Lou Bernard currently serves as the beverage director for Mita in Washington DC, applying his skills to the drinks at this James Beard nominated (and Michelin Guide) vegan Latin restaurant. He's been involved in the DC scene for years though, proudly bringing the flavors and inspirations from his Latin upbringing to the bar and introducing the area to Singani. He was recently named one of Punch's best new bartenders of 2025, and he's known to sling some drinks named for hip hop tracks while blasting rock en español. Check out his Latin Vibes DC style playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/25Je5BHIPWBiQ6X4eFm8k3?si=3AG3JPPVQhOntO6BGvqjKg

Danny Garcia bartended in the Midwest and the Southwest, and when Lady Jane came calling, he made his way to Denver to join the team. Now serving as the spot's assistant general manager, Danny talks about his love for rums and his current obsession with Billy Joel while not forgetting his childhood fascination with swing music and playing saxophone. He learned something from each space he worked at, and he brought all of that knowledge to the acclaimed Lady Jane program. 

Alexandra Kuechler Caffall returned to her hometown of Portland, OR after having been part of the NYC cocktail scene, spending years at Fort Defiance, and now behind the bar at Too Soon. She moved around the music world too, playing several instruments and leading worship groups when she was young, then ditcvhing that to head into opera and direction of musical experiences. We talk the philosophy of music and the craft of the playlist as well as the cocktail in this freewheeling episode. Check out her playlist for mixed company here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7KdTkgBW3qxlI91Z98iw5k?si=TOoE1RluS6Cyn-vKkzXx6A

Judd Finkelstein - known as The Fink, which is also the name of his award winning cocktail bar in Napa Valley - has been a drinks scholar from an early age, digging up classic recipes to try out on friends when they were still more about beer bongs. He even formed the Friends of Ardent Mixology (F.O.A.M.) decades ago, creating a community of like minded folks who enjoyed learning about all things spirit related. And he was a radio DJ by the tender age of 17! There are a lot of fun stories for you in this one, and he selected some great music for you to drink with as well: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0AP6BbezcRO9KGf3qYgYKI?si=l3fqIvfxSUmnd8cOA7snHQ

Cristian Salazar Diaz went from the bar scene in Fresno to combining his culinary training and bartending skills at Trader Sam's at Disneyland, and now can be found at The Lucky Tiki, located in both West Hollywood and Highland Park, CA. He accidentally found himself in the tiki world and went at it with gusto, later applying molecular experimentation into his mixing and enjoying the community and culture that goes along with the lifestyle. It's a long way from his grungy skater days as a drummer, but he still loves that music as much as he loves his tiki life. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4qgSWVWG08Ql25BODVQxHV?si=MG88UPseSdixnikATBd-MQ

Cesilia Berumen took the long way to her current role as the general manager at The Golden Tiki in Las Vegas, having a full career and family already in place before relocating to the desert playground about 20 years ago. That major life change also put her in the managerial world of hospitality before she decided to take a step back into bartending, and eventually landed her in an immersive tiki world that is showy in a way that only Vegas can really pull off. Although she doesn't play her flute or violin or banjo anymore, she still loves music and knows how to handle the big names that pass through, like the Backstreet Boys during their Vegas residency! Check out her chaotic sing-a-long playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7wttQNZM85wxuyIhVUZFAQ?si=RV7IBEhNTP67CqVdpTP10w

Ryan Jones is relatively new to the tiki cocktail scene, but he admired it from afar for a long time before he had the opportunity to be a part of it. Growing up in a formerly dry county in Kentucky, he taught himself how to make tiki drinks and drove hours to find specific ingredients. This all paid off when he got a job at the revived Don the Beachcomber bar in Tampa, FL, and then moved on to the tiki speakeasy, Morgan's Cove, after Don's was destroyed in a hurricane. He didn't bring his drum kit with him when he moved, but his band days are not quite behind him! Get to know Ryan and check out his beach punk playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/15AkasmcH69k6U91xHboiR?si=PTVp86cJTuuk-XNHInzwmQ

