Master Mixologist: Gina Chersevani

Michael Sanson

Stacey Vaeth Photography

The word “mixologist” is getting thrown around quite a bit these days. So when we use the term “master mixologist,” we're not messin' around. This month's focus is on a woman who sets the blogosphere on fire every time she moves from one job to another. Hearts break when she leaves a place and they soar when she surfaces at another. That's how good Gina Chersevani is. She's now at EatBar, a gastropub in Arlington, VA, and she's doin' her thing — showcasing seasonal products seen more on a dinner plate than in a martini glass. Porcini mushrooms, duck cracklings and beets are just part of her arsenal. Her recipe for Beetiful Bubbles, which features beet syrup and beet chips, is on page 60. Gina recently won an Absolut vodka martini contest that featured a cookie garnish, and her drink showcasing frozen cubes of Tuscan sangria earned a spot in The Washingtonian's Best of Washington issue. With work like this, she won't be hard to find no matter where she goes.