Madelyn Kay
VOX Table | Austin
December 2017
Nome, Texas, native Madelyn Kay graduated valedictorian of her high school class and headed west to the University of Texas, Austin, to pursue a degree in communications. In a big college town, bartending seemed like a natural choice to make a little money while having fun. Kay earned her degree, and along the way, found her passion ignited by cocktails and the creative process behind them.
She got her start at Austin’s Peché, and though she was underqualified, her moxie landed her behind the bar. Under her first mentor Justin Elliot, Kay became a true student of the craft, familiarizing herself with hundreds of recipes and playfully experimenting. She also spent time at Haddington’s before leaving the country to hone her skills in Melbourne, Australia––at Madame Brussels and Ra Cigar Bar––and to experience new flavors while backpacking through Asia.
Back in the arms of Austin, Kay picked up at VOX Table. As beverage director, she’s taking risks and reveling in experimentation. Kay’s style is full-on culinary: she fat-washes tequila with burrata and makes a spiked juice cleanse with gin, makrut-infused honey, pilsner-chamomile syrup, pineapple, citrus, and beer foam—plus butterfly pea flower extract for flair. Her palate and deft pours helped her win the Texas Speed Rack Cocktail Competition in 2016.
