The former “Dame Hall of Fame” names its first Catalysts under a new inclusionary model for its eleventh annual celebration of leaders in the cocktail community
NEW ORLEANS, LA, (June 26, 2023) Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is pleased to announce the 2023 Catalyst Luncheon honorees, which recognizes members of the cocktail community who are elevating the industry to greater heights. The 2023 International Honoree, presented by Diageo Bar Academy, is Anistatia Miller, MA, MSc (Ox), and the U.S. Honoree, presented by 21Seeds Infused Tequila, is Tara Fougner. Formerly Dame Hall of Fame, the new Catalyst Luncheon reflects a more inclusive and intersectional space for recognizing and celebrating leaders in the industry solely for their contributions to making the drinks industry a more inclusive space – without barriers of gender or identity. The inaugural Catalyst Luncheon, in partnership with Provi, the official Catalyst media partner, will take place during Tales of the Cocktail on Friday, July 28 at 11:00AM, at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. During the luncheon, this year’s honorees will be the featured speakers who will make remarks about their vision for making the drinks industry a more inclusive space.
“Dame Hall of Fame was a wonderful way to weave more inclusivity into Tales of the Cocktail, and now, with the Catalyst Luncheon, this recognition evolves further to be even more inclusive of our industry’s talents,” said Co-Chair Kitty Amann. “While we are naming the first Catalysts in TOTCF history, we are welcoming Anistatia Miller and Tara Fougner into a community that has been championing diversity and inclusivity since the very beginning.”
This year’s honorees were selected from a pool of over 100 qualified, open nominees and carefully selected by Catalyst Luncheon Committee Members.
“For many years the Dame Hall of Fame initiative has shed an important spotlight on the trailblazers who are changing our industry for the better, yet may not have received such recognition otherwise,” said TOTCF Board Member Claire Warner. “We’re delighted that this year’s Catalyst Luncheon will now go further, representing a more inclusive and intersectional space for that spotlight to fall.
Guests are invited to celebrate this year’s Tales Catalysts Honorees at the inaugural luncheon. For those who are interested in attending the luncheon, tickets may be purchased on the TOTCF website.
2023 Catalyst Honorees:
2023 Catalyst International Inductee presented by Diageo Bar Academy:
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. Inductee presented by Diageo and 21Seeds Infused Tequila:
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 Partners
Catalyst is proud to share its presenting, supporting, and media partners, who help make the 2023 Tales Catalyst Luncheon possible. The 2023 U.S. and International Honorees are presented by Diageo Bar Academy and 21Seeds Infused Tequila with support from Don Q Rum, House of Delola, Johnnie Walker, and Laird & Co. Thank you to the Official Partners of TOTC2023: Official Glassware: Libbey, Official Mixer: East Imperial, Official Water: Perrier. The official Catalyst Media Partner for 2023 is Provi.
Tales of the Cocktail 2023
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates, advances, and supports the global hospitality industry and creates lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in communities that host our events. This year, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation hosts its 21-year anniversary Tales of the Cocktail® (TOTC) conference in New Orleans from July 23-28, 2023, and will celebrate the theme of “Vitalize.”
For more information on Tales of the Cocktail or the Catalyst Luncheon, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to advance the global hospitality industry and create a lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in the communities that host our events.
ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL:
Founded in 2002, Tales of the Cocktail has grown from a small gathering of cocktail lovers into the world’s premier cocktail festival. Each year the international spirits industry is welcomed to New Orleans for a week of seminars, tastings, networking events and much more. With 300+ annual events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers and other spirits professionals, Tales of the Cocktail is the industry’s annual meeting place for the exchange of new ideas, products, and techniques.
ABOUT SEVENFIFTY DAILY AND BEVERAGE MEDIA GROUP:
SevenFifty Daily is an award-winning online magazine about the business and culture of the beverage alcohol industry. Beverage Media Group contains a network of national, market-specific publications with industry insights and printed distributor pricing by region. Covering the three tiers of the alcohol industry, the publications connect a global community of drinks professionals, creating a space that fosters conversation and a platform for showcasing the people and ideas moving the industry forward. Both SevenFifty Daily and Beverage Media Group are Provi publications.
Media Inquiries:
Foxglove Communications
Gia Vecchio, [email protected], 917.280.5043
Hunter Smith, [email protected], 803.397.8878
