Shelley Scovin started in restaurants at the age of 18 at Boca Raton's lively Wilt Chamberlain's restaurant. After exploring a few colleges, she landed in Miami, working various serving gigs to all ages and all manner of customer requests. Eventually she made it out to Los Angeles, first working at the legendary Saddle Ranch on the Sunset Strip. We discuss avoiding check walk-outs, the downsides of LA liquor licenses, and her extensive experience in multiple fields of the entertainment industry. Enjoy!

Ace Hotel's Dede Drake started off bartending in her college town of Murfreesboro, TN, kicking out college boys from stealing beer in the walk-in refrigerator. After a brief stint in LA and Orange County, she moved to Chicago, where the later hours meant getting home around 4:30am. We discuss the downsides of craft cocktails, the horrors of bikini bars, and her burgeoning comedy career. Enjoy!

Bartender extraordinaire Meredith Howard started working in restaurants in her hometown of Nashville, TN. She eventually made it to New York City where she worked in several upscale restaurants including Jean-Georges at the Trump International Hotel & Tower before graduating to bartending at event venues, catching acts like Louis CK and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. We discuss customer harassment, perks of event venues, and her blossoming acting and dancing career. Enjoy!

Annelise began her restaurant journey at the House of Blues here in Los Angeles while attending USC. Eventually she made it out to New York where she bartended at a Canadian-themed dive bar in Brooklyn, in addition to pursuing a career in film production. We discuss the balance (and lack of sleep) of life in production and bartending, the not-so-fond memories of being a shot girl at a sports bar, and her new adventures into screenwriting. Enjoy!

Daniel Long began his restaurant career in Iowa working at the quintessential college bar in Forest City. After a brief stint in politics, he moved to LA for acting in November of 2008, right as the recession hit. After bouncing around a few places, he finally landed at Houston Hospitality, a nightlife company behind some of LA's most popular bars, including Harvard & Stone, and Good Times at Davey Waynes. We discuss the economics of restaurant work, the business of acting, and surviving the hustle of LA life. Enjoy!

Marc dabbled in the world of corporate fine dining at Houston's Restaurant in Pasadena, which would teach him the perils of customer complaints and upper management. He then found respite at Mohawk Bend in Echo Park, where he met coworkers who would become his creative collaborators. We discuss the zen of serving, how restaurants allow for a creative life, and his upcoming feature film project which is on Seed and Spark at auggiemovie.com. Enjoy! 

Lyssa Mandel came to Los Angeles recently from New York City, driving across country during the Trump inauguration. She reflects on the differences between New York and Los Angeles restaurant goers from her tenure at Lexington Brass in Midtown to her current job at All'Acqua in Atwater Village. We discuss the zen of serving, brunch horror stories including a diaper changing at her table, and her hilarious podcast called The Bitch Seat. Enjoy! 

Coworker Brianna Baker started waiting tables in college at The Olive Garden, where she learned valuable server skills for life. These came in handy at Chin Chin in Brentwood, one of LA's fanciest neighborhoods. We discuss her experience waiting tables for LA elites like the Kardashians, the controversy over red lipstick, and her acting career including a role on House of Lies. Enjoy!

Ashley Joyce had the unique experience of working at the original American Girl Place store and cafe in Chicago. Surprisingly, she explains, it was quite a money maker, despite entitled parents and interacting with children's dolls over pancakes. We go into detail about her experience there, as well as her many talents in entertainment including musical theater, writing, and producing. Enjoy! 

Originally from Long Island, Kim Kalish began her restaurant career in college, eventually making her way to New York City, landing a bartending job at Ryan's Daughter. This local Irish pub turned out to be the absolute dream gig, a family operated, neighborhood favorite. We talk about the boldness of bar patrons, Kim's catering gigs including the Oscars after party, and her appearances on Conan. Enjoy!