Hidden F&B: Jason Male

By Helen Mitternight / Image courtesy of Helen Mitternight

SNOB stands for Slightly North of Broad, and it’s one of the bastions of Charleston’s restaurants

Jason Male is a bartender atSNOBin Charleston. SNOB stands for Slightly North of Broad, and it’s one of the bastions of Charleston’s restaurants.

Here's Jason’s take:

Favorite Bar Tool or Gadget

Atomizer. The little spray bottle you put absinthe or chartreuse in lets you add just a little bit of flavor very quickly. Just a little spray of absinthe over the top of your cocktail and boom, you have a two-minute Sazerac rather than a five-minute Sazerac.

In My Refrigerator (Three Things)

Lemon juice for cooking and mixology, some ginger beer, and cranberry juice. I keep it for my friends who come over and drink vodka Crans, even though I have no friends who drink vodka Crans.

In My Pantry (Three Things)

You know how much sugar bartenders use? I actually have a 50-pound tub of sugar in my pantry. Pop Tarts for breakfast, S’mores flavor. And rice. You’ve gotta keep rice for your meals, it goes with anything.

Favorite Smell

The shrimp and grits at SNOB. When they come out and hit the bar and set them down in front of me, I don’t even know their food has dropped, I smell it before I see it. It smells so good.

Favorite Drink

Margarita. Tried and true, it’s a classic. On the rocks with no salt.

"I plan to continue my bartending journey and I’m balancing it with comedy." — Jason Male on what the future holds for the SNOB bartender.

Comfort Food

Bumpa’sis the bar around the corner from SNOB, and they have the best chicken sandwich in the world, it’s called the Mayor. That, with a side of fries and a side of ranch.

Most Underrated Drink Ingredient

Drambuiefor sure. Seriously, I would challenge you to take any cocktail and add a quarter of an ounce of Drambuie to it and it will taste better. It’s got honey notes, some grassy notes, it really rounds out a lot of drinks. It’s a secret superpower.

Customer Pet Peeve

In the past, naming a brewery or the type of beer they’re looking for. Someone said they wanted something that tastes like aSierra Nevadaand I’m like, “Sir, that’s a whole brewery, I don’t know which of their beers you want.”

Favorite Meal to Cook at Home

I do Italian food very well, growing up in New York. I would say my chicken noodle soup. The key is a lot of parsley.

What’s Next

I would say fatherhood—I’ve just had a son. I plan to continue my bartending journey and I’m balancing it with comedy. I do some improv and sketch stuff. I want to keep all of that going and see where it takes me.

Find out more about Jason in the latestHidden F&B podcast episodebrought to you byCharleston Grit!

Curious who the other heroes might be that are hiding around the country? Check out episodes from the national podcast athelenmitternight.com.