This Is TASTE 845: Kenta Goto’s Bartender’s Guide Is a Must-Read for Professionals and Amateurs Alike
Sep 30, 2026
Kenta Goto, the Tokyo-born bartender behind Bar Goto and Bar Goto Niban, discusses his path from his mother’s restaurant to New York’s Pegu Club and his acclaimed bars. He explores Japanese-New York cocktail culture, Japanese whiskey, hospitality, and writing The Goto Bartender’s Guide for professionals and home bartenders. He also reveals the stories behind the Tom Collins, Far East Side, and Sakura Martini.
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Why Cocktails Keep Returning To Simplicity
- Cocktail culture has expanded, with more opportunities and products than when Kenta Goto began.
- Despite changing trends, bartenders repeatedly return to drinks that are simple and delicious.
Bar Goto’s Japanese Soul In New York
- Bar Goto combines Kenta Goto’s Pegu Club training with his Japanese identity as a New York bar with a Japanese soul.
- Its enduring food classics include kombu celery, miso wings, and an okonomiyaki recipe inspired by his mother but substantially changed.
The Precision Behind Kombu Celery
- Make kombu celery by peeling fresh celery, adding sesame oil, roasted white sesame, red shiso, and salted kombu.
- Measure every seasoning precisely so the flavors stay balanced, applying the same discipline used in cocktail making.
