Shannon Tebay also first American to take charge of renowned London cocktail bar when it reopens
The first time the Savoy hotel’s American Bar had a woman at the helm was in 1903, when Ada “Coley” Coleman – whose creations included the classic cocktail the Hanky Panky – took the role. But since her more than two decades reign, the internationally renowned London institution has never appointed a female head bartender since.
Now, nearly a century later, Britain’s oldest surviving cocktail bar is finally to have a woman in charge once again when it reopens in the autumn for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Shannon Tebay, who starts the role on Monday, will not only become the first woman in 95 years to hold the revered position but also the first American.