Bar Talking Talking Bar

Send us Fan Mail From studying accounting to running the beverage program at a Michelin-starred restaurant — this is the journey of Lou Bernard. With Bolivian and Venezuelan roots, Lou spent eight years building his craft in Guerrero, Mexico, before moving to the United States. He started as a barback, hungry to learn, and rose through dive bars all the way to Beverage Director at Mita, a plant-ba...

Send us Fan Mail How does an independent luxury spirit break into the most competitive bar scene on earth? In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with the Director of Sales for Altamura Distilleries to pull back the curtain on beverage marketing and premium brand expansion. Drawing from years of corporate experience at Campari Group, our guest highlights her personal journey withi...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you are a top-tier bar manager, but the toughest market in the world forces you to completely reinvent your career? In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we host Victoria Rivera, Co-Head Bartender at Hidden Pearl in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. From her early roots in a family food truck to rising as a standout bartender and manager in Puerto Rico, Victoria's...

Send us Fan Mail What does it truly take to build a meaningful, lasting community footprint in the world's most competitive hospitality landscape? In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with veteran bartender, restaurateur, and educator Alex Valencia. Alex began his NYC journey working brutal, underpaid 12-hour factory and dishwashing shifts in the early 2000s. Alex broke out...

Send us Fan Mail They say you don’t choose the HOSPITALITY industry—it chooses you. In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Chris Timmons . Chris works alongside industry legend and founder Eamon Rockey (formerly of Eleven Madison Park & Betony) to scale Rockeys Liqueur—a Brooklyn-born, a botanical spirit  that is a great addition to modern bar menus. Now in NYC, the NY Me...

Send us Fan Mail Some of the best STORIESin this industry start BY ACCIDENT. RYAN GARRISON came to NEW YORK CITY for a three-week VACATION. That was fifteen years ago. He never left. Before NYC, Ryan's idea of a drink was draft beer or a vodka Red Bull back home in Oklahoma — nothing close to a proper cocktail. This city changed that completely. What started as a short trip turned into a full...

Send us Fan Mail What is the real secret to building a bar that people actually love and return to week after week? In this episode, NYC hospitality veteran Nikolas Vagenas (co-owner of Williamsburg's Mr. Melo) breaks down the business psychology of customer retention, the global rise of vinyl listening bars, and how to build a sustainable, zero-waste cocktail program that stands out in a cro...

Send us Fan Mail We're back with PART 2  of one of the most meaningful conversations we've ever recorded. If you haven't watched Part 1 yet, go do that first — but if you're ready, let's dive back in with Tom Richter and Sother Teague. Tom's spent decades chasing "fresh and delicious" — from learning at Sasha Petraske's side to building his own tonic em...

Send us Fan Mail This is the episode we've been waiting to release. Two of the most respected names in NYC's bar industry, in ONE room, sharing decades of hard-earned wisdom. This is PART 1 of a special two-part conversation you don't want to miss. Tom Richter has spent years shaping the liquor industry from the inside out. He worked hand-in-hand with the legendary Sasha Petraske as...

Send us Fan Mail Some people wait for opportunity. Others chase it down, get ignored, and keep showing up anyway. Rob Nieves is the second kind. In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Rob Nieves — Senior Market Manager for Ten to One Rum, Co-Founder of Hello Hello Bar & Cafe, and Co-Founder of 11th Hour Coffee Liqueur. But his story didn't start behind a bar. It star...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when punk-rock rebellion meets hospitality passion? You get Stephen Kurpinsky — visual storyteller, content creator, and founder of As Is Productions. In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Stephen to unpack an incredible journey that started at the bottom — literally. Stephen began his career as a dishwasher, just trying to figure out life outsi...

