Houston native Stephen Caronna has worked in every conceivable role in the hospitality industry. A king of content and service, his career trajectory has led him to a gig of a lifetime as Texas market manager for Compass Box whisky. The exploratory and supremely cerebral whisky brand pairs the best of art and flavor in each bottling. There is a catch though, sometimes the perfect marriage of whiskies is only as accessible as a few hundred cases. Stephen never faces a closed door with Compass Box whisky in hand, but how do you have those intricate conversations about blending and scarcity, simply? It takes Stephen’s creativity and kindness to start.…
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Ep 340 – Rachael Bloom Soto: On The First Try
Rachael Bloom Soto was destined to be in the hospitality industry. With a blend of food and nurturing, quite literally in her blood, she was destined to care. When a calculated move to Texas, for a different reason than you might think, ended up with her behind the bar at Rosewater She naturally transitioned into the brand role at Maker’s Mark because after all, it was the only job she applied for. We chat Maker’s blending components (as told through horror movies), motherhood, and robots.
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Ep 326 – Collin De Laval: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Codigo 1530 Tequila’s master mixologist Collin De Laval is as pure hospitality as it comes. He has worked as a bartender in Houston, San Francisco, Chicago, and Portland. His deep roots in serving bar patrons is accompanied by a deep compassion for people in general. He continues to explore the world of agave and self improvement. As a power lifter, he also understands how to balance the lifestyle of ambassadorhood and his physical health. We chat punk rock, the new Codigo Ancestral Mezcal, parenting, and more.
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Ep 319 – Ben Williams: Always Be Creating
Ben Williams is not new to creating products, companies, or excitement in his community. His family has a rich history of entrepreneurialism in Houston, but sometimes you have to push yourself further. Ben’s fascination with flavor and distillation led him to create the lush and delicious Highway Vodka. Learning how to distill from scratch and often under the cover of moonlight, he chose to use the highly nutritious and rich oiliness of hemp seed to ferment his Vodka. Made from scratch and batch distilled, the resulting distillate is really incredible. We talk about classicism, prejudice, Texas distilling, and more.
