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What does it take to go from pouring drinks to owning the bar? Tim Christakis is co-owner of Present Momentz Bar, he isn't redefining NYC nightlife — he's adding to it. — and he is still  part of the team behind the recognized Sip & Guzzle in NYC. 

In this episode, Tim shares his journey from bartender to co-owner, what it takes to run a Lower East Side bar in NYC, and why he still at Sip & Guzzle. This is a story about showing up, contributing, and growing something bigger than yourself — one pour, one partnership, one night at a time.

Subscribe for more stories from NYC's bar and nightlife scene.
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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-based, Michelin-starred restaurant in Washington DC.

This episode of Bar Talking Talking Bar is about curiosity, discipline, and what it takes to build a career in hospitality from the ground up — a story that resonates with bartenders and hospitality professionals everywhere.
If you’re into hospitality industry insights,  this episode is for you!

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👉 Follow Mita: @MITA_DC

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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 within the hospitality industry and shares how every role created a massive opportunity for professional growth.
 
Explore Leah's world:
Instagram:
@LEAH_LIKETHEPRINCESS
@ ALTAMURADISTILLERIES


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Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
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This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 trajectory was halted when Hurricane Maria left zero local job security.

Forced to return to NYC, she faced the ultimate industry test: humbling her ego, accepting entry-level steps, and relearning the technical landscape of the New York cocktail scene. Today, she is seasoned bartender with so much experienced that she jokingly call herself a  "Beverage Designer," proving that true resilience isn't just about survival—it's about intentional evolution.

☕️ SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA: We are a 100% self-funded podcast highlighting the human stories shaping global bar culture. Support the channel by donating to the pod Buy Me a Coffee! 🙏      https://buymeacoffee.com/bartalkingtalkingbarnyc


Connect with the Guest:
Instagram: @victoriagirasoles | @hiddenpearlbk


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This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 of the kitchen to reclaim his space on the floor.
Today, Alex is a shining example of success and real progress—operating three thriving NYC venues, actively pouring behind the bar, and founding Aristoteles Bartending School to empower the next generation. Times have changed, rights have evolved, and the modern hospitality industry is packed with more opportunities than ever before for those willing to learn.

Support our independent, 100% self-funded show by hitting the "Buy Me a Coffee" https://buymeacoffee.com/bartalkingtalkingbarnyc to buy the pod a round! 🙏


Explore 's world:
Instagram:
@ALEXBARLENCIA
@ARISTOTELESBARSCHOOL_


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Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
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🚀 PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Bar Talking Talking Bar is dedicated to connecting global audiences with authentic hospitality culture. For international brand alignments, thoughtful sponsorship opportunities, and media collaborations, DM us "PARTNER" 

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 Metro Market Manager for Rockeys Botanical Liqueur (@rockeysliqueur).
Born to bartender parents in Maine, Chris took a detour into criminal justice as a police officer before the magnetic pull of the bar brought him right back to his roots.

We dive deep into:
• Leaving law enforcement to return to hospitality.
• Moving to NYC and launching a premium spirits brand.
• The massive global shift toward low-alcohol craft cocktails.


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Follow the Guest & Brand:
Instagram: 
@green.christeuse 
@rockeysliqueur

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Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
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This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 reinvention, and Ryan found himself pulled into the craft cocktail world, eventually going deep enough to create his own amaro recipe from scratch. That's not a small leap. That's someone who fell in love with a craft and never looked back.

Today you can find Ryan behind the bar at SUGAR MONK in HARLEM and BITTER MONK in Industry City, and repping ATHERAS SPIRITS as brand ambassador. In this conversation, Ryan gets honest about what it actually looks like to build a career in an industry you didn't grow up around — no formal training, no early exposure to cocktail culture, just curiosity, hard work, and a city that gave him room to grow.

This episode is about reinvention. It's about how a short trip can turn into a completely different life when you stay open to it. And it's a reminder that some of the most passionate voices in hospitality didn't start with a plan — they just said yes and figured it out along the way. 
If you’re into hospitality industry insights,  this episode is for you! 


