Show de Vie Podcast

Andres A Chopite-Parra watched the revolution from within Venezuela. From a deeply religious upbringing to crafting cocktail concoctions from across the bar, his path was far from boring. With deep interests in law, travel, and the human condition, Andres' journey led him to Florida and London just to taste freedom outside of his politically tumultuous homeland. A quick passion for hospitality dev...

A thriving career in finance provided riches, opportunities, and empowered bad behavior for SugarRimBar owner Cory Brim. Living life at the top with money to spare, Cory's career was deeply effected by the stock market crash in the the late 2000's. Forced to put the pieces together, and rebuild his career, Cory rose from the ashes to become an inspirational author, speaker, and business owner. We...

Sometimes the path to success veers far away from where you originally thought. For Sean Finter CEO and founder of Barmetrix, the Canadian dream of playing professional hockey was a short lived reality. Leaving town and trying to understand his purpose, Sean dove into hospitality as a dish washer. Learning lessons about hard work, proficiency, and focus, he continued to expand his roles in hospita...

The ambitious and musical New Yorker Andy Mauer has worked his way through the ranks in the cocktail community to now serve Texas as the Brand Manager for Anchor Spirits. When sports and punk rock collided, Andy started his illustrious career as a local record store employee. The experience combined logistics, art, and sparked a desire to being even more creative. Many career advancements and soci...

It's been a good few years here at Show de Vie. Lots of great chats, lots of great guests, and some amazing spirits sipped in the process. To commemorate over 200 episodes of SDV, the lovely Shid Barrett of Seven Grand & Las Perlas hosts and asks the questions (both from him and previous guests) We talk about it all. Thank you so much everyone for the continued support!

A deep career in California's tech industry collided with a love of flavor and food. Event director of Whiskies of the World , Douglas Smith, discovered that whiskey and its ability to pair beautifully with food had an unparalleled allure. This spark for whiskey passion was then ignited.  The renowned Whiskies of the World event sells out in Austin and San Francisco regularly and now the amazing e...

As alcohol remains a taboo subject in India, the emergence of Indian whiskies distributed across the globe indicate a change in the times. Michael D'Souza, master distiller for Paul John Whiskey loves to discuss the tropical differences in Goa, India that lend their influence on one of the most intriguing flavor profiles in modern spirits. Working his way through the ranks at PJW, Michael finally...

Politics, Polynesia, proof, and more. Martin Cate is one of the premiere minds in the Tiki movement. From a flowery shirt to his love of the halcyon beach escape days, his penchant for hosting and rum reaches its apex at San Francisco's Smuggler's Cove. Tiki is not only a cocktail movement but also a cultural one and Martin has captured its essence in his new book " Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktai...

Lifetime New Yorker, Stilo Pimentel has built a beautiful career out of his love of aesthetic and fashion. With crime all around and a seemingly small chance of leaving the tough neighborhood of his youth, Stilo used the inspiration of his family and art to build a larger life. Decades later, hospitality has defined so many chapters of his career. But as he finally leaves New York for Florida (in...

A natural caregiver, hospitality talent, and creative mind, USBG Austin's president Alexis Mijares is quickly making a name for herself in the national cocktail community. The Santa Rosa native with a penchant for flavors and fashion textiles came to Austin just a few years ago and has built an impressive resume. Now waiting for the looming Midnight Cowboy menu launch, Alexis set sights on the nex...

From early days in Florida to college antics at Texas State University, Olamaie's Erin Ashford epitomizes hospitality and possesses a deep curiosity about people. A familiar tale of a college degree not providing the opportunity that the burgeoning Austin hospitality could. Years later, she's reaching a creative apex and is evolving alongside the Austin cocktail renaissance. We chat Rum, Contigo,...

French spirits and food are steeped in tradition. The terroir of France has given birth to some of the finest wines, cheeses, and brandies the world has ever seen. However, this deep tradition often lies as an obstacle in the face of innovation and creativity. Francois Thibault leveraged his many years of winemaking, Cognac distilling, and public service to create one of the biggest disruptions in...

