Personalities

Scott Baird

Scott's Links:

Bon Vivants

In 2009, close friends Josh Harris and Scott Baird, co-founded The Bon Vivants. In early 2011, The Bon Vivants hired their Los Angeles Ambassador, Alex Straus. The Bon Vivants is a nationally recognized cocktail and spirit consulting company specializing in the creation of on premise beverage programs, branding and guerilla marketing strategies for liquor companies, audience identification, ambassadorship, the concepting and execution of exceptionally curated and tailored events, and a soon-to-be released line of aromatic bitters and liqueurs, as well as an umbrella for a growing brick and mortar component. One of the principle tenets of The Bon Vivants is to bridge the gap between the beverage industry and the consumer while building community through the act of enjoying a delicious drink.

Through their work with The Bon Vivants, Josh and Scott have garnered acclaim for his bar programs at the Michelin-starred, fine dining restaurant Quince in San Francisco, the UK - styled gastropubs Againn and Againn Tavern in Washington D.C. and Rockville, Maryland, respectively, and also Food Network Star Tyler Florence's restaurant Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco. On the event side, the San Francisco celebration of Benedictine's 500th Birthday, the Studio 54 inspired New Years Eve event "Standing on Stardust," the San Francisco Cocktail Week gala event "Cocktail Carnival," and the philanthropic event "Pig & Punch" have all received much attention and praise. On the brand-side, The Bon Vivants have worked with numerous companies on a wide array of projects including Altamar Brands, most notably with Tequila Ocho, Combier, Skyy Spirits, Tempus Fugit Spirits, and Bacardi USA to name a few.

Josh and Scott are also partners in Trick Dog. Trick Dog is slated to open at the beginning of 2012 in the Mission District of San Francisco and will be a 30's - 50's inspired, solidly constructed, good time, non-pretentious cocktail bar also serving food until late in the evening. Trick Dog will also be a gallery for The Bon Vivants' immense collections of "bar-curio," glassware, and highly collectable bottles and reflect a very personal design sensibility.

Scott Baird, a Bay Area Native, cannot pinpoint where his strong passion for good food and drink originated, but his keen interest in classic mixology and craftsmanship, combined with a passion for cooking, have been instrumental in shaping his career and adding zest to an already adventurous approach to life. On the way to discovering his calling as a bartender, he dabbled in other creative ventures - floral design, acting, and cooking, to name a few. Integrity and meaning are a necessary fuel in all his pursuits, but in the end, his love of food and drink won out, and a destined career in the food and beverage business was born. In 2008, Scott partnered with the original owners of the now nationally recognized 15 Romolo to bring life back to a dying bar. He was the driving force behind the entire aesthetic, design, cocktails, and food overhaul which has now positioned 15 Romolo as one of Esquire Magazine's "Best Bars in America." Scott loves old things, antiquities, fresh good food, good drinks, good design, discovering the unexpected, and the people who are in his life, especially his amazing daughter Violet Rye.

The Bon Vivants are members of the United States Bartenders Guild and a seasoned contest circuit participants. Recently named a San Francisco Chronicle 2010 Bar Stars, they has taken first place in numerous competitions with their original cocktail creations, including the Suntory National Competition, Appleton Remixology San Francisco, Cointreau's Master of the Margarita, the 42 Below World Cup in San Francisco 2010, Skyy Spirits' San Francisco-wide "Mixology madness" competition in 2009 for the title City's Best Bartender, with a feature story in 7x7 magazine. The Bon Vivants and their cocktails have appeared in Wine & Spirits, Details, C Magazine, Beverage Industry News, Inc. Magazine, The Bold Italic, Served Raw, Nightclub and Bar, Tasting Panel, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Chronicle, Gary Regan's Bartenders Gin Compendium, Imbibe, Daily Candy, Eater National, Tablehopper, Alcademics, 7x7, CUESA publications, Urban Daddy, and more. Additionally, The Bon Vivants have been interviewed on "Dining Around with Gene Burns" on KGO Radio in San Francisco and "The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis" in Los Angeles, and has appeared live 7 Live and and KRON 4 television news channels.