Stories
Linda Garcia
My Story
Latina Style
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Bartender, Entrepreneur, Consultant
- Workplace: Le Boudoir & Endless Paradise Cocktail Mixers
- Favorite Cocktail: Painkiller
- Favorite Spirit: Rum
What inspired you to become a bartender?
As a barback at The Dorrance, I prepped syrups, juices, stocked and then jumped in to make the cocktails if it got very busy. In pastry I prepped and during service I combined all the ingredients together in the final plated dessert. Just like with pastry I felt like a bartending composer combining all of the flavorful components together as one. The creativity and knowledge to be discovered and a rush from being in front of the guests while executing every element to provide a memorable experience inspired me to become a craft cocktail bartender.
Tell me about your bartending journey and how you got to where you are now:
After my Pastry Arts degree at Johnson & Wales University I began a Sommelier minor, which included a mixology course. I fell in love with it and competed at Twin River Casino’s annual bartending competition. I am forever grateful that one judge and his wife provided me with my first barback and bartending opportunity at The Dorrance. My first NYC cocktail bar opportunity was at Clover Club where I became their first female barback. I went on to work at Mace, BlackTail and Tooker Alley. I am a “2019 Redcoat” for Tales of the Cocktail and a Camp Runamok Alum. I have competed in various cocktail competitions and won ‘People’s Choice’ for best Clairin Haitian rum cocktail. I am most passionate about sugarcane spirits. The pandemic inspired me to take on new ventures. I currently have a company ‘Endless Paradise’ cocktail mixers, Youtube channel Ron-Rhum-Rum(edu)cation and weekly ‘Latina Happy Hour’ on Instagram. I am working on the new cocktail menu for Le Boudoir’s reopening whenever we hit the next phase of indoor dining and a weekly ‘Le Boudoir Virtual Happy Hour’. I am a person who gets bored easily and I am always searching for a new project or experience. To stay happy on my journey I try to never settle. My passion, drive and support from my loved ones has helped me get to where I am now.
What stamp would you like to leave on the industry?
I want to show that we Hispanics can be more than just barbacks. Getting the opportunity to move up to bartender is a struggle many of us go through. I want to have my own cocktail bar focused on tropical inspired cocktails, focused on sugarcane and agave spirits. I want that bar to provide a teaching environment and place for growth especially for those that otherwise would be overlooked. I also want to use my platform to host events to raise funds for various causes. I feel very blessed with all that I have obtained so far and I never want to forget where I come from and I want to help others fulfill their dreams.
Can you explain your personal process for creating a cocktail?
I enjoy trying to find new ways to transform a food item into a cocktail. Food is a great inspiration of mine. From my pastry arts and barback experience I have learned various techniques and have gained an understanding for balancing and incorporating flavors. My techniques range from clarified milk punches from scratch, citrus curd bases, fat washing, acid adjusted juices, cordials, etc. The Flavor Bible is also a great resource. I try to find ways to incorporate the most layers of flavor to create a unique, balanced and memorable cocktail.
What is the most important part of what you do and what does it mean to you?
The most important part of what I do is finding opportunities in which I can teach others and share my passion. I love being able to train incoming staff and I encourage tasting various spirits I come across. I truly believe knowledge is power!
What do you think will be the future of the F&B industry?
I foresee to-go cocktails staying post-pandemic. It was great enjoying to-go cocktails in New Orleans and from my current experience behind the bar in New York City, guests have been handling them well. I also think virtual education in the F&B industry will remain prominent.
Anything that would you like to add?
The top five skills I believe every bartender should have are; sense of urgency, composure, cleanliness, passion to learn and patience to teach. One tip I have that I find useful is to listen more than you speak, let your work speak for itself and rum negroni’s with aged rum are extremely underrated and everyone should try it.
Most bizarre client request:
The most bizarre client request would be a regular who consistently ordered a Pink Lady cocktail with an ounce of whole milk and cherry syrup and egg white. This guest always orders two and gets very insistent on only having this cocktail.
