Beyond the Bar®
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Beyond the Bar®
At Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone in the spirits industry feels welcome and valued. Beyond the Bar® is our dedicated platform—both a physical space and a creative initiative designed to explore critical topics beyond traditional spirits education.
Woven throughout the Foundation’s programming, Beyond the Bar® supports and amplifies conversations around philanthropy, policy and advocacy, wellness, and community-building. It provides a forum to address the complex challenges facing our industry, from social justice and mental health to substance use and sustainable career practices. Each year, Tales of the Cocktail® features dedicated Beyond the Bar® programming, including seminars, workshops, and service projects. Additionally, our digital resources, ranging from expert-led webinars on YouTube to in-depth editorial content, are available year-round on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s website, ensuring ongoing access to education and support for the global drinks community.
Beyond the Bar® is more than a program, it’s a space where everyone in our industry is encouraged to come as they are, engage in meaningful dialogue, and find resources that support both their professional and personal well-being.
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TOTCF Commitment to Inclusivity | Beyond the Bar Seminars | Beyond the Bar Editorials | Beyond the Bar Activations | Networking Nook | Service Projects | Beyond the Bar Lounge | Year-Round Programming | Webinar Archive | Additional Resources
TOTCF COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is committed to fostering an inclusive space, where all people are welcome and heard. Within the global drinks industry, one of the important roles that Tales of the Cocktail Foundation plays is encouraging an increased understanding of the value that connecting people from varied backgrounds brings to our industry and to hospitality at large. For our July 2025 conference, the Foundation chose the theme “EVOLVE” to guide our work and to acknowledge that there are many factors that are impacting the hospitality community in both the immediate and long term – from changing policies around diversity, equity, and inclusion, to continued challenges with pay structures and access to benefits, to the economy’s impact on businesses. And, members of this community are actively devising strategies, innovating, and creating programs and initiatives that will address those challenges and ensure the health and longevity of this industry.
BEYOND THE BAR SEMINARS
Beyond the Bar Seminars at Tales of the Cocktail and throughout the year delve into the critical importance of community and equity in the bar industry. Check out our full playlist here for dozens of in-depth education opportunities.
LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Intersectionality
Equity in the Spirits Industry
Community Development and Mentorship
Workplace Inclusion
BEYOND THE BAR EDITORIALS
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Editorials celebrate diverse cultures and traditions, cocktail techniques, and spirits education. Featuring cocktail recipes, photography, and person spotlights, these stories highlight the people and practices shaping the industry. New in 2025, “Futures” and “Technique” will join our editorial lineup – “Futures” will explore what’s next for the industry, while “Technique” will focus on skill-building and innovations shaping the craft.
Chanta Hunter: Celebrating Black History Month: From A Bartender to The Bartender
Allison Parc: Celebrating Women’s History Month: Women & Whisk(e)y: Have We Progressed?
