The Savoy appoints Shannon Tebay as head bartender of its American bar

The Savoy in London has appointed Shannon Tebay head bartender of its American bar and senior mixologist at the hotel.

The American bar at the five-red-AA-starred, 267-bedroom hotel has been temporarily closed due to the pandemic but is set to reopen next month.

For the past seven years Tebay has been part of the team at New York’s Death & Company, where she rose to the position of head bartender. A New Mexico native, she originally went to New York City for graduate school in visual arts. The former French Culinary Institute student applies her pastry training to craft cocktails.

Tebay said: “Becoming head bartender at the American bar is not just the professional opportunity of a lifetime, it’s also an opportunity to continue building the bar’s legacy as a beacon of innovation and quality – in both the way we create our drinks and in how we deliver our service. I hope to honour the historical significance of the American bar and modernize bartending culture within the community at large, championing under-represented perspectives and re-evaluating best practices in order to maximise sustainability."

Franck Arnold, managing director of the Savoy, added: “We’re really excited to be welcoming Shannon to the Savoy. We admire her vision and her focus on teamwork. We’re looking forward to seeing her reopen the American Bar with a menu that will display her reverence for the bar’s history, and showcase the creativity and talent of the team as a whole”

The American bar first opened in 1893 and is the oldest surviving cocktail bar in Britain. Former head bartender Maxim Schulte left the hotel last year and has since joined Kol Mezcaleria in London as bar manager.

Photo: Eric Medsker