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Austin Hennelly

@afhennelly

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Bar @katorestaurant
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@kavalanwhisky x @katorestaurant Kato’s private barrel of Vinho Barrique was selected by our beverage team specifically to be featured on our tableside old fashioned cart. The Taiwanese black sugar in the cocktails highlights the molasses character of the whisky and plays beautifully with the tropical fruit aromas. 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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Very excited that @oli3k and I got to enjoy the spectacular Mid-Autumn Festival tasting menu dinner at the two @michelinguide starred modern Taiwanese Asian @katorestaurant from @jonyao in collaboration with @chefkevintien & @susanbae at the contemporary Vietnamese @moonrabbitdc ! Goi Ca - local caught bluefin tuna tartare, seared bluefin loin, caramelized passion fruit fish sauce, pickled green papaya & Santa Barbara pistachios… The Pascal Ponson Prestige La Petite Montagne champagne… Mi Xao Gion - sablefish glazed with Taiwanese style shacha sauce, Dungeness crab, fried rice noodle rolls & matsutakes in a miso & crab shell sauce… The first cocktail pairing - @bombaysapphire Premier Cru gin, blanc vermouth & white pomegranate… Xa Lac Cuon Ma Heo Nuong - binchotan grilled pork jowl marinated in lemongrass & Saigon cinnamon, chili pineapple nuoc cham, gem lettuce, purple shiso & kohlrabi kimchi served ssam style… Chefs Yao and Tien serving the pork jowl… Pork jowl closeup… Tom Chien Gion Mat Ong - rice flour battered lobster tempura, pandan green curry with chili oil, candied pecans inspired by chef Tien’s time in Louisiana, radish & jalapeños inspired by the honey walnut shrimp from Panda Express! The bustling open air kitchen… The second cocktail pairing - @greygoose vodka, coffee & passion fruit… Lap Xuong - glazed Liberty duck breast stuffed with house made andouille, green melon & pear infused duck jus, spring onions & hot mustard… The Kato milk bun topped with chilies, sesame & scallions accompanying the duck… The last cocktail pairing - @patron 100 Blanco tequila, Beijing yogurt cream and pomegranate poured over shaved ice! Com Tam - roasted Wolfe Ranch quail marinated in turmeric, lemongrass & fish sauce with quail fat and Yao Cheng bok choy cooked sticky rice, ginger scallion sauce, cilantro carrot nuoc cham, habanero sambal & marinated sungold cherry tomatoes… Quail fat sticky rice closeup… Roasted quail closeup… Bun Bo Hue - the unique first dessert course of black cocoa cremeux, charred pineapple, bun bo hue spices, toasted rice sorbet, pomelo, finger limes & miso coconut anglaise! Banh Pho Mai - Habanada cheesecake & sorbet, pass
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It's been awhile since a social media post has compelled me to pitch a piece, but threads (RIP Twitter) "came to the rescue" & reignited some...outrage. 🤣 Awhile back, I saw ill-informed commenters pile on about the idea that #nonalcoholic cocktails should cost a fraction of what's charged for alcoholic ones. So for @bonappetitmag, I talked to five industry pros about why #boozeless drinks often take way more thought, creativity, materials and labor than alcoholic ones, but most certainly more than bitters and soda. We've never been in a more creative era for NA's, so let's act like it. 🍹 . Thank you for talking to me @harrison.ginsberg @christopher_longoria @elcrunk @bearandstone @afhennelly and eternal thanks to my editor @joeybear85 for so artfully streamlining my thoughts and research. . Link in bio!
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September 24th (Thursday) and 25th (Friday) Mid Autumn festival, or Zhongqiu Jie 中秋节, is a time for loved ones to reunite. A joyous occasion, focusing on family and abundance with over 2,000 years of history. To celebrate our fourth Mid-Autumn Festival dinner, we have invited the team from Moon Rabbit in Washington DC for a two night collaborative menu with our team here at KATO. 📷: @rachelsayscheese
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS Rattlesnake - old forester bonded rye, lemon, absinthe milk punch 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS Whiskey + Cola - jack daniels, kola nut amaro, heysong sarsaparilla 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS Piña Colada - diplomatico reserva rum, wǔxiāng fěn, pineapple, coconut, lime 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS Strawberry Margarita - heradura blanco tequila, mandarin, calpico 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS OUR ⭐️ ⭐️ FROZEN DRINK MACHINE 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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2026 SUMMER SUNDAY SERIES COCKTAILS G + T - ford’s gin, kato x cole ranch savagnin, cucumber, bitter melon, bai mu dan 📷: @colleenobrienphoto
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For almost six years in the west LA location KATO’s beverage program was limited not only due to space restrictions, but also the months of red tape & $100k+ that would be required to obtain a liquor license in our state. Luckily, after 3 years of searching, we were able to find a new home. With it brought on the opportunity to finally build out the beverage program we had been dreaming about. A place where the same authentic approach, deep passion, attention to detail, career accumulating skills & thoughtfulness to sourcing that was being applied to each dish could be matched by the beverage paired w/ it. Hours & hours of conversation prior to our doors reopening went into conceptualizing a program that at its core was about two key principals - inclusivity & excellence. Completely aware that the first of those words is thrown around loosely & often only as performative action or virtue signally, our beverage team developed a menu where no one at the table feels left out. Putting equally, if not more effort, into our alcohol free program as to our cocktails to guarantee everyone can cheers a special occasion. Aligning w/ our culinary department, behind the bar we source produce from our favorite local farmers, applying techniques that require hours if not days to one simple ingredient, & fill any nook of free time sourcing beautiful vintage glasses to present each drink in.When opportunities arise to develop our own unique offerings, we dove head first in collaborating w/ friends at Cole Ranch to make both our own wine & verjus, partnering w/ iconic Taiwanese Distiller Kavalan to bring over our Vinho Barrique finished whisky & after many years of development, a Taiwanese digestif. Building a wine list that was balanced between approachable yet so immersive that both those just getting into wine & the most experienced enthusiasts could be inspired by it was a day one goal. A list that includes everything from bottles under $40 to the rarest wines in the world, new natural releases from local winemakers to wines aged for over a 100 years from a Spanish castle & flights that at one moment be incredibly classic to the next something done for the very first time.
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2026 JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER FOR OUTSTANDING WINE AND OTHER BEVERAGE @katorestaurant
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