Show de Vie Podcast

Military, music, and mixology: Nate Casablanca Whitehouse is the science/art hybrid that we see so often in this industry. Good with music, but also good with details. NCW's sobering realization that he didn't want to be a musician anymore turned into a successful foray into law and booze. What was created out of necessity, Avua  Cachaca became the answer to the more aggressive Cachaca's in the US...

Hardcore shows, pizzeria bussing, and softball umping seem like a disparate blend of activities, but Daniel Kutch has parlayed them into a thriving career in the bartending industry. A California native with a keen interest in learning, Daniel has been manning Maven in San Francisco for over 3 years now and at the ripe age of 25 is joining us in Austin to guest bartend at The Townsend this Thursda...

Bonjour Bob King, may your travels be fruitful. The 12 year Austinite has just left to start a new chapter of his life in PDX. The music prone, cocktail prone, and humor prone Bob King is an all American guy from Katy, TX. From Eastside Showroom to The Townsend in Austin, TX, Bob has left an amazing imprint of the lives of those around him. His sarcastic delivery and loving connection with the ind...

This is a chat about Mezcal, this is a chat about being involved, but moreover, this is a chat about how you can have your voice heard in the debate over NOM-199 . Misty is a purveyor of truth, ethics, and passion for agave. We discuss the current legislative threats to the state of the agave spirits that inspire us so deeply. Misty disambiguates this verbose bill and allows us all to make an educ...

Book writing, Patron slinging, karaoke singing, and overall inspiration to the industry, Tipsy Texas- aka David Alan stands at the apex of education and empowerment. David is the quintessential Texan and friend of the industry. Whether it has been promoting good cocktail etiquette via his beautiful book  or spreading the joy of amazing cocktail flavors via Tipsy Texas, David has helped launched an...

Punk, bass, scrawny, and French, are but a few of the words to describe the lovable Florian Minier. An early academic success transitioning into the arts, Florian is down to earth, hard working, and wise beyond his years. Growing up in Connecticut and making his way into the burgeoning cocktail movement of NY were only the preface to what has and will be an illustrious career in Texas. Currently r...

Happy 40th birthday to a friend of the industry, Mr. Brian Floyd. Floyd is a charmer, a dancer, and an all around renaissance man. With an amazing tale of missed opportunities, broken down cars, and chance meetings that formed the future of his hospitality career, Floyd is an inimitable force in the industry. Between opening up Weather Up in NYC and transitioning his career from behind the bar to...

From Baylor to London, Tom Thornton has seen it all and experienced it all. A music fan turned food writer/aficionado, Tom's journalistic endeavors have led him to chat with some of the finest people in the business. From frank conversations with Noel Gallagher to attending small venue David Bowie shows, Tom's enviable journey is laden with music greatness. A fine father, distinguished drinker, an...

Their eyes met from across the bar: one possessed an adept ability to build syrups and bitters to empower the aspiring bartender, the other possessed a meta quality of flavor building and a rich cultural history in food. The resulting brainchild Bittercube was born thereafter. Many states, and employees later, Nick and Ira operate the consulting and bitters producing behemoth Bittercube. The two c...

If the tenderness, coolness, and overall cordiality of the midwest can be summarized by JR Mocanu, then the country isn't as bad off as we make it out to be. A first generation Romanian American, JR is an everyman's man. He enjoys beer, action movies, and having a good time. These traits of course set his love of hospitality perfectly in motion. However, the grips of the midwest winters sent him s...

The anime and Final Fantasy doesn't define Amanda Carto, but the insatiable thirst for quality and knowledge just might. Amanda is a Pittsburg native that entered the hospitality industry at a young age and showed her talent for ingredients immediately. Both a Tales from the Cocktail and San Antonio Cocktail Conference student, her ambition and professionalism know no bounds. She is the future of...

Jen Keyser has lived the Grapes of Wraith American tale. Her immersion in culture and conflict was the perfect breeding ground for the latent creativity that she's unleashing at Geraldines in Austin, TX. With obstacles from California to Texas, Jen could construct the perfect folk record. The tumultuous tale carried Jen into Texas where her career experienced a brilliant renaissance. As an amazing...

From Germany to Ohio to Texas, The Roosevelt Room's Dennis Gobis is a devotee to family and hard work. A father of 4 pit bulls and an amazing cocktail destination in Austin, TX. He continues to learn and innovate in the cocktail world. A strange trip from Germany ejected Dennis into the United States without a grasp of the English language or a sense of what was next. After years of pummeling drum...