Kevin Diedrich: Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month: My Own Self-Discovery
Tiffanie Barriere: Celebrating Juneteenth: The Power of the Red Drink
Camille Austin: Celebrating Latin Heritage Month:”Ven, te invito un trago”
Chockie Tom: Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: A Balance of Worlds
Kapri Robinson: Celebrating Black History Month: Back To The Future: Analyzing Our Growth In The Past To Be Better For The Future
Tess Posthumus: Celebrating Women’s History Month
Alexis Belton: Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Month : We Must Sleep Before We Can Dream
Chris Cabrera: Celebrating Pride Month: UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU
Erika Flowers: Celebrating Juneteenth: When You Know Better, Do Better
Roberto Núñez Moreno: Celebrating Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month: Los Latinos; The Secret Ingredient
Danielle Goldtooth: Celebrating Indigenous Heritage Month: Focus on the Food
Celebrating Black History Month with Beats, Bars & Bourbon
Celebrating Women's History Month with the Women of the Cocktail Apprentice Program Leadership Team
Caer Maiko: Celebrating Asian & Pacific American Heritage Month: Unapologetically Normal
Daddy Long Legs: Celebrating Pride Month: Say It Louder for the People in the Back
Keyatta Mincey-Parker: Celebrating Heritage Through Hospitality: Building Stronger Communities in the Cocktail Industry
Jesus Verde: Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month: From Zero to One
Roxanne Fernandez Tiburolobo: Celebrating Indigenous Heritage Month: Visibly Invisible: We are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For
Matt Molino: Futures Editorial: A Social Prescription – Leaning On Our Leaders
Andre Sykes: Celebrating Black History Month: The Owners Sleep Blissfully: A Vision for Black Agents of Hospitality to Claim Hospitality Empowerment
Lynn House: Celebrating Women's History Month: How Can The Hospitality Industry Evolve Long Long-Term Success While Fostering Innovation, Inclusivity, and Resilience
Nicole Kuo Stankovic: Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Beyond Survival: Building a More Sustainable Future For Bartenders
Ariel E. Neal: Celebrating Juneteenth: Ensure Long-Term Success By Investing in True Hospitality
Ramsey Musk: Celebrating Pride Month: We’re Out of Breath, Not Solutions
BEYOND THE BAR ACTIVATIONS
WORKSHOPS
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Wellness Workshops and Fitness activations are an integral part of the Tales of the Cocktail experience.
These activations include yoga, massages, wellness workshops, roundtable discussions, Ben’s Friends meetings, bystander intervention, harassment prevention training, and safe spaces to take a break and set intentions. Past workshops have included:
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Building Community through the Body
Bartender Boxing
Yoga with the Healthtender
Healing and Longevity Stretching
Breath Work
Daily Group Runs
And more
MENTAL HEALTH
Wellness on the Road
Mindfulness
Working in the Industry as a Neurodivergent
Financial Wellness
How the Drinks Industry Sleeps
Healthy Pour Wellness Workshop
And more
HARASSMENT PREVENTION
Green Dot Bystander Intervention to Stop Harassment
Safe Bars presents: Dealing with difficult patrons: de-escalation skills for the pandemic and beyond
And more
SUBSTANCE USE and SOBRIETY
Revive.Survive.Overdose Prevention Community Training
Ben’s Friends Meetings
Focus on Health
The Odyssey House
And more
NETWORKING NOOK
Networking Nook Sessions offer safe and productive networking for specialized groups to connect and learn at Tales of the Cocktail. Past Networking Nooks have included:
- First-Time Tales Attendees
- Parenting in the Industry
- Journalists and Bartenders
- Women in Whiskey
- Lessons in Distribution for Producers and Buyers
- Embracing Neurodiversity
- Non-alc Meet Up
Interested in hosting a Networking Nook at Tales? Email [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
SERVICE PROJECTS
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is dedicated to serving our communities. Each year during our conference, we host a Day of Service for attendees to give back to New Orleans. Attendees can participate in a day of service activity alongside staff and committees. Projects have included beach clean-up, home rebuilding, meal prep, and rain barrel painting. TOTC2025 Day of Service registration will open in May 2025.
BEYOND THE BAR LOUNGE
The Beyond the Bar Lounge offers a safe place to relax and unwind during Tales of the Cocktail. The Lounge is part of the Wellness Week package and is available for all ticket holders throughout the week. The space serves non-alcoholic beverages and is built out by sponsors for attendees to enjoy.
BEYOND THE BAR YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING
Complimentary year-round education and resources are provided to support the industry: Heritage Editorials, Industry Pop-ups, Policy & Advocacy, and Philanthropy and Development.
The Second Annual Halfway to Tales, free education for New Orleans hospitality members, was held on January 27, 2025–at Latrobes on Royal, located at 403 Royal Street in New Orleans–in partnership with Moët Hennessy. New Orleans bartenders and spirits industry members were invited to attend a free afternoon of education and a town hall for the New Orleans drinks industry.
