Will Elliott

A younger—read underage—William Elliott got a rather casual and interesting start to mixology. Then a 19-year-old college student, Elliott co-ran a seasonal restaurant on a small island off the coast of Maine. There, he took charge of the front of house and bar, while his friend and partner manned back of house. Most patrons were Captain & Coke-drinking fishermen, and as the only restaurant on the island they operated seamlessly for six years.

When Elliott eventually moved to New York City, he was introduced to the more serious world of mixing as one of the opening bartenders at Maison Premiere. Slowly, yet purposely, Elliott rose through the tiers behind the famed Brooklyn horseshoe-shaped bar. Under his current post as a head bartender, Maison Premiere was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Bar Program in 2014.