The Philip Duff Show #129, Sarah Morrissey, award-winning NYC mixologist, bar manager and Substack author
Sep 22, 2025
Sarah Morrissey, an award-winning NYC mixologist and bar manager, shares her fascinating journey from a suburban religious upbringing to the vibrant New York bar scene. She explores the parallels between hospitality and religion, the challenges of undertraining in the industry, and the impact of bartending on authentic guest experiences. Discussing her Substack and the controversy surrounding her views on restaurant reviews, Sarah reveals her frustrations with how bars are often overlooked. Plus, she hints at an exciting upcoming bar project!
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From $200 To NYC Career
- Sarah Morrissey moved from rural New Jersey to New York with $200 and built a hospitality career from scratch.
- She credits New York's endless options, culture, and anonymity for enabling reinvention and opportunity.
Campus Punishment Sparked Doubt
- At a Christian college Sarah and a boyfriend were forbidden to communicate; she was punished while he wasn't, sparking her disillusionment.
- That campus discipline exposed hypocrisy and started her questioning religion's control mechanisms.
Religion To Bartending Pivot
- After losing her religion, Sarah moved briefly to Bloomfield and then to New York where she never graduated college because bartending pulled her in.
- She studied music business but found hospitality more compelling and therapeutic.
