From immersive hospitality and intimate education to ultra-premium dining, Tales Passport’s first chapter connected enthusiasts with the talent, expertise and access that have defined Tales of the Cocktail for more than two decades.
NEW ORLEANS (August 24, 2026) — For the first time in its 24-year history, Tales of the Cocktail opened its doors beyond the industry this July with the launch of Tales Passport—and the response to its inaugural experiences is providing a strong early signal of demand for a new generation of consumer-focused hospitality.
Across immersive experiences, intimate education, luxury dining and highly curated hospitality, Tales Passport’s first chapter demonstrated the breadth of what the platform can become, bringing consumers unprecedented access to the talent and expertise traditionally reserved for hospitality professionals across a range of interests and price points.
“Tales Passport was created because cocktail culture has grown far beyond the industry itself,” said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. “What we saw this year confirmed what we’ve believed for some time: there is a real appetite for deeper access to the people, knowledge and creativity behind hospitality. From Tales House to intimate education and extraordinary dining, we were able to test very different ways of bringing that access to consumers, and the response has been incredibly encouraging. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to continue building Tales Passport in 2027 and beyond.”
A New Way to Experience Tales
The inaugural Tales Passport lineup included four distinct experiences, each demonstrating a different opportunity for the platform:
Tales House: The Immersive Cocktail Journey presented by Explore Louisiana served as the flagship experience of the launch, transforming a Frenchmen Street venue into a six-room exploration of how sight, sound, scent, story and human connection shape the way we experience flavor. Strong demand prompted additional sessions to be added during its three-day run, and the experience was frequently cited by attendees as one of the standout experiences of the week.
The Cocktail Studio Series demonstrated another side of Tales Passport: direct access to the expertise of the people shaping cocktail culture. New Orleans cocktail pioneer and James Beard Award-winning bartender Neal Bodenheimer, founder of Cure, led an intimate masterclass on the history and craft of classic New Orleans cocktails, while renowned spirits educator Francesco Lafranconi explored the traditions and flavors behind iconic spritzes. The small-format sessions gave consumers access to the caliber of education typically reserved for industry professionals.
Spirited Dining Reserve: A Seven Star Dining Experience, held at Emeril’s in partnership with Tales of the Cocktail and powered by Meta, demonstrated Tales Passport’s potential within ultra-premium hospitality. The one-night-only collaboration brought together Chef E.J. Lagasse of Emeril’s, Chef Enrique Olvera of Mexico City’s Pujol, Chef Val Cantu of San Francisco’s Californios, and the team behind Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy for an experience that united world-class culinary and cocktail talent at a single table.
The Hidden Omakase Experience extended the platform into intimate, highly limited dining with a 12-course omakase tasting menu by Sushi by Bou and cocktails curated by Andrei Marcu of Gold Bar, Edition Tokyo.
The inaugural launch also demonstrated the breadth of interest from potential partners, bringing together organizations across spirits, technology, food, hospitality and tourism, including Meta, Sazerac, Svedka, Proximo, Nestlé and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, among others.
The opportunity comes as consumer interest in cocktail culture continues to expand. Consumers increasingly seek experiences that are immersive, educational and participatory, not simply transactional. Tales Passport is designed to meet that demand by extending the access Tales has spent more than two decades building to a broader audience.
With its inaugural chapter complete, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is already developing additional Tales Passport experiences, partnerships and programming for 2027 and beyond, continuing to expand the ways cocktail enthusiasts can engage with the world’s leading hospitality talent and the culture behind the drinks they love.
About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the global hospitality industry through education, advocacy, and community support. As the world’s leading spirits education platform, the Foundation provides year-round programs and initiatives that foster professional growth and drive meaningful change. Each July, the industry gathers in New Orleans, the beating heart of cocktail culture and hospitality, for a one-of-a-kind conference that blends education, networking, and celebration like no other. The week culminates in the Spirited Awards, which since its inception in 2007, has become one of the world’s most prestigious honors in the drinks industry, celebrating outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders who continue to inspire the global cocktail community. Guided by its core pillars—Educate, Advance, and Support—the Foundation’s impact extends far beyond the U.S., reaching professionals and communities around the world. #totc2026
About the Louisiana Office of Tourism
The Louisiana Office of Tourism is part of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism (DCRT). Overseen by the Lieutenant Governor, DCRT also includes Louisiana State Parks, Cultural Development, Volunteer Louisiana, Louisiana State Museum, the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, the State Library of Louisiana, the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana and the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area. The mission of the Office of Tourism is to promote and assist the expansion of the tourism industry in Louisiana through information, advertising and publicity, with the goals of increasing employment opportunities, inviting travelers to explore Louisiana, and sustaining a positive image and understanding of the state.
