Where do you work?

New Society, St Louis, Missouri

Tell us something about yourself.

I've never been good at these haha. Guess I'll start at the beginning. I was born and raised in Washington and two years ago I moved to Chicago and now I'm in St Louis. It feels weird not having the ocean and mountains outside your door but I do enjoy having more sunshine throughout the year. I can do this double-jointed thing with my shoulder but only the left one. I started bartending about four and a half years ago but have been in the industry for around six. My major in school was behavioral neuroscience, so yes, I can read your mind. In my free time, you can catch me painting, binge-watching television, frolicking out in nature while listening to music, reading a sci-fi book, and devouring all the food and beverages. I'm pretty clumsy (ADHD brain here) but surprisingly have only broken one bone and gotten stitches twice. International grocery stores are my favorite kind of grocer (another great source of inspiration). When I was a kid, I was in this club at school where we would travel to other schools and do performances that included juggling, double dutch, uni-cycling, and tumbling. Given all of this information, I think it makes total sense that I ended up as a bartender.

Image: New Society, St Louis, Missouri Instagram

What inspired you to get into bartending?

I think the beginning of my story is the same as many, I was in college and needed money haha. I started as a server and eventually made some bartender friends. That's when I first began having an interest in cocktails. When I was in high school, I wanted to go to culinary school but long story short, I didn't so I think this was a natural evolution as I was able to drink and see that side of things. My bar mentor, Dakota Etley, was doing some really cool craft cocktail menus, and that gave me inspiration to go into bartending, to test what you can do with a drink. I love incorporating culinary aspects into cocktails and that creative outlet along with the social interaction drew me into the career. I love the freedom it gives me to be myself not only through drinks but with people I meet.

What are some of the most important skills for a bartender to have?

It really depends on the environment of the bar and what the person is trying to get out of bartending. A universal skill though is the ability to adapt and always wanting to be better. There is so much to learn in this field and it only helps you grow as a bartender. Another important skill is passion; whether it's guest experience, creative expression, or whatever reason you keeps you bartending, keep that fire burning. This one might sound a little strange but I think it's important for a bartender or anyone in the service industry to be aware of how they're feeling. So many people experience burnout and change careers and I think part of that could be prevented if we all checked in on ourselves. Give yourself a break, take a vacation, leave the toxic workplace, and find a place you're happy to go to each day. Of course, you can always decide to leave the industry for whatever reason but being in tune with why you're having those feelings could make a difference. That can also be expanded for guest experience. If you're not happy, it's easy to let it affect service. Being able to shake off a bad day or take the time you need is a skill that ensures everyone has a good time.

What do you look for when you plan to buy spirits for your bar?

There's a balance between what the consumer is looking for and what an industry guest might want. For me, I love finding new and interesting spirits but they aren't always a crowd pleaser for the general public. I also think though, that there is a growing amount of bargoers that are looking for something weird and fun and new, so finding a product I love makes it easier to sell to someone who has never heard of it.

What cocktails and drinks trends do you see in 2024?

We've all seen a growing trend of non-alcoholic options in bars and I don't think that will be going away anytime soon. More and more people are not necessarily quitting drinking but drinking less and being more mindful of their drinking. Another trend that I hope continues is sustainability in the bar. Finding ways to reduce waste and support local, not only strengthens the community but challenges bartenders in new ways and hopefully makes some impact on the future of the planet. One trend I'd like to see more of in 2024 is cocktail pairings with food. Wine pairing has been around forever and I think it's time there was more cocktails involved. Cocktails are similar to wine in that their flavor profile can change drastically when combined with food and can enhance the experience of the food as well. There's such much to explore with the way we pair them. I'm excited to see more.

What's the best part of your job?

I love the ability for creative expression. Creating new drinks is one of my favorite things about the job. I love the RnD process. I think it makes me look at life in a different way sometimes. Everything has the chance to be an inspiration. The first bar I worked at (Miller's BackDoor in Bellingham, WA) did a music-themed menu after the pandemic, where each drink was named after a song and that cocktail was a representation of the song to us. One of the easiest places for me to draw inspiration is going to a new restaurant. Thinking about how I can change a plate of food into liquid what flavor profile is present and how I translate that to the drink, is just fun (most of the time haha. There are always moments of frustration or things I can't get just right but I think that's part of the challenge and it would be less fun if everything just worked immediately). This joy from creative expression continues when someone finally gets to try the final product. Having someone not understand how they're tasting what they're tasting is such a heart-filling moment. It provides an opportunity for conversation and experience. And lastly, the expression allows me to be me in the bar. I hate wearing silly uniforms or having specific things I'm supposed to say to a guest. Each interaction should be unique to the individual and that requires the ability to feel comfortable in the space.

What are your favorite TV shows right now? Or your favorite movie?

Wow, this is a hard one. I'm a sucker for a good reality TV show and Too Hot To Handle will always be a guilty pleasure. A forever favorite is Broad City and The Office. There are so many good new shows and movies out right now but one that I recently watched (and was very late to the game) was Friday Night Lights; I didn't think I would get so invested in a high school football drama but I did. As for movies, I've got to go with Face Off and Ratatouille.

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If you had to pick one spirit as your personal best which would it be and why?

It's a tie between agave and rum. There are just so many varietals of agave showing up on the market now it's insane. I love the range of flavor profiles you can find whether it's earthy or sweet fermenting fruit, It's not just tequila and overly smokey mezcal now. And then there's rum, what's not to love? I think it gets a bad rep because people drank the cheap sugar rum when they were younger and they think that's all rum can be. But I love its versatility; you can of course go with a more tropical-inspired drink, like a classic daiquiri is always a winner and a great way to show off the flavors in the rum. It can also be used in so many other ways though, sub a coconut rum in a negroni and now you're in heaven, the list goes on forever. I'm a huge fan of adding a splash of rhum or agricole as well, bringing out that funky grassy or salty undertones just gives a drink more dimension and complexity.

Any tips for bartenders on how to upsell or cross-sell?

Find the products you actually like. It's so much easier to upsell when it's a product you care about. I believe that when you like the product, you remember more about it, which allows you to talk about it more and people like that. Or if you have a good memory, having a fun fact or two about whatever you're trying to upsell is always helpful. People want a reason as to why it's better than the other thing or to feel like they're in on a new secret and the bartender can easily give that to them with a little background knowledge.

Define a good Bartender according to you.

For me, a good bartender is someone who makes you feel welcome and is able to read the room. Not every person is looking for a bartender to engage in full conversation with them and others prefer more engagement so it's up to the bartender to sense the vibe of each interaction. I love it when a bartender is able to be themselves in the bar like they feel at home, that makes me feel like I'm in a good place. Cleanliness is another small thing that shows me they're a good bartender. There is nothing worse than a messy bar, whether it's a dirty glass or a sticky well. It might not seem like much but I think that lends itself to attention to detail, which is important for a good bartender.

Makenzie Helem is also a judge at the Bartender Spirits Awards. Using the tagline “Judged By Bartenders, Bar Managers, and Off-Premise Managers For The On-Premise Industry,” the Bartender Spirits Awards will recognize, encourage, promote, and celebrate excellence in the U.S. drinks industry for the 6th time.

If you are a spirit brand looking to grow in the on-premise channels of the USA, you can now enter your brands and get the super early bird pricing. The call for international and domestic brands is now open.