David Heid, Manager at Big City Tavern in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Even in balmy South Florida where the sun shines most of the time, fruits and vegetables are still seasonal. Bar manager David Heid relies on The Perfect Purée to keep popular drinks on the menu year round to satisfy tourists’ craving for tropical flavors. “Utilizing ingredients that were not at their peak of freshness was not an option for me,” says Heid, the manager at Fort Lauderdale’s bustling Big City Tavern. “I was originally introduced to the world of purées almost out of frustration, as I constantly struggled to keep popular cocktails on my menus that used fresh ingredients.”
Heid’s flavor of choice changes with his drink menu but he consistently relies on The Perfect Purée Mango Puree for Big City’s Mango Mojito and The Perfect Purée White Peach Puree for its Bellini.
Big City Tavern, a local favorite, is part of the Big Time Restaurant Group’s family of twelve distinct concepts in South Florida.
Heid started his career as a barback at a fast-paced Las Vegas casino and now has twenty-plus years’ experience in bartending and management at luxury hotels and fine dining restaurants including Big Time’s landmark City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill in West Palm Beach.
Big Time was founded by four Long Islanders who moved to Florida nearly two decades ago with city ideas of how a restaurant should operate. Their formula has proven prosperous, with Big Time’s restaurants rating high among both locals and tourists, who appreciate reasonable prices, relaxed atmospheres and attentive customer service.
Given its popularity, Big City is a busy place, another reason Heid relies on The Perfect Purée.
“Using the purées has actually cut down on a lot of prep time and man/woman hours needed to set up the bar to begin service,” he says.