ROSS SIMON

Ross Simon was steeped in the culinary and hospitality industry from youth, working at the family restaurant in the old country of his native home of Scotland since 1990. He has three decades of experience in the catering industry and during such has had the pleasure of mixing it up with the biggest names and brands in the cocktail world.

After leaving Scotland 1999, Ross moved to central London to work as general manager for a very successful bar “The Old Crown” for three years. While there he learned all the essential qualities needed to run a successful and thriving business before taking a bar back position at one of London’s most highly regarded and creative bars, the award-winning Lab Bar (London Academy of Bartenders) in 2002.

Working up the ranks of Lab until he earned the title of head bartender, Ross learned the importance of giving every guest the ultimate bar experience, as well as gaining firsthand industry knowledge by attending rigorous training programs at bars, events, and distilleries worldwide.

In 2006, he decided that he wanted to bring his trade, knowledge, and love for cocktails to the United States, Arizona specifically. Since moving stateside, Ross has worked with a numerous of bars across Arizona; re-organizing and building each venue’s bar menu and team training to implement menus to their fullest potential.

Ross also had the pleasure of working as a U.S. Brand Ambassadors for Sagatiba Cachaça, covering the West Coast. Ross also worked at Southern Wine & Spirits, the largest distributor of spirits and wine in the U.S. as a Beam & Pernod Ricard Key Accounts Manager during his tenure. He also helped form and continues to build the Phoenix Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (U.S.B.G.) and has co-founded the annual spirits celebration, Arizona Cocktail Weekend held annually in Phoenix.

He continues to participate on projects ranging from events, television and menu creation to hosting cocktail seminars, to helping produce global cocktail competitions like World Class with Sweet and Chili, with each raising the awareness of professional bartending and helping the craft of the cocktail move forward on the world stage.

Currently, Ross owns and operates two cocktail bars. The globally renowned and award-winning cocktail bar Bitter & Twisted (2014) and the recently opened Little Rituals (2019). He also produces the annual cocktail event Arizona Cocktail Weekend, in the heart of downtown Phoenix. His newest projects and concept is Lylo (2020) and Don Woods’ (2021) at the Rise Uptown hotel in Phoenix Arizona.