The Luminary Taps Jeff Banks as Lead Bartender

With Ian Cox moving on in the beverage industry, The Luminary has a new lead bartender. Jeff Banks is taking over the cocktail program at Top Chef alum Eli Kirshtein's Krog Street Market brasserie.

If Banks' name doesn't sound familiar, it's because he's not from around these parts. He most previously tended bar at Graft in Grayson. Kirshtein said in phone conversation Thursday that he specifically wanted someone from outside the Atlanta cocktail scene.

"He's a craft cocktail guy who's been out there in Grayson, Ga., for a while, and we found him from a friend of a friend of a friend," Kirshtein said. "He's come in and he's done a few tastings, and his stuff is just badass. He's really intelligent; he understands all the management components of it too."

Banks will officially take over the bar at The Luminary on Tuesday, December 16, and Cox's final day is scheduled for Saturday, December 20.

Kirshtein said Banks will eventually phase in his own cocktail menu, but some fan favorites, such as the Secret Girlfriend, will remain. The two will work with partner and manager Jeremy Iles to continue curating the restaurant's craft beer selection, and Kirshtein is still in charge of the wine buying.