Evan Hosaka, lead bartender at Rosina at The Palazzo, likes to say that he got really lucky—he’s always been in the right place at the right time. But when it comes down to it, yes, a little luck might have been involved, but Hosaka also has himself to thank for his successes.
Hosaka said that throughout his career, which started in his home state of Hawaii and led to California’s San Francisco Bay Area, he was lucky to study the craft of cocktailing with mentors who helped guide him, each giving him more knowledge and more opportunity to better his skills. But he also took it upon himself to study and hone his skills. “I would educate myself, read all the books I could find, get my hands on any knowledge I could,” he said. And when he thought about stepping up his career, he knew Las Vegas was the “big leagues.”
Hosaka moved to town in 2015, and in less than a year was working as a bartender at The Dorsey at The Venetian. “I really prepared for that interview, I spent months studying the craft, rereading bartending books,” he said. “But I got lucky, too; a full-time applicant fell through and I was chosen to take his position.” Again, a little luck, a lot of hard work. When it was time for Rosina to open, Hosaka’s skills landed him the lead bartender role.
When you ask him if it’s the love of the craft that keeps him happy, he said, “It’s about using the cocktail as a tool to engage in hospitality. It’s all about guest connection.”
Seasonal Fix
Rosina’s cocktail program focuses on classic cocktails like the Negroni, Manhattan and Tom Collins. But there’s also a special and delicious focus on seasonal fresh fruits. The Seasonal Fix lets your bartender take you on a flavor-filled journey that you can assist with. You pick the base spirit you want to use—vodka, rum, tequila, whatever your fancy—then fresh lemon juice is added, and depending on what’s in season and what fresh fruits the bar has, the bartender will muddle them to complete the cocktail.