Send us Fan Mail 🎉 We're turning ONE! 🎉 In this special ANNIVERSARY EPISODE the tables turn as Edgar Hernandez and Nury Robles , the CO-FOUNDERS, HOSTS, and PRODUCERS of Bar Talking Talking Bar, step into the spotlight to celebrate an incredible first year of STORYTELLING , COCKTAILS , and COMMUNITY within the HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. Edgar Hernandez is a prominent New York-based head bartende...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a master sound engineer and music producer trades the studio for the spirits world? You get the NY Cocktail Expo—and its visionary founder, Matthew Kourie. In this special episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Matt Kourie, co-founder of the New York Best Wings Festival Championships and the NY Cocktail Expo, the largest cocktail and spirits exhibit...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to go from rolling silverware to becoming one of NYC's most respected bartenders? In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Steven Ferreira, aka Kiwi, a Queens-born bartender whose journey through the hospitality industry is nothing short of inspiring. Steven started in 2009 as a silverware roller at Boulder Creek Steakhouse while studying...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a criminal justice student trades textbooks for cocktail shakers? Meet Rudy Manzur—Dominican-born, NYC-made, and the owner-operator of Aftermath, a beloved neighborhood bar in Ridgewood, NY. Rudy's path wasn't linear. He came to New York to study at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, worked retail in the hat industry for Disney, traveled the country...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar we sit down with NATASHA ARCE, BAR MANAGER at SOMEDAY BAR in BROOKLYN, to talk about the journey from being a vet technician to becoming a NYC's LEAD BARTENDER—and the MENTAL HEALTH breakthrough that made it all possible. Born in Philadelphia (and a die-hard Eagles fan 🦅), Natasha grew up watching her mom work behind the bar. Hospit...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you combine elite dining hospitality with unapologetic queer joy? You get the revolutionary world of Michael Aredes. In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we sit down with Michael Aredes (@MICHAEL.TR4VIESO), the creative visionary behind the legendary queer Latinx pop-up Noche Traviesa (@n0che.tr4viesa.jaja) and his anticipated new venue, Dumb-Dumb. Raised...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to survive in New York City when you have nothing but a dream? This is the unflinching story of Elaine Romero. Born in Brooklyn but raised in Puebla, Mexico, Elaine returned to NYC at 18, alone, to pursue an education. Instead, she was without support, leading to three years in a shelter. This is a story that begins not behind a bar, but with a fight for survival...

Send us Fan Mail How does a military become one of New York City's most accomplished bartenders, working at three of North America's 50 Best Bars at the same time? This is the unfiltered story of Niel Flores. In this powerful episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we uncover the incredible journey of a New Jersey native with Salvadorian roots who forged one of the most unique paths in the h...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to leave your home behind and build a name for yourself in the most competitive hospitality city in the world? In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, we uncover the incredible personal story of Sam Willy, a man whose journey is as finely crafted as his cocktails. We start in Switzerland and travel with Sam across the globe—from the vibrant scenes of South Af...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of BAR TALKING TALKING BAR, we sit down with Erin Gabriella Birmingham, the multi-talented General Manager and Beverage Director of Thyme Bar, one of NYC's speakeasies. Join us as we explore Erin's incredible journey from an art-focused upbringing in Ohio to becoming a recognized leader in the New York hospitality scene. Discover how her background in Fas...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Bar Talking Talking Bar! In this episode, we sit down with Alejandro Olivas-Castillo — Brand Lead at Edrington (producers of The Macallan & more)—to dive into the world of hospitality sales, brand ambassadorship, and community storytelling through photography. You will learn about Alejandro’s journey from Chihuahua to Kansas City—and how Criminal Justice, Socio...

Send us Fan Mail Gerardo Bustamante — born in Mexico City , raised in Harlem , and shaped by summers in Miahuatlán , Oaxaca where his family produces mezcal . In this episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar, Gerardo, or "G" as many know him ins this industry,  opens up about identity, belonging, and how an Xbox and a packed schedule at home pushed him into hospitality. From washing dishes at...

Send us Fan Mail Ryan Foley, publisher of BARTENDER® Magazine, joins Bar Talking Talking Bar for a deeply personal episode about legacy, hospitality, and the duty of carrying a family brand forward. Hear Ryan reflect on childhood memories as the son of Ray Foley (creator of the magazine and author of Bartending for Dummies) and Jaclyn Wilson Foley (publisher, editor, and co-founder). From early NY...

Send us Fan Mail What drives a kid from Bushwick who just wanted the latest kicks and a way to help his mom? For Felix Martin, that hustle became the foundation for an incredible career in hospitality. This week, we sit down with Felix, the Brand Ambassador for the legendary Ron del Barrilito, for a story that’s all heart. He shares how his journey began with a simple desire to provide, his deep l...