Justin Lavenue is the perfect candidate for the cover of GQ. He embodies fashion- forward thinking, wit, intelligence, and the pure essence of a gentleman. A child of divorce and ironically great role-models, Justin Lavenue balances classic chivalry and metropolitan ambition. From an unlikely start at an Indian restaurant in Boulder, CO, to being one of the owners of Austin's The Roosevelt Room, J...

40 episodes to freedom! This milestone interview captures the brilliant Francisco Terrazas, an erudite mezcal savant who educates and shares the gospel of Mezcal Vago across the nation. With a rich academic past in Arizona, and a resume that would make agave lovers awe, Francisco loves what he does and is a spokesman for tradition. His core appreciation of family and chivalry also makes him an ama...

"East coast Italian American meets the warmth and opportunity of the Texas hospitality industry." It's an interesting headline for an equally interesting story of the intelligent Rachel DelRocco. A New Jersey native bound to break out of her small town upbringing and thrive in the metropolitan spoils of New York City, Rachel's aspirations of being a songwriter mutated into being one of the finest...

Music fanatic, sound engineer, and all around taste virtuoso, Jesse Torres is one of the most inspired creators in the San Antonio cocktail scene. From playing in a Korean school band, to studying at the Culinary Institute of America, Jesse has explored all of the tangents of flavor and art. With sonic textures, and dissected flavors, Jesse brings his unique blend of military and kitchen training...

Love's got everything to do with the brilliant journey of Josh Hendrix. From Georgia, to Louisiana, to Texas, Josh's diverse experiences fatefully catapulted him into the newly actualizing Dallas cocktail scene. As one of the "Dream Team" at Smyth, Josh established himself as a trustworthy, hard working, and lovable guy filled with integrity. This dedication to professionalism and keeping his wits...

At the switchboard of the industry, an ambitious, sociable, and shrewd business woman connects us all. Lindsey Johnson is the founder/owner of Lush Life Productions and the essential friend to the industry. Whether it's education in rum, bourbon, bar ownership, or just being humane, LJ is helming a movement while being one of the brightest icons in the booze industry. Part Texas and part New York,...

You would never suspect that most beer fanatics also have an adept appreciation of physical health, but Hops and Grain's Josh Hare is an amazing amalgam of health and business savvy. An Abilene fence builder in his youth, Josh understood fermentation as not just a scientific equation, but a basic means of making alcohol for the weekends. With a brief stint as a biology teacher, and a deflated sens...

A textbook gentlemen with an eye for flavor. Austin's Steven Robbins has amassed a wealth of experience in the service industry while developing an astute ability to make some of the best cocktails you'll ever taste. Currently at Austin's Small Victory, Steven has taken many turns in his exciting life, but has summed his predilections towards science and hospitality to a jedi level. While regaling...

A soon to be lauded 30 under 30 star, or so I predict, Chris Harrison is one of the mad scientist founders behind Liber and Co ( http://www.liberandcompany.com ). This Texas boy turned entrepreneur mounted an amazing pedigree of science and dirt biking before realizing the cocktail movement wasn't just a flash in the pan. Empowering bartenders with beautiful syrups ranging from a Pineapple gum to...

From small town California to the burgeoning Austin, TX, Brandon is a dedicated father that makes you feel loved across the bar. A blue collar, skateboard brandishing, Hot Damn gulping good guy, Brandon has become a great friend to the industry in his 3 years in Austin. While embracing a unparalleled humility and admirable work ethic, Brandon is now the newly elected VP of the Austin USBG chapter....

Hopefully the headaches are at a minimum on this post- San Antonio Cocktail Conference Monday. A book nerd Cape-Cod-ian, Killian Oliver, manages the beautiful Whiskey Cake bar space at La Cantera San Antonio. With a massive respect for studiousness and cost management, there is no ceiling to Killian's impressive career. But as it often goes in this industry, one's personal relationships become cha...

It's San Antonio Cocktail Conference week at SDV! This installment is an homage to Chihuahua and its beautiful native spirit Sotol. Ricardo Pico, a true diplomat of the state and fellow Sotol teammate, is the international brand ambassador for Hacienda de Chihuahua. He's an articulate, business minded, gentleman who shares his tales of growing up in Mexico and how a few short lived business ventur...