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Bartender Atlas: Mikey Leonard, where were you born?
Mike Leonard: Ypsilanti, Michigan. Very close to Ann Arbor.
BA: So, the Wolverines?
ML: Exactly.
BA: What city do you work in?
ML: Detroit, Michigan
BA: Where do you go out to eat and drink on your days off in Detroit, Michigan?
ML: I go out to eat at Tekoi and Mabel Gray and Supergeil. Go out to drink at Standby, The Skip, Bumbos.
BA: What do you do outside of work on your days off?
ML: I cook a lot and I think that that has helped me to develop a lot as a bartender. Being just interested in cooking when I was a bar back and these interests have both risen together. So I approach cooking through a bartending point of view in terms of mis (en place) and ingredients lists things like that. Then I also use that for prep, and even being able to identify something to connect with people about. Everyone loves food.
BA: What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
ML: Man, I think for work-related, hosting a party is the general analogy that I think applies to all different parts of it. If you’re in a bad mood, no one wants to be at your party. Guests are guests, but if someone is doing something that needs to be taken care of, then that’s part of hosting a party, too. So just that, and then be your best representative. I think that that applies a lot to what we do, because there is so much movement around at different bars and the way to approach it that’s worked for me is as a career, and I’m operating my own business.
BA: What’s something you’re excited about?
ML: Man, I’m really excited about living in Detroit. I like a lot about the area. It’s a really diverse city and that trickles down to even the neighborhoods. They’re all so unique, and still within a close radius. 20 minutes gets you anywhere. And then a lot of the suburbs have their own unique character, like great Vietnamese food.
Find Mikey on Instagram
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Posted November 24th, 2024