THIS 30-YEAR HOSPITALITY PRO CONTINUES TO DAZZLE REGULARS AND FIRST-TIMERS ALIKE AT THIS HIP HOTEL BISTRO AND COCKTAIL HOUSE

BY ERIK SCHONING PHOTOS BY ALEX BARETTO

Some people are lucky to find their calling in life at a young age. Ali Ritter, veteran bartender at The Standard at The American Hotel, is one of them. With more than 30 years of experience in hospitality, she has made a career out of her passion for festivity and flavor.

Ritter grew up in bars and restaurants; her family loved venturing out for dinner, and she remembers feeling at home among bartenders and servers. By the time Ritter reached working age, she had little doubt which path her career would follow.

“Literally right out of high school I stepped behind a bar, and I’ve been there ever since,” Ritter said. “It’s hard to explain. There’s nothing else I’ve ever felt satisfied with. The hustle of it, getting to know people, making them happy, the food, the drink all of it was always so energizing for me.”

In 2008, Ritter was brought on board to help open the signature restaurant at The American Hotel. Years later, when the hotel’s new owners launched a new restaurant concept, The Standard, which specializes in elevated American fare, Ritter played an integral role in bringing their vision to life and cement The Standard as Freehold’s go-to bar.

“I’ve really come to love it and protect it,” Ritter said. “It’s like your baby sometimes. You want the right people to come in and you want everybody to be happy and feel comfortable. I think that’s why I’ve stayed at the American Hotel for so long.”

Ritter jokes that in the bar industry, 16 years is more like 75, especially when one considers the fast-changing trends in cocktails and liquor over the past decade. While The Standard has built its reputation on perfecting the classics, there has been a major shift in recent years in how customers approach cocktail menus. These days, there’s a growing demand for intricate cocktails with a focus on freshness, imagination, and quality ingredients.

In recent years, Ritter and her team have been adapting their menu, getting feedback from customers and testing new recipes. Many of the new cocktails are twists on classics negronis, spritzes with a focus on fresh fruit and bright, bold flavors. A fan-favorite and one of Ritter’s signatures, the Bourbon Cherry Sour, is a perfect example of an elevated rendition of an old favorite. With mixology, nothing is truly new; what matters is how you take familiar elements spirit, fruit, mixer and craft something special. Ritter has built a large amount of trust in many of her regulars, who let her decide what she’ll be pouring that night. The bartender noted she thrives on choosing the perfect drink for the occasion.

“For me, it’s all about mood,” Ritter said. “When you go out, how do you feel? What do you feel like drinking? I’m always surprised when people come in and they drink the same thing all the time. When I go to a bar, I never drink the same thing. When I talk to my regulars, I’m always trying to figure out what drink will hit the spot that night.”

Throughout a career that has spanned all genres of bars and restaurants, she has always loved pairing food and drink for her customers. (“If I could direct everybody in my restaurant and tell them what to eat and what to drink, that would be a very good day for me,” she quipped.) It’s an art form in its own right, whether selecting the perfect cabernet to accompany a rib-eye or a sauvignon blanc for a seafood pasta. Ritter is always working hard to make sure that her cocktail and drink pairings are working in tandem with what’s being served in the dining room.

In 16 years at The American Hotel, Ritter has seen more changes than she can count. She remembers that when she first started bartending, for example, tequila orders were rare, a far cry from the agave craze of today. In order to succeed in the business for as long as she has, you have to be adaptable, willing to change, and capable of developing and maintaining long-term relationships with customers and colleagues alike. And as much as she has brought to The Standard, bartending has given her in return.

“I was a bartender when I got married, I was a bartender when I had my children,” Ritter said. “Now I’m putting my daughter through college. Throughout all these different stages, bartending has given me energy. I look back and say, ‘How can it be 30 years already?’ But I can tell you stories upon stories. I’m glad I’ve held on to this craft of mine.”

The Standard at The American Hotel

18 E Main Street, Freehold 732.431.3220 / thestandardnj.com