Local Makers Take Centre Stage as Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis Launches Community-Centric Beverage Program Where the Mediterranean and Minnesota Meet

A beacon in the heart of downtown, Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis is launching a community-centric beverage program where the Mediterranean and Minnesota meet, and talented local makers, brewers, distillers, and crafters take centre stage. Minnesota-made bartender Adam Witherspoon will lead the enterprise as Beverage Director and introduce ratafias to the Twin Cities when the Hotel opens in June.

Witherspoon will bring the Bold North to Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis hospitality scene. A fearless leader and intrepid risk-taker, he will pioneer a cocktail experience guests can expect to be unlike any other.

"We look to honour the leaders who live honestly, authentically, and inspire us with their resolve and passion,” says Witherspoon, who with 10 years of diverse hospitality and beverage experience, has skills ranging from bartending to fermenting and farming herbs. “We cherish the craftsmen who dedicate their lives to making exceptional goods that bring texture and joy to our lives, and we take pride in the beauty and bounty our land and community bestows us with. All of this informs us at Four Seasons as we prepare for the advent of a new chapter in Minneapolis hospitality."

“Adam has a heart for our community and a palpable passion for hospitality. He is always learning, innovating and besting his latest creation,” says Florian Riedel, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis. “Still, his superior level of craftsmanship is no match for his humility. I tell you, if he isn’t already, he’ll be your new favourite bartender.”

Local Talent Putting Minnesota on the Map

An innovative conductor and steward of hospitality, Witherspoon will lead the beverage operations at Mara, James Beard Award-winning Chef Gavin Kaysen’s new Mediterranean destination restaurant, and a new Four Seasons restaurant on the Hotel’s fourth-floor pool plaza. He will also oversee the beverage program for guests’ events, celebrations and in-room service.

Building upon his experience with aperitivos – an Italian tradition of serving drinks to kickstart an appetite – Witherspoon will introduce ratafias, such as an amaretto, that spotlight Minnesota fruits, kernels and herbs. The beverage program is a brick in the road to connection with the people in and around Minneapolis and the city itself.  Regulars and visitors alike will encounter first-hand the authenticity and quality of his craft, his expertise and knowledge making him the go-to guide for the best drink to fit each guest's preferences.

A vocal ambassador for the talented local makers, brewers, distillers, and crafters that have impacted his unconventional journey, Minnesota craftsmanship will be a pillar throughout the entire beverage program. Rivets, bolts and plating from the Hennepin Avenue steel arch bridge inspired Smallwood’s design for the Hotel and guest room interiors, including the signature MyBar located in all 222 rooms. A hospitality focal point, the MyBar will be thoughtfully curated by Witherspoon with Minnesota-made conveniences, spirits and snacks for guests to enjoy.

Outside the Glass

Witherspoon describes his bartender beginnings as “happenstance,” recalling his time as an aspiring thespian and the day he stumbled upon a cocktail that stopped him in his tracks. From that moment, he would go on to bartend at a number of leading local restaurants such as the award-winning Restaurant Alma and Grand Café. From there, he worked to create innovative bar programs alongside mentors Marco Zappia and Dustin Nguyen at Martina and Colita. The trio launched 3LECHE in 2021, a liquids lab using Midwest ingredients, before Witherspoon arrived at Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis.

“My job is never done, but done well if I can add a little joy, delight and whimsy to your day,” shares Witherspoon. “Getting to serve is a kind of relational reciprocity for me. We can’t wait to welcome you into these spaces in June. I’ve saved a seat for you.”