To Make The Perfect Cocktail, You Need Collaboration. It’s The Same When Owning A Restaurant.

Alba Huerta is an award-winning mixologist and owner of Julep in Houston, Texas. She has spent more than a decade shaping cocktail culture. After countless awards, and 110 drinks on the menu, she has gained international acclaim for her bartending prowess.

Listen now to learn about the art of mixology, embracing her Mexican-American heritage, and leading a James Beard Award winning cocktail program.

Sponsored by:

• TOAST AllIn1 Restaurant POS

Chapters:

[03:33] - How Drinks Tell Stories

[15:23] - How Does A Cocktail Become Classic?

[16:59] - Celebrating 10 Years of Julep

[20:58] - No Borders in Hospitality

[24:40] - Training a Team

SPONSORS:

RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST —

Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

• Toast AllIn1 Restaurant POS

Episode Links:

Julep website

James Beard Foundation listing

Alba Huerta on X

Alba Huerta on Instagram

Key Takeaways:

Creativity, Collaboration, Cocktails: Every drink at Julep is the result of feedback from the entire team and the customers. The result is something delicious, and personal.

Community Support is Key: The success of Julep wouldn’t be possible without the help of a supportive community — both inside the bar and beyond.

Trust Your Instincts: Huerta trusts her intuition and isn’t afraid to seek guidance. Asking for help is the secret ingredient.

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ABOUT ALBA HUERTA —

Alba Huerta is the owner of the Julep cocktail bar in Houston Texas. She is a Mexican-American entrepreneur with international accolades for her bartending skills. Since 2021, Alba has hosted the Williams Sonoma Virtual Beverage Academy as part of the Williams Sonoma Chef’s Collection. Julep won the James Beard award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2022. Julep just celebrated its 10th year open, with a thriving resurgence after the pandemic. Alba Huerta loves sharing her deep knowledge of cocktail culture with the world.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS —

Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Toast co-founder Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

Published by Entrepreneur Media

Produced by Cali BBQ Media