Suzanne Navarro teamed up with her business partner to open a tiki bar in Maui, Ester's Fair Prospect, after she realized she didn't want to have a boss anymore. Before that, she bounced around Bay Area dive bars, did a stint at Miami's Sweet Liberty, and got her rum education in Chicago at Three Dots and a Dash. But the islands were calling, so she picked up her guitar and crossed the ocean to land in Maui to make her dream of opening a tiki bar come true. They survived the pandemic, have a lovely local following, and have become a stop for tiki aficionados traveling through the islands. Check out her island music here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0OrNAhbfMC9oOhs6r5zowo?si=4w-qqM5rR7WOI8Bri3fQow

Tommy Milburn fell in love with tiki when he was a kid on vacation in Hawaii, and became a bartender to support his other creative endeavors but always checked in with tropical bars wherever he was. A musical theater kid in Canada who played piano and grew up to run off to L.A. to be an actor, he eventually decided to embrace the dream of buying a spot in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, and open up his bar, Tiki Grove. Authentically decorated in classic tiki decor, he offers traditional tiki drinks as well as home grown aloe to soothe the sunburns of those wandering up from the beach. Now that's hospitality! Check out his tropical tunes playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3UkjLcu5wx9S4IssVvgw4S?si=Lu01VY73QpqqjyjPPgu1VA

Erica Luera brought her witchy tropical vibes to the world renowned Strong Water in Anaheim, CA and is currently serving as their bar lead. She used to visit the legendary tiki palace Bahooka in Rosemead as a kid, about the time she was learning how to play violin. She graduated to working in dive bars and playing the guitar, and during the pandemic, she deeply dug into the craft of tiki drinks which eventually earned her a spot at the James Beard nominated Strong Water. She also crafts a spooky sexy playlist, which you can check out here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7BBNIp9p3de0CUKdY5TEla?si=f_po_im1TAK6Axu214h6ww

Valentino DeMartini was actually already behind the bar when he was a teen, barbacking and perfecting the martini for his family's bartending service. He started playing guitar around that time as well, inspired originally by emo but then embracing the country music of his youth. These days you can find him shaking things up at LA hotspot Donna's in the Echo Park neighborhood, while his twangy band Caravan 222 (originally formed in Chile) plays around town to an enthusiastic audience. He mixes up some music (including his band and solo stuff) here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6uPWXhO7xFTaC2D0sg1X0Q?si=I5KOrFT7TRONgSkQQA8TGg

Dylan O'Brien, owner of Oakland's Prizefighter, is a born and raised East Bay kid who always appreciated the farm to table approach of the Bay, and made that a part of his bars (he also owned SF's Bloodhound). Back in the day, he sang in vocal groups and still plays guitar, but shockingly has never done karaoke despite his singing skills! He started off working in wine, but a friend showed him that he would be much happier working with spirits (especially that "weird tequila") and he now not only oversees his bar, but also a diverse bottle shop next door. And this playlist proves he knows how to warm a crowd up for the night: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4t21rwXkkGi9VbiMZIjBIr?si=zdT9FM10S32JKH8lNhFxiQ

Aaron Post, owner of Valkyrie, St. Vitus, & Maestro (in the summer of 2025) in Tulsa, OK, started off in wine and fine dining but his joy of cocktails led him in another direction. His deep appreciation for hospitality and crafting drinks made him want to create wonderful and safe environment for others - be it a speakeasy or a dance club - and he's followed that passion in the city where he says you can do just about anything. Evidently, that included learning accordion as a kid and graduating into classical and electronic music as an adult, never losing a passion for any kind of music that makes people smile. Check out his emotional rollercoaster of a playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/72ysngg3wdc3zpDI0rfefv?si=D8k5qJzcRGGK5fD-xNRuvA

