Philly-born Eric Tecosky’s plan, after graduating college at Syracuse, was to write and produce with a childhood friend who had made headway in Hollywood. However, once personal differences arose - after selling a show to NBC - the duo went their separate ways. His pal kept the show, and Eric looked for a job.
Out of work and drunk at a friend’s birthday party at (the now defunct) Opera Café, Eric asked the bartender if they were hiring. He recalls, “I put together a bullshit resume claiming I had worked at all the college bars I blacked out in, and came back the next day. As luck would have it, they fired the bar back the night before and I started [immediately].”
Being a rookie thrown into the deep end of nightclub bartending taught Eric one rule of thumb: Be fast and make money. The best advice his veteran bartending co-workers gave him? “If a girl orders a drink you’ve never heard of, just make it red.” He laughs, “That advice never failed me.”
Tecosky had bounced around a few bars through the mid 90’s when he heard about a new place called Jones Hollywood, which was about to open. He recalls, “I walked in…and Sean Macphereson (owner) was sitting by the unfinished bar with Keith McCarthy (GM). I asked if they were hiring and they looked me over and said in unison, ‘no.’ I asked if I should leave a resume and again, ‘no.’ Seven years and many dues later I landed the gig.”
After becoming a bartender and Bar Manager at Jones, Tecosky’s passion for mixology was inspired by the San Francisco bar scene, which had a whole different approach to bartending than was the norm in LA. He implemented fresh juices, took a seminar with Dale DeGroff and Tony Abou-Ganim, and picked up some cocktail books. Once he added bitters and better quality spirits to Jones’ bar, he says, “ [We] started really raising the bar from what we had been doing.”
Eric finds that the push toward better bartending in Los Angeles results in improved cocktails as well as the availability of good ingredients. However, the overnight glorification of mixology comes with a few pitfalls. “I can do without some of the cocktail snobbery that has come along for the ride,” Eric notes. He refers to his own bartending style as a blend of form and function, and always focused on the customers’ needs. “Some of our customers can't wait to try something new and are knowledgeable about the current revolution in the cocktail world while others just want a shot of Jack and a cold beer. I try to keep the cocktail menu interesting and tasty, but also keep in mind that our crowd does not want to wait ten minutes for me to dazzle the with my skills.” Still, when someone is knowledgeable about drinks, Eric finds it fun to customize an experience for his audience.
Jones low lights and private booths give it a comfortable vibe. They serve food until 1:15 am. Their jukebox is rated best in LA time and time again. And, best of all, in Eric’s words: “We don't cater to celebrities and we don't tolerate douchebags.”
Most impressive, Eric’s mixology skills don’t end when he walks out from behind the bar. He is also the owner of Dirty Sue, a now integral ingredient in the perfect “dirty martini.” One night, while working at Jones, it struck him that bottled olive juice would make that drink both easier to mix and infinitely more appetizing. (Do you really want your martini mixed with the last drops of liquid at the bottom of a gallon-size jar of olives after ‘who knows how many hands’ have dipped into it?)
After about a year of research and tasting different blends, Eric settled on the recipe – and I can tell you that there is no comparison to whatever you’ve been drinking before. Tekosky explains, “The stuff in the olive jar is really low grade brine that was only meant to keep the olives from spoiling. It's like using a bottled margarita mix versus using fresh ingredients.”
The response to his product has been exceptional. Eric says, “ I have been very fortunate to have some of the most talented people in the bar trade endorse Dirty Sue. One of the proudest moments was being included in Dale DeGroff's new book, ‘The Essential Cocktail.’” His goal is that instead of merely calling the gin (or vodka) brand when ordering a Martini, savvy consumers will ask for a “Plymouth Dirty Sue,” for example.
So, is there a real life “Dirty Sue” who inspired the name of Eric’s company? He jokes that although he’d love to share a sordid tale about some femme fatale, the truth is that he spotted his beach cruiser out of the corner of his eye while brainstorming names. “[My bike] has a pin up girl on the frame like an old WWII plane, and is called the Flying Sue.”
You can find Eric at Jones on Tuesday, Wednesday and (most) Thursday and Friday nights. What does he drink when he’s left to his own devices? Although he declares himself a bourbon guy, Eric will give in to a “Jack Daniel's and cold Bud in a can.” However, after recently reading "To Have and Have Not” as well as "...And a bottle of rum,” Eric is finding the romance in rum and its cocktails. “A friend just gave me a bottle of Atlantico Rum, so I have been drinking a fair share of Hemingway Daiquiris [but] my girl likes gin, so there are many nights of gimlets.” (It’s safe to assume that some dirty martinis make their way into his off nights, as well.)
Outside of Dirty Sue, Jones and a little consulting, Eric is working on that great American novel. And, let’s not forget that Eric is also the proud creator of that mixologist’s dream, the classic, “Surfer on Acid.” (wink, wink)