Christine Wiseman, Bar Lab Hospitality’s Global Beverage Director, has been named the winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2023. The award is voted for by the head bartenders at the venues on this year’s list of North America’s 50 Best Bars who are asked to name one peer who pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a great bartender. Wiseman, a seasoned leader, oversees cocktail creation for the group’s bars, including the acclaimed Broken Shaker outposts in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
This is the second in a series of special pre-announced awards in the month leading up to the second edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023, sponsored by Perrier, at a live awards ceremony taking place at Hacienda Los Picachos in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on May 4, 2023, at 6:30pm CST/8:30pm EDT. This represents the first time the awards ceremony will be staged in Mexico and salutes its presence on the global cocktail scene. North America’s 50 Best Bars, together with market-leading The World’s 50 Best Bars and Asia’s 50 Best Bars, provide consumers with the most reliable list of expert-approved drinking destinations anywhere in the world.
Mark Sansom, Content Director for 50 Best, says: “Christine is a bartending force of nature whose exuberant cocktails electrify her legions of fans across the U.S. and beyond. She is known around the globe for her work at the celebrated Broken Shaker bars, where the high-energy vibe is a beacon of all-embracing hospitality in New York, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. Besides taking exemplary care of her guests and nurturing her bar teams from coast to coast, Christine is a dedicated mentor to many aspiring bartenders. We congratulate Christine on winning the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, the ultimate peer-voted accolade.”
From West Virginia to California
Wiseman started on the culinary side of the hospitality industry as a chef, working her way up the corporate restaurant ladder in her home state of West Virginia. She eventually landed a bartending position at Virtue Feed & Grain in Alexandria, Virginia, where she trained under craft cocktail innovator Todd Thrasher. In 2012, Wiseman relocated to Los Angeles to work at Chef Michael Voltaggio’s newly opened restaurant, Ink, where she honed her craft by utilizing fresh California ingredients and mastering pioneering techniques. She went on to work at renowned Los Angeles bars and restaurants such as La Descarga and led the innovative beverage program at Break Room 86. Upon joining Broken Shaker LA, she made her mark in this oasis of tropical-inspired mixology and good-time atmosphere.
Wiseman then moved back East to Miami, home of the first Broken Shaker, and joined its parent company, Bar Lab Hospitality, where she became Global Beverage Director. Wiseman is responsible for cocktail creation and team trainings for Broken Shaker in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago, as well as Hoja Taqueria, Margot Natural Wine Bar, MaryGold's, Higher Ground, Mesiba, Lilistar, Jolene Sound Room, Bar Bedford and Exchange Restaurant. Wiseman’s fun, colorful and sometimes glittery cocktails typically walk the line with unexpected ingredients and tried-and-true, craveable flavor combinations.
Creating unforgettable bar experiences while keeping the vibe fine-tuned
A nurturing collaborator, Wiseman works closely with the lead bartenders at each bar and is an advocate of batching ingredients to minimize bottle pick-ups, speed up service and ensure greater consistency. Wiseman has been recognized as a semi-finalist for American Bartender of the Year (2018 and 2019, Spirited Award), a finalist for American Bartender of the Year 2020 and 2022 and as an Imbibe 75 Person to Watch for 2023.
On winning the award, Wiseman says: “This award means so much to me since it is the only one voted for by 50 Best Bars bartenders. I have long admired all the people that have received this award, and I’m honored to be included in this incredible group. But I could not have achieved this by myself. Bar Lab Hospitality has one of the best teams in the game and is an integral part of my success. Winning this award will drive me to continue to be a better mentor and leader. It has also given me the time to self-reflect. I feel that everyone sees me for who I am, someone who leads with their heart, gives my all to the people around me and creates safe spaces for people that need and want it.”
Carlos Andrés Ramírez, Head of Global Advocacy & PR House of Tequila-Pernod Ricard, says: “Since the creation of Altos Tequila and the Tahona Society, we have been supporting the bartender community in different career opportunities, welfare and networking initiatives. Congratulations to Christine Wiseman for winning the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award – we can’t think of a more deserving award than this one to recognize her career. Thank you to North America’s 50 Best Bars for this incredible initiative.”
The inaugural Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2022 in North America’s 50 Best Bars was won by Masahiro Urushido of Katana Kitten, New York.
The second annual edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced on Thursday, May 4, 2023. The countdown of the list of North America’s 50 Best Bars and the awards ceremony will also be broadcast to a global audience who are not able to attend in person, and bar and cocktail lovers will be invited to join through The World’s 50 Best Bars Facebook page and 50 Best Bars TV channel on YouTube.
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