Tales of the Cocktail

Spirited Awards Middle East & Africa Top 10 Honorees Announcement 2026.

TOTC2025 Seminar: Keynote: Rethinking Labor Standards

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Emma Janzen PANELIST: Tammera Catchings, Lisa Cain, and Charlotte Voisey Through the ages, bars and restaurants have served as one of the most beloved backbones of our communities, and yet today’s outdated federal systems continue to challenge the viability of long-term, sustainable, and equitable careers for hospitality workers. To disrupt the status quo, in 2020 th

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Luxury: Refined Experiences

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Gianluca Sparacino Gianluca Sparacino, VP Food & Beverage for the Americas at Four Seasons, explores the Future of Luxury, taking the audience on a journey of refined experience. In ten years time, what will luxury mean to the industry, and how will the evolution of luxury impact bars and restaurants? About Tales of the Cocktail®: With hundreds of opportunities devel

TOTC2025: Future of Culture: How Global Shifts Will Reshape Identity, Influence, and Community

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Leila Fataar In a globally connected world, technological advancements and social innovations are reshaping how we gather. The bar and hospitality industry holds a critical role and an unparalleled opportunity: to drive creativity, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility. The Futures track at Tales of the Cocktail is a hub for visionary conversations, offering

TOTC2025 Seminar: Cocktail Dilution: Presented by Campari Academy

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Jessamine McLellan PANELISTS: Michael Capoferri & Dave Arnold Often overlooked, dilution makes up 25-30% of any well-crafted drink. Join us for an eye-opening seminar where we'll explore everything we can on this "silent" element. You'll dive into the science of dilution with our expert speakers, Dave Arnold and Mike Capoferri. They'll share their cutting-edge insigh

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Socialization: The Hospitality Horizon

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Marissa Johnston Join us for "Future of Socialization: The Hospitality Horizon," a seminar that explores how bars and hospitality venues can redefine their roles in an ever-evolving world. Designed for bartenders, bar owners, industry innovators, and brands, this presentation will illuminate ways to maintain the intrinsic value of venues as essential community touchp

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Technology: Leveraging Tech for Ed and Development

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Alex Day Seminar will highlight the role technology can seamlessly intergration with an employee’s experience in hospitality creating just in time learning that allows them to quickly up-skill while on the job. It will also explore the role this type of learning plays in shaping the future of our industry. About Tales of the Cocktail®: With hundreds of opportunities

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Flavor: Exploring the Untapped Flavor Potential of Wood

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Ben Branson There are 73,000 tree species on earth and another 9,000 experts believe are yet to be discovered [that's nearly twiceas many tree species as edible plants on this planet!] and we have no idea what the majority of woods taste like. Ben Branson is on a mission to taste as many as possible exploring both native and exotic woods. At his distillery and matura

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Hospitality: The Art of Being Hospitable

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Sean Flynn Join Sean Flynn, the Senior Editorial Director at Food & Wine, to explore the Future of Hospitality. In the hospitality industry, there’s a constant focus on the future — what trends are up-and-coming, what’s new and inventive. But it’s important to not lose sight of the core values of what it means to be in hospitality. If we were looking back to present

TOTC2025 Seminar: The Slow Beverage Movement

This seminar was featured during Tales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Join this panel of industry trailblazers to learn about the philosophy behind the Slow Beverage Movement and how it aims to reshape the way we serve and consume drinks. Hosted by Bilal Sarwari, Slow Food International Councilor of the United States and featuring panelists Jim Meehan, author of The Bartender's Pantry, Meehan's Bartender Manual and PDT, Danny Childs Founde

TOTC2025 Seminar: Breaking the Algorithm

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Addie Chinn PANELIST: Bob Conwell & Claire Warner Join our panel of creative professionals for an engaging talk on breaking free from the echo chamber of the digital age. In a world dominated by image-heavy platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, we’ve all become “visual creatives,” but this has also trapped us in a cycle of repetitive ideas and copycat campaigns. Ou

TOTC2025 Seminar: Profit with Precision: 3 Key Steps to a Financially Viable Bar Business

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Kristine Bocchino PANELISTS: Celia Schoonraad, Erika Flowers, & Kate Boushel Join us for an informative and strategic seminar designed to help bar owners and managers build a financially successful and sustainable business. "Profit with Precision" will focus on three core pillars for driving profitability in the bar industry: crafting a world-class business plan, opt

TOTC2025 Seminar: Future of Sustainability: The Spirits of Tomorrow

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Tiffany Nurrenbern This session will explore the dynamic evolution of the spirits and cocktail industry to address a changing climate. By teaming up with farmers to put carbon back in the soil–where it belongs– the spirits industry is not just reacting to climate change, it is building a more resilient and climate-conscious future. Whether you're a bartender, brand b

TOTC2025 Seminar: ABCs of Agave Biology & Resilience presented by Campari Academy and Montelobos

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Mary Palac PANELISTS: Ivan Saldaña Oyarzábal & Diego Cantú Incredible diversity, unique botanical features, and unparalleled adaptability to some of the harshest environments on Earth. Native to arid and semi-arid regions, agaves are masters of survival, thriving in extreme conditions with minimal resources. Participants will delve into the botany of agave, including

TOTC2025: The Future of Commerce: Rebels Unite

This seminar was featured duringTales of the Cocktail®, which took place, July 20-25, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. MOD: Racheal Vaughan Jones What if the future of the drinks industry belongs to the rebels? This session explores how challenger thinking is no longer a niche strategy – it’s the only strategy! From breaking category rules to building cult communities, we’ll unpack the mindset needed to stay culturally relevant in a world where consumer expectations evolve overnight. Expe