Tiffanie Barriere is Our 2023 Creating an Inclusive House Winner

Storytelling is Tiffanie Barriere’s superpower. 

Making a scrumptious cocktail is commonly the marker of a very good bartender, however an excellent bartender has the flexibility to really make a connection on the opposite facet of the bar. Barriere can do this and extra. She has leveraged her expertise as a bartender and a strong storyteller to fill a much-needed house within the drinks business, “connecting tradition to cocktails,” as she places it.

“As a historian in Black tradition, Tiffanie challenges our notion of how we respectfully interact and recognize the traditions, customs, and substances of a neighborhood who has at all times been on the middle of development and innovation however very seldom acquired the credit score,” says Chris Cabrera, a good friend of Barriere’s and final 12 months’s Liquor Awards Creating an Inclusive House winner.

Like many noble bartending origin tales, Barriere’s started at Applebee’s. The Louisiana-Texas native was a “bartender proper out the gate, proper after highschool,” she says. Nevertheless it was on the authentic location of Longhorn Steakhouse in Atlanta that Barriere leaned into bartending as a inventive outlet. That is additionally the place Barriere obtained her first style of basic cocktail-making. 

“I obtained to hang around with folks, and I assumed ‘That is actually superior.’ I made nice cash, I met nice folks, [and was] capable of serve the proprietor of Longhorn. I used to be fortunate,” Barriere remembers. “[Longhorn’s owner] taught me the way to make my first Previous Usual with the sugar packet and the bitters, no cherry, no orange,” she says. “As quickly as I tasted it, I used to be like, ‘That is what we’re doing,’ and I liked to bartend from then,” she says. “I turned among the finest bartenders at this informal eating place as a result of I had my particular cocktail, the ‘Previous Usual.’”

“I didn’t know what I used to be doing, however I did know the way to make a very good drink.”

The inventive seeds that have been planted at Longhorn absolutely blossomed at Barriere’s subsequent dwelling base, One Flew South. The job interview was an “accident,” she says, nevertheless it in the end led to what could be a career-making position. 

“I used to be doing a favor for my ex who wanted a trip to the airport for this interview,” says Barriere. “I assumed I’d hand around in the airport.” 

Since she was already paying for parking, Barriere determined to faux she was a “bougie, basic flyer.”

“I legit, no shit, wore a gown and had a faux bag, I can’t make this up,” she says, laughing. “That’s how whimsical my thoughts was and nonetheless is. [I] put the gown on, put some heels on, rolled an empty curler bag via the airport, and I appeared like I used to be going to an interview.”

She performed the half so nicely, Barriere shortly discovered herself in a job interview throughout from the soon-to-be government chef, Duane Nutter, sharing tales about their “parallel lives.” 

“He occurred to develop up close by to the place I grew up, deep within the bayou,” Barriere remembers. “We actually laughed all the interview.” She was provided the job on the automotive drive dwelling.

“I went to my job like, ‘I’m out of right here, Longhorn. I’m going to white tablecloths, making craft cocktails,’” says Barriere.

One Flew South opened in 2009, and was an bold endeavor as the primary upscale restaurant in one of many busiest airports on this planet, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Worldwide Airport. The Black-owned and operated venue was additionally groundbreaking, showcasing Black cooks and that includes a Southern menu with an African-American standpoint. Barriere was on the opening workforce below beverage director, bar and restaurant veteran Jerry Slater. 

“I used to be excited that the beverage director who was opening One Flew South was coming from Chicago, very nicely skilled, from Charlie Trotter,” says Barriere. “I imply, Jerry Slater was that man. He was giving white boy bartender realness and I used to be like, ‘That’s what I wish to do.’” Slater mentored Barriere. “He taught me every thing, flips and sours. He confirmed me one time and I used to be like ‘I obtained it, I obtained it, I obtained it.’ And as soon as I obtained it, then I began to tweak it,” Barriere says. “I’d see these outdated recipes and…I obtained actually inventive with taste profiles and began so as to add my very own little factor.”

