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Cristina Suarez’s evolution from ‘bargirl’ to corporate beverage director of Kush Hospitality Group

Suarez taps her Cuban-American heritage and skills in mixology, management and training to advance the beverage program at the Miami-based company.

Patricia Cobe, Senior Editor

September 1, 2022

Cristina Suarez is a self-taught “bargirl”—a name she is proud to call herself even as a skilled hospitality professional in her 30s.

At 18, Suarez began her journey behind the bar at Hooters, moving on to several Miami hotels where she expanded her cocktail-making expertise and learned valuable management, training and operational techniques.

cristina suarez
Cristina Suarez

Listen as Suarez describes how she taps her Cuban-American heritage to create unique drinks, differentiates the bar at each of the eight Kush concepts, spreads her passion for hospitality and never stops learning.

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About the Author

Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s weekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.

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