LIQUID ASSET : THE NEW PARADIGM OF SERVICE
Roni Pervizi is the undisputed champion of the artform of mixology - so much so that he created a new genre within hospitality that’s taken the entire service industry by storm - blending the panache of persona with the technical genius to invent creations for private clients and their ex- acting standards for world-class events. What began as a military career as a translator for diplomats and mili- tary officials, Pervizi’s elevated approach is knowing clients and building on the strengths of the environments of where he lands either in the moment or for an extended period of time. The talent to immediately assess customers and instinctively understand their needs during the experience is what has allowed him the flexibility to perform in stressful and demanding positions in over two decades of bartending. He was called into service at the Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC) in Port- land, Oregon by then-General Manager Norman Rich who hailed from The Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. Rich proceeded to revolutionize what is considered the largest private athletic club in the United States to obtain a “Platinum Level” ranking and charged the bartender with the task of creating a world-class beverage program that supported the club’s acclaimed culinary exploits. Pervizi began to transform the club’s Men’s Bar (accessible to women since 1988) and the beverage program throughout the club into a sought-after destination for mixology and a living lab for experimentation, distillery tours, and barrel tastings. Among other things, he introduced an affinity circle known as “The Brown Bottle Society” where members could sample their way through 75 different whiskeys. Those who complete the task receive their name on a plaque and additional benefits including invitations to special private events he organizes. In 2024, he celebrates 10 years at the club. Being an ‘oracle of the cocktail’ has been as much benefit to the club as it has been its members and the community. In a world where recog- nizing the attributes within many different professions is the norm, bar- tending professionals are enjoying new prominence that recognizes an exceptional skillset in an ‘of counsel’ scenario at signature events, much like a guest DJ at Coachella. Pervizi was one of the first nationwide to
leverage a notable tenure to expand his repertoire beyond the tradition- al “one home” in the world of spirits. In addition to leading the creative direction of the MAC’s beverage pro- gram, he has served as a consultant to several culinary ventures and is regularly asked to advise on building the personal collections of select individuals who are able to invest in the sometimes-costly endeavor to develop their personal inventories. As a bartender, his future is tied to a past of rich experiences that began at the famous Michelin-starred River Cafe in Brooklyn where he learned to bartend prior to arriving at New York’s Plaza Hotel Oak Room & Bar, the only place in the fabled hotel that author Kay Thompson’s ‘Eloise’ was never allowed to go. One of his favorite customers was Lady Gaga. “Very genuine, and always good conversation,” he said. He’s delivered enthusiasm in a glass at every turn in his career, always creating along the way. Upon learning of the death of the iconic Port- lander and Guinness World Record Holder for longest performing drag queen, he mixed up a spicy concoction to memorialize the lifetime of Darcelle XV who was a page at the MAC in his teenaged years. To honor Regency’s publisher when he authored his first book, an alluring “Cage of Privilege” cocktail was created for the occasion. Details of his custom- ers lives are never lost within Pervizi’s memory. Charitable causes are often at the forefront of his philosophy. He has assisted with the development of many event cornerstones, including Wine & Dine for Hope and Joy, a benefit for UKANDU, the largest and longest-running provider of medically-supervised camp programming available to families battling childhood and adolescent cancer in Oregon. Pervizi concepted Noble Spirits Mobile Bar as an additional way to serve requests for more privatized cocktail experiences with a persona that many influencers in Portland have come to know over time. “Noble is an extension of what I hope to have when I go somewhere myself,” he emphasized. “We work to customize our approach with each client and nothing is ever the same.”
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