Garnishes likely share the same vintage as cocktails, having debuted alongside juleps and cobblers. It’s no coincidence that Jerry Thomas, in his 1862 recipe book, refers to them as a well- established concept. Traditionally, garnishes have always been present but played a supporting role to the drink itself.
Julie Couder and Giovanni Allario are changing that narrative, sometimes flipping the hierarchy to “think of the garnish first and then the drink that would best complement it”.
The Concept
Couder and Allario are a young couple with a background in cocktails and gastronomy. They met in Paris, moved to Italy, and during the Covid pandemic, laid the groundwork for Sete: a consulting and communication service for the bar industry. With their deep-rooted expertise, they’ve identified garnishes as a new and exciting frontier. They offer masterclasses and workshops, and their Instagram page (@garnishlab_ is a vibrant gallery of their imaginative creations.
Sete: When Garnishes Come Before The Cocktail
Here, garnishes “take the spotlight, sparking creativity in all who see them”. Their approach starts with a simple observation: creative garnishes do exist, but are often tied to high-level research, requiring time, money, and technical skill. Below the pinnacle of excellence, you make do with what’s available. It’s done correctly, of course, but without much inspiration — a lemon twist here, an olive there, a fruit precariously perched on the glass. Such garnishes are simple and repetitive because people often lack the time and creativity. “We aim to show something inspiring yet easy to prepare”, say the founders of Sete.
The Alternatives
This is one facet of Sete. The other engages with venues and professionals: “We seek the most coherent solution to accompany their drinks, considering colors, shapes, and flavors with the same attention to detail found in the cocktails, but applied to garnishes.
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Images courtesy Julie Couder
