Dushan Zaric
Founder
Dushan arrived in New York with a Degree from the University of Belgrade — which no one wanted to hear about. Desperate for work, he picked up anything he could find. After a stint as a doorman at a strip-joint in Brooklyn and several moving gigs, he landed a job behind the bar in Queens. There he learned the intricacies of mixing Woo-Woos and Kamikazes.
But this was only the beginning for Dushan. He found his passion for developing innovative cocktails while working behind the bar at Pravda under the guidance of Dale DeGroff, and has since established himself as one of the industry’s most celebrated advisors and mentors. His dedication and unpretentious approach to mixology is evident in everything he has done. And he has done a lot since opening Employees Only.
In 2012, he was listed as one of Forbes Top 50 Tastemakers and co-founded The 86 Co. In 2014, he was awarded the Best Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail. A notable author, entrepreneur and influencer, Dushan continues to serve the industry and inspire the new generation of bartenders.