Hailing from Garland, Texas, hospitality was not the initial path for Grey Goose's Ian Reilly. With a deep interest in experiences, writing, and philosophical thought, Ian pursued his passion for people via the pen on the page. But as his path became clearer, his best work was done behind the bar. His shift into brand work evolved into a deeper connection with the hospitality community and with hi...

A man of the stage, spirits, and culture at large, Sergio Mendoza is a invaluable mind in the world of agave. His family has been making Tequila for many generations and after traveling abroad pursuing the arts, Sergio returned with an amazing Tequila creation,  Don Fulano.  As Sergio continues to educate the world on sustainability, production methods, and 360 degree operations for Tequila, his l...

Eduardo Orendein comes from a deeply influential family in the town of Tequila. The Orendein family is one of the founding families of Tequila. Their spirits have been available for over a hundred years and the flavors of their Tequila Arette  line are remarkable. Eduardo found himself naturally continuing the work of his father and is now the master distiller for Tequila Arette. His shift to sale...

With their daughter's mental and physical health as the main priority, Campari's Anne-Louise Marquis childhood was focused on learning about everything the world had to offer. This enlightened and inquisitive youth found ALM studying ancient cultures, science, and performance. Her fondness for the stage, both in terms of production and creation, ultimately led her to L.A. where her brush with hosp...

With a rich love of animals, travel, and creating, Leyenda's Ivy Mix remains one of the strongest female mentors in the hospitality industry. Being an identical twin raised by 2 deeply artistic parents, Ivy's trajectory was always influenced by openness and curiosity. After a life changing trip to Guatemala, the threads of hospitality started to take root in Ivy's career. Now as a force behind Bro...

The threads of hospitality and inspiration run deep for DC's Vance Henderson. An articulate artist who has had every job in the industry, Vance is a writer, a teacher, and a student of the world. As these traits combined with a deep connection to the historically poignant Drambuie, a beautiful match was made. Vance now travels the states curating experiences and creates the perfect groove for the...

From a small French village, to teaching, to engineering, Sebastien Derbomez's career started off with little to do about hospitality. An incredibly influential move to London set Seb's hospitality career in motion. Quickly learning English and the many facets of a full working service, Seb's creative muscles began to flex. Some years later after love, more cocktail inventions, and some gin brand...

From early days in San Francisco, the push from her family to follow traditional Chinese paths of family and college drove The Roosevelt Room's Sharon Yeung to different aspirations. A natural born host and culinary mind, Sharon is a hospitality veteran who values all of the tasks, no matter how small, that drive her career forward. As many moves involve love, Sharon ended up in Austin just 3 year...

With deep roots in the arts, it's no surprise that The Eleanor's  Caer Maiko is creating incredible concoctions. Using her many hours as an animator and visual artist, Caer's creative mind is now shifting to the sense of taste to bring amazing ideas to life. Following love and new hospitality opportunities, Caer's career focus remains laser focused. We chat Peché, Japan, family, and more.  

Insightful scientist, engineer, and overall brilliant mind, Ted Breaux made it his quest to uncover the lost components of pre-ban Absinthe. Using his chemistry and science backgrounds, Ted successfully recreated the Absinthe that so heavily influenced the artists of 19th century France. An arduous path and many years later, Ted crafted Lucid Absinthe , his personal sonnet to the beloved spirit. N...

The spirits industry of Texas is growing profoundly, but the innovation in Absinthe is just now starting to gain traction. Matthew Mancuso and Jessica Leigh Graves sit down to chat about the trials and tribulations of starting a brand and a distillery all the while facing the challenge of consumer education. The initial interview just about a year ago is appended with an update about their new Vio...

Jose Valdez is the brilliant operational and distilling mind behind Partida Tequila . As a child in Mexico he learned engineering basics from his father and after being guided into academia, Jose's true career took shape. As a well-spoken, highly educated spokesman for Partida Tequila and the rich culture of Mexico, Jose notes that no success can be gaged without the proper measurements. We sip th...

Through the lens of Mexican-American duality, Milagro Tequila's Jaime Salas uses his rich cultural upbringing in San Francisco to provide the best hospitality possible. With rich experience in psychology and live events promotions, Jaime's intellectual background paired perfectly with his roots in Jalisco to lead him to the world of Tequila. Now as the National Brand Ambassador for Milagro Tequila...