The quintessential American dream started with pioneers moving out West, and the West remains a big draw. People are still flocking to the now-established mountain town of Park City. Rachel Mitchell, bar manager and head bartender at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Park City, is a prime example of that.
“I’m originally from Long Island. I came for the adventure and outdoor wilderness sports but stayed for a boy. When that didn’t work out, I stayed for the desert and the mountains,” she says. “I’ve worked in bars in Park City since I moved here in 1998.” If you’ve eaten at the Ruth’s Chris bar over the last few years, chances are Mitchell remembers your name. You may also remember the drinks as having that extra local’s touch, which is exactly what she brings to the table. We wanted to find out a little more about what motivates the enthusiastic bartender at her job.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIALTY DRINKS YOU LOVE TO MAKE AND RECOMMEND?
I personally really like whiskey, so if someone asks me just to make a drink, everyone gets an old-fashioned or a Manhattan. However, martinis are really popular here. We do all kinds: dirty martinis, blue-cheese-stuffed olive martinis … you name it, we’ll make it. The Rendezvous Rye Old Fashioned is really good, in my opinion. It’s always my recommendation when someone asks. It uses demerara simple syrup, three dashes of Angostura bitters, orange bitters, a splash of orange, a squeeze of flavor oils on top and an orange rind, topped off with a Luxardo black cherry. These are my favorite to make — they’re uncomplicated and full of good ingredients. A while ago, we had a cocktail called the Summer Breeze that used all these extra ingredients and accoutrements at the bar that we don’t normally use. It is not on the menu now, but it was fun. It had pineapple vodka, mango puree, mint, sour mix and a dash of soda.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU WHEN CRAFTING COCKTAILS?
There are a few books that I enjoy. The Flavor Bible is a chef’s book that tells you what flavors belong together. It forces me to think about what ingredients we have on hand. I like to refer to the book to see what combinations work and go from there. I like The Drunken Botanist. It goes in-depth on how useful plants are for alcohol … they’re the reason it exists. Back in the day, monks actually would make plant-based alcohol to help preserve herbal medicines and tinctures. I really like the way the book was written and organized. As a person who is interested in studying plants, it’s cool that I can tell you what you can and cannot eat, what’s better in what season, what to cook with, what you drink, etc. Now I feel I’m especially well-versed in the Western Rocky Mountain plants.
WE SAW YOU COMING IN TODAY WITH A BUNCH OF FRESH MINT FROM YOUR GARDEN. TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT …
I have a garden where I grow herbs, so I often bring in my mint. I also planted pear trees, and I grow elderberries, asparagus, currants, apples, perennials, raspberries and, of course, flowers. Sometimes throw in annuals like peas and spinach. It is much harder to maintain in the winter when everything is covered in snow. Another part of my job is coming up with the cocktails, so I use these ingredients as a starting point and listen to other suggestions.
YOU MENTIONED YOUR LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DAYS OFF?
I’ve been in hospitality since I was 14 years old. Once I started in restaurants and bars, I invested a lot of money in real estate. Even though this is my main job, I also enjoy doing property work on my investments. When I’m not working, I do like to try to be outside as much as possible. In the summer,
that includes biking and hiking, while in the winter, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Basically, anything at Park City Mountain Resort that helps me stay fit.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT A DAY IN YOUR BARTENDING LIFE IS LIKE.
One unique thing about our location is that most of the people who come in are local. We like to know the names of people we see quite often. Everyone who comes in here is super friendly. Before working at Ruth’s Chris, I was a bartender on Main Street. Whether I was working there or here, one thing that’s constant is the community feel. That’s really important to me, knowing everyone’s names and chit-chatting. Then, when you run into them around at the airport or stores in town, you know enough to recognize and chit-chat. That’s cool, and not very common. Since there are just a few bartenders here, I’ll usually make a store run before coming in to restock anything that we need. I’ll order liquor, but I try to split our orders between big names and local, like from Heber City and surrounding areas. I like to get beers from local distilleries, or niche salts and sugars.
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN PARK CITY FOR A WHILE, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE COMMUNITY?
The people! I like making new friends, so I enjoy the growth of the city because there are so many more folks to meet. This community provides whatever you need. If you just talk to people, you’ll find it. For example, I met my roofer through bartending! Once you mix that with work, I like our flow and rhythm. When everyone is happy and joking around and the vibes are high, I feel like customers pick up on the energy. I get in the zone when I’m bartending. People around you become joyful if you’re joyful. People feel welcome when you know their name or make an effort to get to know them and chat. I believe in knowing who the people are in your neighborhood and spreading the love.
WHERE DO YOU EAT, BESIDES RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE, OF COURSE?
I love to go to High West Distillery, Sammy’s Bistro, Heber Valley Brewing Company and Tacos El Guero in Heber City. The overall ambience of these places is really warm and inviting. I like any place where I can eat a chocolate dessert first. That’s my guilty pleasure, and a good motto for life. I like the chocolate desserts at Fuego and Shabu. I also love Ritual chocolate bars.
Ingredients
- 3 large chunks of watermelon
- 1.5 ounces Ketel One
- Botanical Peach & Orange
- Blossom
- 1 ounce limoncello
- 2 ounces lemon sour mix
- Splash of soda water
- Mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Muddle three large chunks of watermelon in a shaker. Add ice and the rest of the ingredients and shake to combine. Pour into a Collins glass and garnish with fresh mint.
