author
Tom Bullock
1873–1964
A pioneering pre-Prohibition bartender, he left behind one of the most important early cocktail books in American history. His 1917 guide helped preserve classic drink culture and secured his place as the first known African American to publish a cocktail manual.
1 Audiobook
The Ideal Bartender
by Tom Bullock
About the author
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Tom Bullock built his career in elite clubs at a time when Black professionals were often excluded from public recognition. He worked at the Pendennis Club in Louisville and later at the St. Louis Country Club, earning a reputation for skill, style, and deep experience behind the bar.
That experience led to The Ideal Bartender, published in 1917. The book gathered recipes Bullock had refined over many years and is widely remembered as the first known cocktail book by an African American author. It also stands as one of the last major cocktail guides published before Prohibition reshaped drinking culture in the United States.
Today, Bullock is celebrated not just for his recipes, but for the history they carry. His work offers a rare glimpse into pre-Prohibition bartending and highlights a Black author whose influence on American food and drink culture is finally receiving the attention it deserves.