from the nearby hotels. In the evenings we have guests from all over the city. Would also say that Zink must be the perfect dating pub!

You are the new bar manager since a few months, tell us about the bar and drinks at Zink.
My
idea is that the bar experience will change by season. We will offer fresh seasonal cocktails, based on the classics! The other day, the kitchen had accidentally ordered 6 kg too much rhubarb. So I made a "Rhubarb sour" which was so popular the first few days that it's now on the menu!

In my bar, I don't want anything pre-batched. When it comes to mixing cocktails, it has to be done from scratch in front of the guest. That it would be "faster" is not a good enough reason. You don't want your food microwaved, then you don't want your drink poured out of a pre-batched bottle either.

I work a lot with my sense of smell, it's a bit like being a sommelier. You need to smell to be able to fine-tune the drink.

We see you making little artistic contributions here and there in the pub, tell us.
Haha
, I love drawing. I've also done a lot of art work and always have a painting going. Art is a big part of my life, and also collecting art.

What does a perfect weekend look like for you?
I usually work on the weekends. Then a perfect weekend means really good service where everyone is happy! If I'm free, I prefer to spend time with my daughter, playing games together, going to a museum, baking pizza or doing something else fun.


Zink's outdoor terrace is just about ready. What will we eat and drink here this summer?
Well,
it's almost become a Mediterranean oasis here on Grev Turegatan with orange and lemon trees. Of course we have heaters for the cooler evenings.

I recommend trying the char with a glass of Pinot Grigio. Then continue with some summery cocktails, perhaps a "Zink Champagne Cocktail" with elderflower, St German, vodka, honey, lemon and champagne.

What is the most fun part of your job?
Meeting people! Even if it's just for a short while, you can always make a good connection with people, which keeps guests coming back. Zink in particular really feels like a small living room for many people in this neighbourhood.

Tell us something we don't know about you.
I've been working on my Masters in Political Science for six years now. I'm looking forward to finishing it soon.

Thank you Isaiah, we love that you are part of Brasseriegruppen!

Share this page

Read more articles

Sebi-Tuchilus
Roll to the top

Download our app and get 5% off your grocery bill!

The Brasserie Group app gives you a 5% discount on your bill at all our restaurants the moment you download it. You also get a 20% discount on all takeaways.

We use cookies to ensure the best possible experience. See our privacy policy.