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Celebrate happy hour with Ashley Pannell of Sidecar, awarded Best Bartender by readers.
John Park
Pannell says it's "incredibly exciting" to create such beautiful, unique cocktails that guests love.
Sidecar is excited to celebrate multiple Dining Awards wins, including Ashley Pannell’s Platinum win for Best Bartender. Pannell loves helping create an atmosphere and experience for her guests, and is thrilled to leave a lasting impression on them.
“I truly appreciate our patrons for nominating me and I’m fortunate to be able to be recognized for doing something I’m passionate about. ... I strive to create friendships across the bar and these folks aren’t just guests at Sidecar!”
Courtesy of Ashley Pannell
Sidecar's Ashley Pannell, Platinum winner in the 2022 Dining Awards for "Best Bartender."
Besides the bourbon selection, the best thing about being behind the bar for Pannell is the challenge to stay creative. The team works hard on their cocktail menu and off-menu cocktail specials to continually offer fun and exciting options for guests, and she loves bringing ideas to the table to see how they’re received.
The pandemic, of course, offered a new challenge over the last year, though Pannell says it was an “interesting” experience. “In the long run, I think it helped us shine. This very unfortunate situation really gave us the time to hone and perfect our goals for Sidecar; from the cleaning and sanitizing routine, to the menu and guest experience, we had to aim for perfection.”
She says she might’ve even called it quits in the service industry had she been anywhere else, but the constant support of their management team and owner Jason Martin made lal the difference. “We had a strong sense of team through our initial opening, closure, and week-to-week changes of reopening, and I think that is what kept myself and the rest of us going through such a wild ride.”
When she’s not behind the bar, Pannell loves to spend her time outdoors, as there are so many options, with hiking trails or plenty of water to swim or boat in. There’s a good chance that you’ve spotted her and her fiance in their Jeep, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway or one of the many mountain overpasses.
Pannell is excited about what the future holds; Sidecar has given her room to grow as a bartender and industry professional, and she just recently completed her training for executive level bourbon stewardship. “I look forward to sharing that knowledge with any of our guests with an interest in whiskey,” she adds. “I’m excited to continue expanding my spirits education as well as bringing great service and information to our guests at Sidecar over the next year!”
Want more on Sidecar's 2022 Dining Awards wins? Read our interview with Sidecar owner Jason Martin here and Platinum winner “Best Chef” Brad Deaton here.
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