Tom Brander has long had an appreciation for the hospitality industry, beginning when he was 16 and worked a part-time job at an Italian restaurant in his hometown of Malvern, Pennsylvania. “I tutored the owner’s daughter during the week and covered one or two shifts for them on the weekends,” he says. “They were the first to introduce me to what good food made with fresh ingredients could be. I’ll never forget the first time I had fresh figs served with local goat cheese and real Italian olive oil.”
Brander’s appreciation grew as he learned more about the beverage side of the industry. At 21, while bartending at one bar, he took on serving at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “While working at the restaurant I grew infatuated with the brewery side of the business and luckily got great hands-on experience through their program that allowed employees to participate in a brew day,” Brander says, adding that he began pursuing brewing as a career path before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and derailed those plans. Following a short hiatus from the industry, Brander started working at a small Philadelphia restaurant that would put him on a new and exciting career path. “That’s where I learned what craft cocktails with high-quality ingredients are meant to be,” he says. “I decided to take the plunge and get serious about cocktails. Being a lifelong learner influenced me to choose this path.”
After stints at various spots throughout Philadelphia, Brander landed at the restaurant and bar Wilder in July 2022, quickly moving up from server, bartender, and barback to head bartender and now beverage manager and floor manager within a year. In addition to handling front-of-house operations, Brander is responsible for the beverage menu, including making cocktails ($15-$24) that are complex yet accessible, such as his Kimono Racer ($15), blending Askur gin, Oka yuzu liqueur, Flora Prosecco, house-made Szechuan peppercorn-infused balsamic syrup, and lemon juice, and his TMI ($21), comprising Cocchi Dopo Teatro vermouth amaro, Pa’Lante Reposado rum, Kilinga bacanora, Don Ciccio & Figli Cioccolato liqueur, and Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters. “I work heavily in the kitchen to process ingredients like infusions, syrups, tinctures, and shrubs to add depth of flavor in my cocktails,” he says. “And I’m constantly seeking out new spirits, wines, and non-alcoholic products—I love learning and passing the knowledge along to my staff and guests.”
Tom Brander’s Recipes
Kimono Racer
INGREDIENTS:
3⁄4 ounce Askur gin
3⁄4 ounce Oka yuzu liqueur
Splash Flora Prosecco
1⁄2 ounce Szechuan peppercorn-infused
balsamic syrup*
1⁄2 ounce lemon juice
Sesame pickle**
RECIPE:
In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine gin, liqueur, syrup, and juice.
Shake and double strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with a sesame pickle.
*In a pot on the stovetop, toast 75 grams Szechuan peppercorns until fragrant, then add 1 quart water, 1 quart balsamic vinegar of Modena, and 2 quarts sugar.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then strain.
**In a jar combine 4 crinkle cut cucumbers, 3 quarts rice vinegar, 2 quarts water, 1 quart sugar, 1⁄2 quart sesame oil, 1⁄4 quart salt, and 3 tablespoons shaved garlic in
oil, plus MSG and Szechuan peppercorns to taste. Allow to pickle overnight before using.
TMI
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Cocchi Dopo Teatro vermouth amaro
3⁄4 ounce Pa’Lante Reposado rum
3⁄4 ounce Kilinga bacanora
1⁄2 ounce Don Ciccio & Figli Cioccolato liqueur
3 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters
RECIPE
In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine amaro, rum, bacanora, liqueur, and
bitters. Stir and strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.