'Iron Chef' Michael Symon's go-to summer cocktails - and 3 things he says you should always have in your bar

• Celebrity chef Michael Symon shared his summer cocktail recipes and bar essentials with Insider.
• He loves making a twist on a classic Moscow mule with rum and fresh mint.
• He recommends always having a big bowl of fresh citrus fruits ready for cocktail-making.

Celebrity chefs like Michael Symon, Ina Garten, and Padma Lakshmi have all embraced the art of the cocktail in the past year.

Symon, the "Iron Chef" star and host of "Worst Cooks in America," just teamed up with Diplomático Rum for a partnership that celebrates the chef's love of cooking and passion for high-quality ingredients, as well as the many cocktails you can make using rum.

Insider spoke to Symon about his favorite summer cocktail recipes as well as what he always keeps on his bar cart for cocktail hour.

Symon likes taking a classic mule recipe and adding rum to it

"I love the idea of using rum in a classic Moscow mule or even a Kentucky mule," Michael Symon told Insider.

Moscow mules traditionally use vodka as the main liquor, while Kentucky mules have a bourbon or whiskey base. The Moscow mule and Kentucky mule both typically call for 2 ounces of spirit.

Insider previously tried Symon's recipe for a "strong and spicy" Kentucky mule and found it was super easy to make, largely due to the fact it only requires four ingredients.

"Substituting in rum in that situation, with some ginger beer, fresh mint, and citrus is, in my opinion, the perfect summer cocktail," he said.

He also loves a classic fizz in the summer

"Egg whites are one of those underutilized ingredients that really can make drinks interesting," he said.

When asked about what essentials people should always keep on hand in their bar areas for at-home cocktail making, Symon recommended you should always have a "big bowl of citrus," whether that be lemons, limes, oranges, or a mix of the three.

"Summer fruits and berries are also great things to have on hand," Symon said.

"I also always like to have something with a little fizz, whether that be a ginger beer or a tonic. I think it works very well in most cocktails," he added.

Symon also recently made his own version of a simple Daiquiri using only three ingredients

A post shared by michael symon (@chefsymon)

For the recipe, the celebrity chef uses Diplomático rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Symon calls the easy drink "summer in a glass," so this is one recipe you might want to try out.