There are bartenders who follow trends. Then there are those who create them. Simone Caporale belongs firmly in the second category. If you’ve ever poured a drink with a story, crafted a cocktail with intention, or thought of hospitality as more than just service, chances are you’re walking a path he helped pave.

Tony Conigliaro is one of the few modern bartenders whose influence is visible even when his name isn’t on the menu. Across the last two decades, his work helped move cocktails from “well-made and balanced” toward something broader: drinks that carry a point of view, use aroma like a narrative tool, and rely on repeatable process rather than improvisation.