We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kedwin Zapata a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kedwin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Hello! Wow let’s take it back to 1781 j.k! Bartending, yes. I actually attended NYC bartending school for the jokes of it all. A friend suggested i do it after getting laid off from my 9 to 5. Now mind you in was 21 at the time. Got my first non-bartending gig at an Italian restaurant right after (with no bartending experience whatsoever BUT i was a very quick learner and a lil witty lol so I made due. Learned a few of the basics and the hands on experience came in handy as a few weeks later landed my first official Bar bartending gig. I don’t think i would have speed up the process per say. It has been such an intense but beautiful journey. Intense in the sense you’re thrown into this world of customer service / hospitality with no past experience. Hence the most essential skill. Customer service haha. That and speed. Attentiveness. Awareness. Being able to multitask at its peak without looking stressed or overwhelmed. When wanting to learn more the only obstacle i can think of was time. Working late nights shifts, waking up late in the afternoon only to get ready and head back to work was a bit of a barrier if you wanted to branch out and learn a bit of more BUT i made it a priority to do so. So I did.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My first real hands on bar experience, i was 22. Contacted by one of the bar managers at the time. No parking bar. What’ a time lol. From 22 to now 36. What started off as a simple gig to earn a pay. Slowly became a trade i become obsessed with. Passionate a better way to put it. No only in the craft of creating cocktails but in the joy it brought people. The sudden change in their moods after a long day of work, or a sudden breakup, or a job promotion, an engagement, mourning, celebrations…the list goes on. When you’re behind that bar, you become a therapist, physiologist, friend, mentor, doctor (Tequila or whiskey for a slight cold) lol…But i knew and felt there was more. So i branched out into the world of mixology. Creating. With Hennessy / Moet. Started off as a simple internship because i was hungry to learn. Ended in a full time job with the company. In which now i get to be as expressive and creative as I can be and pour that into what i love to do the most. Creative savory cocktails and the experience that comes with it.

I’m proud that I’m able to not only do what i love but return that love back in the form of service to my customers, friends, employees.

What i feel would set me apart is that, my slight obsession in wanting to make sure everyone who enters any space I’m in feels welcome. Feels some type of joy and belonging.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to create meaningful, authentic work that reflects growth, connection, and purpose.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Being present. The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been maximizing the in-person audience I already serve. Because I work full time behind the bar, I see a high volume of guests, so I focus on turning first-time customers into regulars. I do that by being consistent, remembering names and drink preferences, and offering signature or custom cocktails that people can only get from me. That creates a personal connection and a reason to come back.

From there, I encourage word-of-mouth. When guests have a good experience , not just a good drink they bring friends, especially for birthdays, date nights, or events. I also stay visible on social media, sharing drinks I make at work and tagging the location, so people who already know me in person can follow me online. That way I’m constantly nurturing the audience I see in real life and converting it into a loyal, repeat clientele.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @KedwinZapata
• Facebook: KedwinZapata