Beverage Director for  BarLab Hospitality Group  Christine Wiseman has been immersed in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years.

Originally a chef, she worked her way up to director of training for back of the house. It was at this point she was due for a change and found herself behind the bar.

 

 

During her bartending career, she found great success and recognition working in acclaimed bars and restaurants such as Virtue Feed & Grain, Ink, and La Descarga. She also led lead the innovative beverage programs at Breakroom 86 and Broken Shaker LA. Her devotion to mixology resulted in the distinct honors of being a semifinalist for Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year (2018 and 2019) and a finalist for American Bartender of the Year (2020 and 2022).

Chilled chats with Wiseman to learn more about her career and how she has been so successful, the establishments she oversees, and more specifically how she manages to use local ingredients across the board.

 

Tell us a bit about your background in the industry.

I have been in the industry for over 20 years. I have worked almost every position in a restaurant and bar, from the kitchen to the front of the house. Before I moved permanently to bartending, I was running kitchens and creating recipes for a concept. When I moved to LA I began to work for a celebrity chef, who taught me so much about fresh ingredients and different techniques and it was at that point that I began to create cocktails. Turns out it’s just like food!

 

What kind of experience can guests expect at your different locations?

You are always going to get great cocktails, but we really pride ourselves in the people we hire to create the full experience for our guests.

 

What inspires the cocktails on each venue’s menu?

I work closely with Gabe and Elad to make sure that I understand each concept fully, and then begin to dive into research mode. The cocktails on the menu range from flavors that are inspired by that concept, along with colors, the type of glassware used, and even the garnish.

 

How do you keep it local with each bar that you work in across the country?

The lead bartenders at each of our bars are amazing and are key in helping with each menu flip that we have.

 

Give bartenders tips for creating a successful beverage program.

Keep it simple.

Make sure the cost of the cocktail makes sense.

 

Give the people what they want.

When trying new techniques make sure to research and have a proper understanding on how to do it.

 

Which trends should bartenders pay attention to?

Batching and keg cocktails, consistency, and quickness are key.

 

Which ones should they forget?

Forget about the large ice cube in the coupe!

 

About Christine Wiseman

Christine Wiseman oversees all beverage programs for Broken Shaker (Miami, Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago), 27 Restaurant, Eagle Room, Hoja Taqueria, and The Exchange Restaurant. Broken Shaker Miami has just been ranked #32 by World’s 50 Best and is currently a finalist for Tales of the Cocktail’s Best American Bartender.