Julian Cox

Mixologist Julian Cox

Sweet syrups and Red Bull were the bane of Julian Cox’s bartending existence. Stymied by the artificially colored cocktails that club and bar patrons guzzled down in Los Angeles, Cox quit the bar scene outright. But a friend turned him on to a new kind of cocktail that was being made at Chef David Myers’ French brasserie Comme Ça.

The bar team was trained by the elite cocktail-crafters of the Sasha Petraske’s famed Milk and Honey; Cox was inspired by their use of fresh ingredients and the careful skill they applied to each and every drink. Unfortunately, the closest he could get to the bar at Comme Ça was as a server. It wasn’t long before his cocktail talent was discovered and he joined the mixology team. Cox learned the ins and outs of mixology fundamentals, from recipes to best practices, and came away with a genuine passion for the tradition and tools of his craft.

Cox crafted cocktails at Comme Ça and at Myers’ modern California restaurant Sona before hooking up with Chef John Sedlar to open his Southwestern/Latin-inspired Rivera in January of 2009. At Rivera, Cox uses the kitchen as a muse for his mixology creations as, for example, when he effortlessly blends mezcal with chipotle puree and ginger syrup for a spicy, savory, beef jerky-garnished appetizer/cocktail.

In addition to his recent 2010 Rising Star Award, Cox won the Roy’s National Holiday Drink competition in 2006, and was given The Jimmy Barela Award for his 1800 Tequila cocktail, the G.T. Foam Home.

Testing: R26