Explore Ryan's world:
Instagram:
@bartender_garrison
@ bittermonkbrooklyn
@sugarmonknyc
@atherasspirits

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Every donation makes a difference and keeps this project thriving.

Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
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This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 crowded global market.

ABOUT THE GUEST & EPISODE
Some bars serve drinks. Others make you feel like you belong. Nikolas Vagenas has spent his career building the second kind.

Tucked into Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Mr. Melo is more than a listening bar — it's a space built on New Greek cuisine, sustainable compost cocktails, and genuinely good music. But underneath all of that is something Nikolas cares about even more: making people feel seen.

With over a decade in elite NYC hospitality — helping open, run, and consult on iconic spots like Lullaby, Bar Meridian, Apotheke, Babel Loft, and Gordos Cantina — Nikolas isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. He understands that the job was never about chasing temporary trends — it's about protecting what hospitality has always truly meant. In this masterclass conversation, he breaks down how to lead with inclusivity, empathy, and genuine care as an industry standard.

Every bar across the globe shares the same bones — glasses, bottles, a bar top — but what makes each one unforgettable is everything around that: the ambience, the price point, the food, and the people behind it. Nikolas is one of the definitive voices carrying that torch, and this episode is a universal reminder of why consistency matters so much in an industry that's always changing.


If you’re into hospitality industry insights,  this episode is for you! 

🚨COMMENT🚨 — what makes a bar feel like home to you?


👉 FOLLOW Nikolas  @nikpicks
👉 FOLLOW Mr. Melo  @mr.melobar

👉 SHARE this with someone who needs to visit Mr. Melo

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Every donation makes a difference and keeps this project thriving.

Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
📧 [email protected]

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

 You Tube https://www.youtube.com/@BarTalkingTalkingBar-z8p

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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 empire with Tomr's Tonic. Sother’s spent his career behind the bar, behind the mic, and behind the people coming up under him at Amor y Amargo. Neither of them is done growing. That's the whole point of this conversation.

This one stayed with us long after we stopped recording. We think it will for you too. 🍸

🎯 Comment — what does staying in this industry long-term actually take, in your 
Experience?

🔁 Share this with someone who needs to hear it
🔔 Subscribe — we're just getting started
💛 Support the show via the link in bio

👉 @tomr_richter | tomrstonic.com
👉 @creativedrunk

If you’re into hospitality industry insights,  this episode is for you! 

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Every donation makes a difference and keeps this project thriving.

Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
📧 [email protected]

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits.

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

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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 part of the opening bar staff at The John Dory Oyster Bar and Milk and Honey NYC. He went on to become Head Bartender at The Beagle, and later joined Megan Dorman at Dear Irving. He's also the creator of Tomr's Tonic, a handcrafted quinine tonic that launched an entirely new beverage category — now distributed across the U.S., Europe, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada.

Sother Teague is Beverage Director at Amor y Amargo, NYC's bitters and amaro mecca, host of the podcast Speakeasy on Heritage Radio Network. He's Wine Enthusiast's Mixologist of the Year, former president of the NYC chapter of the USBG, and author of I'm Just Here for the Drinks. Beyond bartending, Sother has been a professional chef, culinary instructor, and mentor to countless industry professionals.

This conversation dives into what it REALLY takes to build a lasting legacy in the bar industry — the mentorship, the risk-taking, the innovation, and the relentless passion required to go from bartender to industry icon. 

Whether you're a bartender, industry professional, or cocktail enthusiast, this two-part series is packed with knowledge you won't find anywhere else. Part 2 drops soon — make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it! 
👉 SUBSCRIBE  for more legendary hospitality conversations!
👉 FOLLOW Tom @tomr_richter and check out tomrstonic.com
👉 FOLLOW Sother @creativedrunk
👉 COMMENT your favorite Tom or Sother moment below!
👉 SHARE  this with your favorite bartender!

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Every donation makes a difference and keeps this project thriving.

Inquiries please reach out to Nury Robles at:
📧 [email protected]

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits

Support the show

This podcast is designed for listeners aged 21 and over, or where the legal drinking age permits. 

 You Tube https://www.youtube.com/@BarTalkingTalkingBar-z8p

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