James Lawrence can be found mixing delicious cocktails at the tiny Kansas City, MO speakeasy, Swordfish Tom's. Music is important to a place named in honor of Tom Waits, but so is community, which is something James understands deeply. Whether it's the community of an intimate cocktail space, or the musical communities in the jam band and jamtronica scenes, James enjoys cultivating enjoyable environments for others to share an experience in. He loves this so much he left his role in the wine world to be able to have bartending as a permanent side hustle along with a flexible daytime gig! He also made a groovy playlist for us: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0AAWk8xmFfnskwSGPIZhgb?si=RYv9Zuo1SbSN5ahIAMXotA

Caroline Pardilla started blogging in the aughts when Los Angeles was really just getting going with a craft cocktail scene, and that soon lead to a career in spirits writing.  She is now celebrating the publication of her first book, Margarita Time, which allowed her to gather recipes and stories from the likes of agave aficionado Max Reis and global humanitarian chef Jose Andres, while keeping the recipes accessible to any home bartender. She also loves to make playlists for any occasion, and created a cha cha-licious midcentury vibe with this one: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/420P8SA2H3tEXWzLxPec4r?si=MQHu1V9_Rl-mYXJO_9gimg

Sammi Katz, who bartends over at The Rockwell Place in Brooklyn, doubles as an author who just published her second book. This one, Spirited Women: Makers, Shakers, and Trailblazers in the World of Cocktails, goes all over the globe to talk to amazing women in the spirits industry and includes a recipe for each profile. We talk about Sammi's journey from actor to bartender to author and how she got more ladies behind the bar and on the playlists. Check out her Ladies mix here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Q45iJGdxVOGIfJjsij9J4?si=-1VAxi0KTdSAWVRkMbolLg

Hannah Withers is a caretaker of legendary Fayetteville, Arkansas spot, Maxine's Tap Room, which opened in 1950 and has a pretty incredible legacy. She (along with her husband, Ben Gitchel) has brought Maxine's into the modern cocktail age while maintaining its past and keeping it relevant into the future by creating legacy funds with the local university, supporting live music, and creating a new generation of craft bartenders.Hannah herself came from a family of musicians and it wasn't unusual for them to have bands crashing at their home when passing through town. Check out her Hannifesto playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3CFDNzeUUaggrXLJkHffj2?si=Jvxe9q7wQp6dQbI4ohngOw

Ted Kilgore fell for spirits hard - and he grew up in a lifestyle that absolutely forbade that type of thing. A mostly self taught bartender who started in a sketchy hotel, he read bartender books and followed the leads of cocktail legends to work his way up to eventual ownership. Now as co-owner of Planters House and Small Change in St. Louis, Missouri, Kilgore is able to marry his two big obsessions - spirits and Tom Waits - to create craft cocktail menus as well as the playlists to go along with them. Check out his Goin' Out West playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1JgoYggfz26dXcUsdGLQmS?si=6UbaKFPbRT2w9VvVCqxBvA

Daddy Long Legs has bounced around Chicago, Alaska, and is currently in Salt lake City, Utah creating delicious cocktails and pastries: a love affair of two great tastes which taste great together! With culinary school behind him, this 2024 Imbibe Person to Watch has bounced between the kitchen and the bar and enjoys combining the two with a boozy dessert or a savory cocktail, just to keep things interesting. He's also been known to flow some great rhymes, having grown up with a Chicago house DJ dad and the ability to write lyrics for himself to share when the mood strikes him. Check out his Journey to the Iconics playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7p281ZZ39BmmbF8FOMUU8A?si=sl1PFUDqQU-x_il2y2bGNg

During the pandemic, Julio "Jules" Gutierrez got inspired to make his own cocktails, like many of us did. His twist? He decided to create cocktails with the intention of teaching others about indigenous spirits, cultures, and music. The resulting pop up, Chuntikis, has taken him all over the United States as well as Mexico as he left behind a stint as a radio DJ in favor of touring with his drinks. This 2023 Imbibe "Person to Watch" educates his audience with thoughtful cocktails created through a tropical lense, which has taken him to interesting places, including a Savage Fenty photo shoot (he was the model). Check out the music that inspired both his cocktails and the pop up here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/02FCgB94cQsmzWOxxHpUaM?si=Gb_eeioOTfChej8HXImvEA