Sasha Petraske Dead: New York Bar Owner Dies At 42
Sasha Petraske, an influential New York mixologist and bar owner, has been found dead in his temporary home in Hudson, New York at the age of 42.
Petraske’s reputation was enhanced when he launched Milk & Honey, while it was cemented when the bar soon became one of the most go to spots in Manhattan.
According to Grub Street, Petraske was staying in Hudson for a short time as he worked on a consulting project. He was found dead on Friday by his spouse, journalist Georgette Moger. The reason for his death has yet to be confirmed. Petraske and Moger had only exchanged vows in May.
Milk & Honey was launched in 1999 and in quickly became one of the most popular bars to go to in New York City. Opened in a little known Lower East Side block, it served a variety of pre-Prohibition cocktails and you could only attend if you’d reserved a seat in advance and then adhered to its strict rules.
These rules were:
1. No name-dropping, no star f******
2. No hooting, hollering, shouting or other loud behaviour.
3. No fighting, play fighting, no talking about fighting.
4. Gentlemen will remove their hats. Hooks are provided.
5. Gentlemen will not introduce themselves to ladies. Ladies, feel free to start a conversation or ask the bartender to introduce you. If a man you don’t know speaks to you, please lift your chin slightly and ignore him.
6. Do not linger outside the front door.
7. Do not bring anyone unless you would leave that person alone in your home. You are responsible for the behaviour of your guests.
8. Exit the bar briskly and silently. People are trying to sleep across the street. Please make all your travel plans and say all farewells before leaving the bar.
After the success of Milk & Honey, Petraske went on to open several more bars in New York, as well as ones in London, Los Angeles, and Melbourne too, while he was currently working on a bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn, named Falconer.
Following the news of his death Twitter soon lit up with tributes to Petraske.
In shock. Sasha helped invent modern cocktail culture, when it was still a counter-culture. https://t.co/WkeLrcOkqe
— Pete Wells (@pete_wells) August 21, 2015
1/2 Now that every hotel chain has a craft cocktail list it’s hard to remember, but places like Milk & Honey were implicit…
— Pete Wells (@pete_wells) August 21, 2015
2/2 protests against the mindlessness and incivility of what passed for drinking culture. Not to get all hoity-toity.
— Pete Wells (@pete_wells) August 21, 2015
At Von. At Milk and Honey. At Little Branch. In the minds & mannerisms of so many bartenders. Sasha Petraske hung the moon. RIP old friend.
— Jordana Rothman (@jordanarothman) August 21, 2015
The Milk & Honey absinthe fountain, signed by Sasha Petraske. With a message for all. RIP pic.twitter.com/QQIvSyWF3h
— Mint_Mulatto (@Mint_mulatto) August 21, 2015
[Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]
