Neal Bodenheimer stirs up Tales of the Cocktail for 2018
By ALAN SMASON
In less than a decade, bartender Neal Bodenheimer went from a scrappy spirits enthusiast to an industry sensation and a James Beard Award recipient earlier this spring. Bodenheimer, a local member of the Jewish community, is one of two principals who have taken over the annual conference of the spirits industry held in New Orleans, Tales of the Cocktail.
Neal Bodenheimer, one of the principals of the newly-reformed Tales of the Cocktail Foundation at the Monteleone Hotel. (Photo by Alan Smason)
Now in its 16th year, Bodenheimer and his partner and promoter Gary Solomon, took over the Tales of the Cocktail parent organization in February following a series of scandals that rocked the organization. Social media pushback was especially severe over statements made by Tales of the Cocktail co-founder Paul Tuennerman about his wife Ann during last year’s Zulu parade when she rode in blackface. Paul Tuernerman immediately resigned immediately, but his wife stayed with the organization trying to right the sinking ship.
It was announced in September that both Tuennermans were leaving the organization and selling off MOJO 911, the company that produced the series of seminars, tastings and wild parties that have been held in the French Quarter and selected venues for more than a decade.
Bodenheimer and Solomon elected to alter the mission of what was an educational non-profit and to change its mission to that of a true foundation where they give all of their proceeds back in the form of grants to selected, needy recipients.
“We took over the Tales team,” Bodenheimer explained in an exclusive interview with the CCJN earlier this week. “We have some new members and some existing members and we’re putting it on with a lot of support from the Solomon Group that supported the old owners as well.”
Bodenheimer said it was just a change in leadership. “Ann and Paul built something really special and we just consider ourselves as the next shepherds of the foundation, of the organization,” he continued. “You can see all these people who are here. They know the drill. They know what they are doing.”
Neal Bodenheimer, proprietor of Cure, at the Tales of the Cocktail kickoff. (Photo by Alan Smason)
Because of the transition, several of the larger parties associated with the Tales of the Cocktails conference are fewer in number this year and Bodenheimer says that’s to be expected. The biggest party of the week, for example, the one sponsored by William Grant and Sons on Wednesday night at Mardi Gras World, was – for the first time ever – a non-alcoholic event.
“I think it’s really brave,” he acknowledged. “If you’re in the business of selling something and you say ‘We’re not going to focus on what we’re selling. We’re going to focus on community.’ I think that’s really special. It sets an amazing tone.”
Bodenheimer added that the party was still very special, because “they know how to throw a good party.” The idea, though, was to give industry attendees a night away from alcohol so they wouldn’t feel pressured to drink their way through each event.
Bodenheimer, Solomon and their executive director Caroline Rosen took turns at a podium on Tuesday, July 17, to announce the awarding of $250,000 in grants to eleven recipients “to educate, advance and support the global spirits industry.” The eleven recipients had been decided through a process in which they were winnowed from 144 letters of intent and 52 full proposals by a committee of industry professionals under the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s guidance.
William Grant and Sons party at Mardi Gras World, a non-alcoholic event for the first time. (Photo by Alan Smason)
Despite the changes, Bodenheimer said ticket sales were amazing and that final figures had yet to be determined. In previous years events had been spread out across two hotels – The Hotel Monteleone and the Royal Sonesta. This year, the Tales team elected to hold ticketed events exclusively at the Monteleone and, according to them, had only registered a 25% loss in sales.”That to me is an indicator that we are going to have a great year,” he said.
Local community support has been pretty substantial, according to Bodenheimer. He estimated that the overall impact of Tales of the Cocktail results in at least $18 million in economic impact in July, a month that traditionally lacked much in tourism due to high heat and humidity.
“People have to choose to be here and to choose to spend their dollars here,” he noted. “It makes a lot of sense for bartenders because it doesn’t cost a lot of money to be here. So, they can pay their way here.”
“This is the premier international cocktail festival,” Bodenheimer added. “In New Orleans, we have preserved and revered the cocktail for generations. It makes sense that we would have a world-class cocktail festival here.”
Bodenheimer credits the Solomon family for stepping up at a time when there were questions as to whether the festival could continue. “I’m excited that this is happening,” he concluded. “Nobody knows how close this was to falling apart and going under and what it would have meant. So, to me just to be here makes me extraordinarily happy.”