WEBINAR ARCHIVE
Tales of the Cocktail’s free educational webinar series, Full Hands In / Full Hands Out, is derived from a service industry term, “full hands in,” which embodies the feeling of “all hands on deck.” This inclusive free webinar series term began in 2020 to bring the voices of all service-related communities (bars, restaurants, etc.) together to assist in the relief efforts for COVID-19. It has since grown to include a variety of topics and themes.
If you would like to watch past episodes, please see the full list below:
Full Hands In / Full Hands Out Webinar Archive
Lessons from the European Drinks Industry
Building and Maintaining Community In Isolation
Healthy Coping Mechanisms
The Power of Philanthropy and Mentorship with the Founders of Speed Rack
Puerto Rico Edition
Taxes in Crisis
New Orleans Gives Back
Recovery and Next Steps for Bar Owners
Agave Saves the World
Black. Queer. And Still Here.
Cheers to Black-Owned Spirits
Level Up! Career and Finance Savvy From The Pros
CAP Community Series - Batching Part I: Batching 101
Across Oceans: AAPI Intersections in Hospitality
CAP Community Series - Batching Part II: Batching 201 Organizing & Executing
Rainbow Panel; Being You in F&B
CAP Community Series - Personal Growth Part I: From Bartender to Brand presented by Courvoisier
HECHOS en MEXICO!
CAP Community Series - Personal Growth Part II: Re-Visioning Your Role in the Hospitality Industry presented by Don Q
CAP Community Series - Future CAP Part I: Cocktail Apprentice Program 101 Q&A presented by Johnnie Walker
Future CAP Part II: CAP 2022 Recruitment presented by Tequila Fortaleza
Future CAP Part III: Red Coat 2022 Reminders presented by Perrier
How Can We Bring Humanity Back Into Hospitality? presented by Focus on Health
Retention & Prioritization of Staff With Business Development presented by Focus on Health
From "How?" to "Hired!": Advancement Strategies in the Hospitality Industry
Negotiate like a Pro, Presented by Lush Life
Finances On The Rocks. Straight Up Money Matters for Hospitality Professionals
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Below are additional resources from past grant recipients, partners, and organizations that focus on helping the hospitality industry.
Another Round Another Rally
Another Round Another Rally is a nonprofit financial and educational resource for the hospitality industry. Their goal is to provide current and future leaders access to the tools they can utilize in order to create innovatie, dynamic workplace where equity and inclusion allow marginalized populations the space and safety to advance and thrive. These tools include reimbursement grants and immersive educational scholarships to further the education of historically excluded voices in the community, and supply emergency assistance to those employed in restaurants, bars, and hotels who have fallen on unexpected hardship.
Learn More
Focus on Health
Focus on Health is dedicated to enriching the lives of hospitality professionals through wellness, education, and community support. Their diverse range of services reflects our commitment to fostering a healthier, happier industry.
Learn More
Giving Kitchen
Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. They focus on building a food service community where crisis is met with compassion and care.
Learn More
Healthy Pour
Healthy Pour is a boutique coaching and consulting firm dedicated to enhancing the world’s relationship with work by fostering environments that prioritize well-being, productivity, and fulfillment. They believe that a healthy workplace is the foundation of a successful and sustainable business.
Learn More
Oyster Sunday
At Oyster Sunday, we are committed to supporting independent hospitality businesses with free consultations to ensure you have another resource in your corner. We created OS Benefits—an affordable, practical solution for small businesses to support their teams’ whole health and well-being.
Learn More
Safe Bars
Safe Bars mission is to create safe, equitable, and welcoming alcohol-serving hospitality spaces. They use active bystander intervention, de-escalation, and allyship strategies to empower the staff of bars, restaurants, hotels, breweries, distilleries, clubs, event venues, suppliers, distributors, and brands to stop sexual aggression and other forms of gender-based violence in their work environments.