Valerie Cao, Beverage Director at Le Colonial Chicago, is now part of the judging team for the Bartender Spirits Awards 2024 in Chicago. She's been at Le Colonial since 2002, managing operations and drinks.

Valerie has a solid team at Le Colonial, and they've been making customers happy for over 20 years. She also played a big role in starting Grace with Chef Curtis Duffy & Michael Muser. At Grace, she led the drinks team, and they got impressive 3-star ratings from the famous Michelin Guide during the five years from 2012 to 2017.

Valerie's got loads of experience, and we're excited to have her on the judging panel for the Bartender Spirits Awards. Her insights and achievements will surely add a special touch to the event as we celebrate the best in the spirits world. We warmly welcome to Valerie Cao to 2024 BSA in her hometown, Chicago!

Bartender judging the 2024 Bartender Spirits Awards. The 2024 judging panel includes some top names in the US bar industry. They include:

Renato M. Tonelli - 2023 US Bartender of the Year and Founder at Sustainable Bartender

Charles Joly - World Class Global Bartending Winner and Official Mixologist of the Emmy's and Oscars.

Julieta Campos - Beverage and Bar Operations Director at The Fifty/50 Group, Chicago.

Katie Renshaw - 2019 US World Class Bartender of the Year.

Mike Ryan - Global Beverage Director, Acurio International, Chicago.

Trudy Thomas - Corporate Director of Beverage at Southworth Development, Spirits Educator and Mixologist, Nashville.

Abraham Vucekovich - Beverage Director, Meadowlark Hospitality, Chicago, Meadowlark Hospitality.

Makenzie Helem - Top 30 Bartenders in the US for USBG World Class 2023 and Bartender at Spilt Milk, Chicago.

Guillermo Bravo - Beverage Director at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Chicago.

Danny Shapiro - Founding Partner in Scofflaw Group, Chicago.

Chris Barna - Bar Manager at Proof, 2022 Top 50 US World Class 2023 Top 30 US World Class, Charleston.

Elliott Ernst - Country's Top 100 World Class Bartenders and Mixologist, Rockford and more.

The judging panel consists of some of the most renowned names in the U.S. bar industry, all of them with extensive expertise within the on-premise industry. The result will be a relevant and practical source of reference for bartenders, bar managers, bar owners, and other industry professionals when making purchasing decisions for their establishments.

If you are a spirits brand anywhere in the world and are looking to grow into the USA’s on-premise channels, Bartender Spirits Awards is the competition that you should enter. Brands are rated by the best in class and real trade buyers with the judging criteria that the bar managers and bartenders use when they buy for their bars.

Brands are encouraged to enter before the early bird deadline of January 31, 2024.

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