Goodpods Top 100 Food Indie Podcasts
Listen now to The Cocktail Guru Podcast
On this episode of THE COCKTAIL GURU PODCAST, spirits maker and vodka revolutionary Tadeusz "Tad" Torda and Los Angeles cocktail artist and social media producer Saeed "Hawk" House share tales of global brand conquest—Tad introduced category leaders Belvedere Vodka and Chopin Vodka to the world, while Saeed successfully transitioned from star behind the stick to star behind the camera—with hosts Jonathan & Jeffrey Pogash. Brought to you by Chopin Vodka, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky, and Junipero Gin.
On this episode of THE COCKTAIL GURU PODCAST, spirits maker and vodka revolutionary Tadeusz "Tad" Torda and Los Angeles cocktail artist and social media producer Saeed "Hawk" House share tales of global brand conquest—Tad introduced category leaders Belvedere Vodka and Chopin Vodka to the world, while Saeed successfully transitioned from star behind the stick to star behind the camera—with hosts Jonathan & Jeffrey Pogash. Brought to you by Chopin Vodka, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky, and Junipero Gin.
GUEST BIOS
Tad Dorda
Tadeusz “Tad” Dorda is Chairman & CEO of Podlaska Wytwórnia Wódek “Polmos” S.A., the century-old distillery in eastern Poland that produces Chopin Vodka, Poland’s premier spirit brand. At Polmos, he is responsible for the company’s overall business strategy and operations. The popularity of premium Polish vodkas can be traced to brands Dorda initiated: Chopin and Belvedere. Debuting in Poland in 1993, Chopin Vodka was the world’s first super-premium vodka. In 1996, Dorda introduced both Chopin and Belvedere to the American market in a joint project with Millennium Import LLC. The venture revolutionized the vodka industry, catalyzing the global luxury vodka phenomenon and advancing both brands to the top of the international spirits market. In 2003, Dorda purchased the Chopin Vodka brand as well as its historic distillery. Chopin is the only major Polish vodka brand owned by a Polish family. With Dorda at the helm, Chopin continues to be a pioneer within the category. It is the only vodka brand in the world to produce a range of distinctive spirits from different ingredients—potatoes, rye, and wheat—and the first to make vodka with vintages. A champion of Poland and traditional Polish distillation techniques, Dorda argues that vodka can be as complex and nuanced as other liquor categories and that vodka’s definition as a “flavorless, odorless, neutral spirit” is incorrect.
For his contributions to Polish entrepreneurship and export, the Polish president awarded Dorda with the Golden Cross of Merit, Poland’s highest civilian honor. Dorda holds a degree in engineering from the Warsaw University of Technology and an MBA from London Business School.
FURTHER READING
Business Websites
Press & Media
THE COCKTAIL GURU PODCAST is produced by 1st Reel Entertainment and distributed by EatsDrinksTV, a service of the Center for Culinary Culture—Home of The Cocktail Collection, and is available wherever fine podcasts can be heard. The Center for Culinary Culture—Telling the Story of Food & Drink…One Taste at a Time.
For full show notes and guest bios visit our website at TheCocktailGuruPodcast.com
--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thecocktailgurupodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thecocktailgurupodcast/support
Cocktail Creator and Bartender
Saeed “Hawk” House is a full-time social media content creator who launched @CocktailsByHawk, a page that showcases all things craft cocktails, spirits, and good times. Prior to this, he worked as a bartender for 10 years, serving at a range of establishments, from high-volume nightclubs to well-respected craft cocktail bars in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Named one of “20 Black Mixologists You Need on Your Radar” by Food & Wine, he has helped curate new cocktail menus for multiple restaurants in Southern California.
His eye for cocktail photography is just as keen as his palate for cocktails. As a photographer, his cocktail photos have been published in numerous print and web publications, including Variety, Forbes, Esquire, Eater, and Time Out Los Angeles. You can see his work on Instagram and TikTok at @CocktailsByHawk.
With all the hype surrounding the metaverse and web3, Hawk has been working on selling his own collection of NFTs. Titled @Crypto.Cocktails, the collection is based on the cocktails he has created employing some of his favorite spirits brands.
