Dan Levy Is the Lowkey King of Entertaining—and He Let Us in on His Boozy Secret Weapon
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You may know Dan Levy best as the inimitable David Rose on Schitt’s Creek (ew, David!), but the Canadian TV host turned actor turned writer-producer-creator-director has been hella busy since the hit show ended. Case in point: He’s in the UK right now working on his directorial debut for Netflix, and his latest project, The Big Brunch, a cooking competition show in which he’s both the host and a judge, hits HBO Max on November 10. Needless to say, he’s got a lot to celebrate…and he could definitely use a drink.
Whether Dan is toasting to his successes or just capping off a long day, there’s one chilled bev he has long turned to: the cosmopolitan. And of course, we here at Cosmo approve wholeheartedly. That’s why we decided to talk to the multi-hyphenate, who recently partnered with Cointreau (“It’s been my favorite drink for so long, I thought it was a joke,” he says of the call he got from the brand asking him to collab). Below, we chat about all things entertaining, how he likes to serve his cosmopolitans to friends and family, how to crush the holiday hosting game, and what he’s most excited about for this upcoming season of life.
You’re quite the expert on all things entertaining. Are you the go-to host for holiday meals, or do you love having people over for dinner parties?
I cannot cook to save my life. But I can mix a nice drink. So if I have people over, which I do often, it is without question going to be takeout for the meal. Or if I’m lucky, I’ll invite my chef friends over and kind of force them into cooking. I like to repay them in other ways, like with laughter and encouragement. I tend to rely on great takeout from a place that I love in my neighborhood, and then I personalize my cocktails. Drink-making involves a lot less than cooking does and yet oftentimes impresses guests more than the food would. Making a cosmopolitan for people tends to work great—probably because my friends are just shocked that I’m a capable person.
What is it about the cosmopolitan that you like, and why is it your go-to drink during the holidays?
Cosmos are my drink of choice—I order them everywhere I go and have for many years. I don’t drink a lot, but when I do, I love a drink that’s both tart and sweet. Something not too heavy but a perfect, refreshing beverage. Some people make it better than others, obviously, but if you’re at my house, I absolutely crush the cosmo. I use Cointreau, vodka, fresh cranberry, and fresh lime, shaken to perfection or stirred, and it’s a dream. I don’t like very heavy things, so this is, like, the fine balance that covers all my bases.
We obviously love a good cosmopolitan cocktail. In your opinion, why is it the perfect holiday drink?
I think it’s a combination of the fact that (a) it’s a drink that makes people feel good, (b) it’s very festive, and (c) the color is gorgeous. The cosmopolitan has always been celebratory. It’s an easy make, you can batch them if you’d like, and it’s nice to have one on hand to offer guests as they arrive.
Because you associate the drink with celebration, do you have any great memories that you associate with cosmopolitans?
I learned to love cosmopolitans from my dad [Schitt’s Creek costar and actor Eugene Levy]. We’ve had many family and cast meals for our show that it became our go-to drink. I just sort of co-opted it as my own. And now I’m here talking about the cosmo and he isn’t. [Laughs.]
Speaking of booze: Batched cocktails—love ’em or hate ’em?
If you can swing it, actually preparing a cocktail for someone is a real act of generosity. As a host, that gesture goes a long way. I’m always impressed when people make me a drink, so I like to do that for people who come to my place. If you have a lot of people arriving at the same time, that’s when I would batch it. But I do think if it’s a smaller dinner party, there’s something quite impressive about just being at the bar, prepping drinks for people as they arrive.
Do you have any tips for readers on how to crush the holiday hosting game?
Know your limit. If you’re like me and you can’t cook, then don’t cook! Just order a pizza. If you want to be fancy, get takeout from a restaurant that you love. A lot of people tend to panic and take to the internet to find wild recipes and cocktails that are way outside their comfort zones. As someone who has been there, done that, it’s not worth it. Stick to what you know, keep the illusion alive, and just have a good time.
When it comes to food, what are you serving to pair with your favorite cosmo?
I have a child’s palate, and I’m absolutely fine with that. I love a fresh, perfectly made grilled cheese triangle. And I’ll tell you why: The cosmopolitan has that beautiful blend of sweet and tart that cuts through the savory bread-and-cheese combo in the most beautiful way. I’m sure people will roll their eyes at that, but you know what? I don’t care. It’s my party, and I’ll serve what I want to.
Your new show, The Big Brunch, comes out in November—why do you think it’s a good show to watch with loved ones over the holidays?
It is *such* a feel-good show. I cannot speak more highly of it, and I’m the first person to be very under the radar about my own projects. This show has nothing to do with me, and it’s all about the chefs. We found a collection of some of the kindest, sweetest, most supportive, most talented people who have the beautiful stories to tell. The chefs are amazing, and I hope they’re able to make real changes for the better because of the opportunity. That’s the dream. You can’t help but watch the show and smile.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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