Tales Catalyst

Tales Catalyst, formerly called the Dame Hall of Fame, is a celebration of people who have made unique and lasting contributions to the global hospitality industry. Since 2012, the Tales Catalysts have welcomed members to this group of individuals who highlight marginalized groups within the industry and shine a spotlight on leaders actively making changes in their communities.

Founded in 2012, Dame Hall of Fame offered an opportunity for women in the industry to come together and honor achievements not commonly recognized by other bar awards, and while this intention has not changed, it has been broadened to divest from the gender binary to include all genders. By introducing Tales Catalyst, the group has not only positioned itself as a collective of diverse changemakers but also as a catalyst for the industry to continue growing and developing.

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Apply to be a Tales Catalyst

⁠Do you know someone who is a Catalyst for making significant contributions to the intersectionality of the global drinks industry? Tales Catalyst celebrates individuals who have made unique and lasting contributions to the global hospitality industry. This year, we are excited to honor two individuals who highlight marginalized groups within the industry and shine a spotlight on leaders actively making changes in their communities. Apply on behalf of yourself or someone else to be an Honored Speaker at Tales Catalyst during Tales of the Cocktail 2024.

Applications for 2024 Tales Catalysts close on March 18th at 11:59 PM EST.

Apply Now

2024 Tales Catalyst Dates & Deadlines

March 4: Tales Catalyst Application Period Opens

March 18: Tales Catalyst Application Period Closes

June 26: 2024 Tales Catalyst Honorees Announced

July 2024: Tales Catalyst at Tales of the Cocktail

Tales Catalyst Application Process

Categories open for applications are NOT based on the volume of applications submitted. It only takes ONE application to be considered to be a Tales Catalyst Honoree. Self-applications are accepted and encouraged. Please read through the FAQs before starting a application form.

Application Criteria

Tales Catalyst U.S. Honoree considerations:

  • A person whose professional and personal accomplishments have shaped the beverage landscape and provide visible models of achievement for tomorrow’s leaders.
  • Serves as a leader and mentor
  • Resides in the United States

Tales Catalyst International Honoree considerations:

  • A person whose professional and personal accomplishments have shaped the beverage landscape and provide visible models of achievement for tomorrow’s leaders.
  • Serves as a leader and mentor
  • Resides outside of the United States

Judging Process

Once the Tales Catalyst application process is closed, submissions will be shared with the active Tales Catalyst Committee Members.

For Round One of voting, members will review the U.S. and International applications of each individual and will rank applicants from 1-5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Applicants will be evaluated against the Tales Catalyst criteria, not against each other. Each applicant’s score will be added up, and the individuals with the highest total points will move on to Round Two of voting.

For Round Two of voting, members will be provided with the application statements, resumes, and bios of the Top Applicants for U.S. and International. Members will evaluate the candidates in each category against one another. Each member will be asked to make 3 weighted choices for each category.

  • Choice 1 will be weighted with 3 points
  • Choice 2 will be weighted with 2 points
  • Choice 3 will be weighted with 1 point

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the Dame Hall of Fame renamed to the Tales Catalyst?

What is happening to the past Dame Hall of Fame Inductees?

Who should I apply for to be honored as a Tales Catalyst?

What is Intersectionality?

What are the criteria for U.S. & International Honorees?

How are Honorees selected?

How do I apply on behalf of someone else?

I want to apply on behalf of someone else, but I’m not sure if they’ve been honored before. How can I find out?

Can I apply for myself?

How many times can I apply on behalf of someone else?

What changes were made to the Pioneer Award now that it’s the Tales Visionary Award?

 

2023 Tales Catalyst Honorees:

2023 Tales Catalyst International Honoree:
Anistatia Miller

Industry legend Anistatia Miller, MA, MSc (Ox), director of Mixellany Limited, is an award-winning drinks historian who has been writing about the drinks industry since 1995 with her husband Jared Brown when they launched the website Shaken Not Stirred: A Celebration of the Martini®. Their books include Champagne Cocktails, Deans of Drink, The Soul of Brasil, Spirit of the Cane, The Mixellany Guide to Vermouth and Other Aperitifs, the two-volume award-winning Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink, and most recently The Distiller of London. Miller is finishing her PhD in History on the economic and social history of early modern English brewing. She also teaches early modern European history at the University of Bristol.

Miller was the historical consultant, in 2009 and 2011, for the content and design of London’s Beefeater Visitor Centre. In 2012, she was the archivist for the historical records of Plymouth Gin held at the Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth, Devon.

Together with her husband she co-founded the Museum of the American Cocktail with Dale and Jill DeGroff, Robert Hess, Chris and Laura McMillan in 2004; organised the Save the New Orleans Cocktail Hour after Hurricane Katrina, raising $250,000 in two hours to benefit hospitality workers in New Orleans; archived and refurbished Exposition Universelles des Vins et Spiritueux in southern France between 2007 and 2010; curated a free digital library of vintage cocktail books at www.euvslibrary.com; organised the speakers programme at the London Bar Shows from 2007 through 201and organised the Havana Club Cocktail Grand Prix in Cuba from 2012 through 2019.

2023 Catalyst U.S. Honoree:
Tara Fougner

Tara Fougner is the co-founder and CEO of Thirsty with over 20 years of experience in various capacities in the bar and beverage industry. She is a social media journalist, storyteller, advocate, speaker and content creator, currently based in Miami, Florida (splitting time with her native NYC). She is a proud Puerto Rican working to use all of her Thirsty platforms to empower, encourage and amplify historically excluded voices in the industry. Fougner has certifications in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Ethical Community Leadership and has been studying self-empowerment in social media and Latine Diaspora community in the U.S. She has been named one of the Top 100 in the Bar World by Drinks International for three years running and was honored on the inaugural Future 40 List (formerly 40 Under 40). In addition, her talents have been recognized and tapped into by various brands throughout the industry as well as Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, James Beard Foundation and World’s 50 Best.

Tales Catalyst Honorees & Dame Hall of Fame Members By Year

*Qualifications listed may reflect the individual’s current title or their title at time of induction.*

2023 Tales Catalyst Honorees

2022 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2021 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2020 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2019 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2018 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2017 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2016 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2015 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2014 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2013 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

2012 Dame Hall of Fame Inductees

Tales Catalyst Committee Members

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Tales Catalyst Committee Members, including Co-Chairs and Committee Members, consists of active Tales Catalysts who have had groundbreaking accomplishments and have shaped the beverage landscape, providing visible models of achievement for tomorrow’s leaders. A celebration of hospitality trail-blazers, the active Tales Catalysts work to select individuals who have made a unique and lasting impact on the accessibility and intersectionality of the cocktail community by introducing annually two new “Tales Catalysts” — the U.S. Honoree and International Honoree.


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