In the meantime, Barriere was getting into cocktail competitions, taking part within the United States Bartenders Guild (USBB), and studying about Tales of the Cocktail. “‘What do I have to do to be just like the cool, white guys making these cocktails? I wanna be like them,’” she remembers questioning. “I did no matter I wanted to do to do it, ensuring that I used to be very current within the house and representing.” 

When Slater left for different initiatives, Barriere took the helm, and for the following seven years, she was capable of stretch her cocktail artistry and are available into her personal as a bar business chief. In 2014, One Flew South received Finest Airport Bar at Tales of the Cocktail. That very same 12 months the restaurant was nominated for Excellent Service by the James Beard Basis, after which once more in 2015. 

“We have been getting these accolades,” says Barriere. However the accolades got here with follow-up questions. 

Journalists would ask, “‘What does it really feel wish to be Black-owned? How do you are feeling about being a Black bartender? Or, what’s it wish to be a queer bartender?’” she says. “And, I used to be like, ‘Wait, what? The identical’? Ha! I assumed I used to be being an excellent bartender. I didn’t suppose they checked out me like a feminine or a Black girl. I simply didn’t suppose.” 

Barriere left the position in 2016 and stepped into a short stint as a model ambassador. “I sucked at it,” she says. “I assumed I may do it. My favourite man, Chris Patino, instructed me at some point, ‘You’ve obtained an excessive amount of coronary heart, woman. You care means an excessive amount of. This can be a gross sales job and…you may’t.’” 

When Barriere lastly struck out on her personal, she began to see alternatives in what she thought the business was lacking. “I noticed an enormous gap for training [and] for illustration,” she says. She didn’t have a marketing strategy however she did have nice connections from One Flew South, and her work began coming collectively. 

“Earlier than you realize it, I’ve been everywhere in the world, taking over inventive initiatives, creating cocktails, [talking about] substances, and instructing the way it connects to your homeland,” Barriere says. 

Then, every thing modified. 

“4 years in the past, earlier than the pandemic, I used to be already taking a pivot,” she says. “My father obtained actually sick. I used to be taking good care of him full time and I wasn’t capable of [bring my] persona. I didn’t even have it.” 

Barriere’s work took on a brand new readability. “I noticed some actually large holes for cultural conversations. All I used to be eager about was my household. I began to pivot my shows and pivot the place I used to be instructing, and the way I used to be instructing about manufacturers and merchandise, and I simply shifted it,” she says. “If we’re gonna use lemon juice, let’s discuss why we’re utilizing lemon juice. The place did this come from? What tradition did this? I wanna know every thing and the place it got here from as a result of, earlier than us, folks have been doing every kind of issues.” 

“It was a tricky time. All the pieces simply turns into extra intentional,” Barriere remembers. “It grew me up quite a bit, nevertheless it additionally made my work simply hone in. It’s not simply bartending. There’s extra to it.” 

The work that Barriere does now because the Ingesting Coach was additional formed by the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter motion. 

“The pandemic is when folks began to point out me and inform me, ‘Dude, I really come to your web page to be taught Black historical past. I come to your web page to be taught one thing,’” says Barriere. “Folks would simply slide into my DMs like loopy. If I’d miss a day, ‘The place’s the content material?’ The strain was on!” 

“I knew that I used to be making an impression actually the week of [George Floyd’s murder] and our civil actions at the moment,” she continues. “Folks have been coming to me for one thing refreshing on their feed. Then they have been additionally like, ‘You’re elevating the glass each time you make a publish. This shit is sweet. Thanks, it’s part of my day.’ And, I used to be like, ‘Nicely, I’m doing it as a result of I’m therapeutic.’”

Barriere continues to make an impression inside the drinks business and past, and has served as an inspiration to numerous Black and LGBTQ bartenders. 

“I’m frequently impressed and empowered by [Tiffanie’s] energy, and real means to guide with energy via grace and kindness,” says Cabrera.

Having simply received the Tales of the Cocktail Visionary Award, Barriere now has an excellent greater platform for her storytelling.

“The Ingesting Coach remains to be instructing cocktail and spirit training, but in addition [with a] heavy emphasis on cultural appropriation and illustration, together with some nice storytelling—simply [a] remembrance of why we’re doing it and what we’re gonna do it for,” says Barriere. If you realize higher, it tastes higher.”