In Episode 267 of The Industry Podcast, we sit down with Jess Long, bartender at the acclaimed Atwater Cocktail Club in Montreal, to trace her journey from hostessing at a busy Toronto restaurant, to pulling shots at Starbucks, to bartending her way through Australia and Southeast Asia — and ultimately landing in one of Canada's most celebrated cocktail scenes.

Jess opens up about how Starbucks secretly made her a better bartender, why tiki bars are the ultimate creative training ground, and how a zero-waste philosophy at Le Mal Necessaire completely changed the way she builds cocktails. She also talks mentorship, the pre- and post-COVID shift in bar culture, her cocktail-to-go business during the pandemic, and the moment a milk-punch Mai Tai that looked like a glass of water earned her first menu placement.

Whether you're behind the bar or dreaming about it, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and more than a few surprising twists — including a 24/7 Australian nightclub, a blue cheese vodka cocktail, and a Waldorf salad that somehow became a drink.

Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen — and if you're in Montreal, go find Jess at Atwater Cocktail Club.

@atwatercocktailclub

atwatercocktailclub.com

A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out!

Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports.

Links

kyppsaunders@gmail.com

@sugarrunbar

@the_industry_podcast

email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

What does it take to build a global career in hospitality—and fix what’s broken along the way?

In this episode, we sit down with Audrey Hands, whose journey spans from London kitchens at 15 to Global Brand Ambassador for Havana Club—and now a consultant focused on improving team culture in hospitality.

Audrey is a Franco-British hospitality entrepreneur and consultant based in Mexico City, with over two decades of international experience across the global drinks and hospitality industry. She has lived and worked in more than 10 countries and held leadership roles spanning brand strategy, education, experiential marketing, and advocacy.

Audrey is the creative director of Rayo Cocktail Bar, creator of Aftermisia, marketing consultant for Elevage Wines, and co-founder of Brindemos Bienestar—a platform focused on integrating human well-being and conscious organizational culture into hospitality businesses. Her work centers on redefining leadership, sustainability, and long-term professional longevity within the industry

@audrey.hands

A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out!

Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports.

Links

kyppsaunders@gmail.com

@sugarrunbar

@the_industry_podcast

email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

In this episode of The Industry Podcast, we’re joined by Toronto-based hospitality professional Dylan Nowo, whose path into bartending and the cocktail world is anything but typical.

After starting on the brand side in beer, cider and spirits sales and events, Dylan is now making the transition behind the bar — offering a unique perspective on the hospitality industry, cocktail culture, and what it really takes to build skills in bartending. We talk about breaking into Toronto’s bar scene, learning the craft from the ground up, and navigating imposter syndrome along the way.

Dylan also shares his experience competing in the Montenegro cocktail competition, his approach to cocktail experimentation, and how the Toronto hospitality community has supported his growth.

Whether you’re a bartender, working in the spirits industry, or just passionate about cocktails, this episode is a great look at carving out your place in hospitality and developing your craft over time.

@mr_nowo

A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out!

Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports.

Links

kyppsaunders@gmail.com

@sugarrunbar

@the_industry_podcast

email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club