OH · September 14-15, 2026

CLEVELAND

Rust Belt revival · rebuilding the scene.

Venue

Lago Custom Events Tower H + I

LocationCleveland, OH

Start10am - 5pm

DatesSeptember 14-15, 2026

Focal points

Rust Belt revival — a hungry, tight-knit hospitality community rebuilding Cleveland's food-and-drink reputation.

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Curriculum

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

20 modules across two days — tap any to expand.

DAY 111 modules

01Bar Setup & Tools
What you'll cover
Mise en place — how a pro station is built, stocked, and reset between services.
Key speakers
Sol Thomas
Good to know
Closed-toe shoes required. Bring a notebook; tools are provided.
02Pouring & Mixing
What you'll cover
Free-pour counts, jigger accuracy, shake vs. stir, dilution, ice discipline, and glassware.
Key speakers
Yoshi Mejia
Good to know
Hands-on station — you will pour every round.
03Proactive Bartending
What you'll cover
Reading the room, anticipating the next drink, and managing a full bar top.
Key speakers
Kaytie Keck
Good to know
Bring questions from your own shifts.
04Bartending Definitions
What you'll cover
Shared vocabulary: builds, families, methods, and modifiers.
Key speakers
Taurell Bush
Good to know
Glossary handout provided.
05Steps of Service
What you'll cover
The non-negotiables of guest experience — eye contact, timing, and grace under pressure.
Key speakers
Cris Dehlavi
Good to know
Speaker develops the points of focus.
06How To Be a Good Partner
What you'll cover
Working with brands, reps, and your team — what real partnership looks like behind the bar.
Key speakers
Mariegabrielle "MJ" James
Good to know
Open discussion format.
07Bacardi Portfolio
What you'll cover
Walkthrough of the full portfolio — categories, positioning, and signature serves.
Key speakers
Michelle Fiorta
Good to know
Light tastings; arrive hydrated.
08Keynote
What you'll cover
Background with Bacardi, early career, and advice for young bartenders.
Key speakers
Roberto Nuñez
Good to know
Q&A to follow.
09Agave — Patrón, Cazadores, Ilegal
What you'll cover
Agave history & regulations, mixto vs 100% tequila, Patrón and Cazadores production, 4-SKU tasting, spicy Margarita demo.
Key speakers
Sarah Elersic
Good to know
Sipping tasting — small pours.
10Rum — Bacardí, Havana Club, Santa Teresa
What you'll cover
Bacardí history, styles of rum, yeast/aging/charcoal filtration, Santa Teresa solera, the real Havana Club, and a Classic Daiquiri demo.
Key speakers
Rich M.
Good to know
Four-SKU tasting flight.
11Day 1 Review
What you'll cover
Recap of the day's modules, open questions, and preview of Day 2.
Key speakers
Michelle Fiorta
Good to know
Stick around for ambassador Q&A.

DAY 28 modules

01Bartending History
What you'll cover
From punch houses to craft revival — the lineage behind today's bar.
Key speakers
Tiffanie Barriere (pre-recorded)
Good to know
Lecture format with visuals.
02Round Building & Volume Bartending
What you'll cover
Build rounds efficiently, manage multiple tickets, and stay composed during a rush.
Key speakers
Eric Ho
Good to know
Longest hands-on block of Day 2 — 1.5 hours.
03Vermouth & Liqueurs
What you'll cover
Modifiers that make a drink — Noilly Prat, St-Germain, and supporting cast.
Key speakers
Yoshi Mejia
Good to know
Tasting flight + Hugo Spritz demo.
04Vodka & Gin
What you'll cover
Production, key serves, and on-premise menu strategy for Grey Goose and Bombay Sapphire.
Key speakers
Kaytie Keck
Good to know
Tasting included + Vesper Martini demo.
05Bourbon & Rye
What you'll cover
American whiskey & subcategories, bourbon vs rye, aging, and finished whiskey.
Key speakers
Sol Thomas
Good to know
Angel's Envy tasting; closes with an Old Fashioned build.
06Scotch & Irish Whiskeys
What you'll cover
Scotch vs Irish vs American, blends vs single malts, Dewar's double aging, and Teeling's comeback.
Key speakers
Taurell Bush
Good to know
Flight tasting + Whiskey Sour demo.
07Cognac — D'Ussé
What you'll cover
Brandy vs cognac, region & terroir, VS/VSOP/XO, and RocNation's role.
Key speakers
Speaker TBC
Good to know
Neat tasting + Sidecar demo.
08Cocktail Education
What you'll cover
A deep-dive hour on cocktail craft — points of focus set by the speaker.
Key speakers
Nick
Good to know
Closing session of the program.

Agenda

SCHEDULE

Morning

7:00 AM — Ambassadors · arrive on site to set up (2 hrs)
9:30 AM — Arrival · students arrive, coffee & light breakfast (30 mins)
10:00 AM — Michelle · Welcome, thank venue & speakers; the book, barkit, run of show; introduce speakers; Nate on the importance of Fundamentals (20 mins)
10:20 AM — Sol · Bar Setup & Bar Tools — importance of proper setup, bar kit walkthrough, mise en place, opening & closing duties (40 mins)
11:00 AM — Yoshi · Pouring & Mixing — proper setup, bar kit, mise en place, opening & closing duties, glassware (15 mins)
11:15 AM — Kaytie · Proactive Bartending — volume bartending, working as a team, heads-up bartending, working with a barback, high-volume examples (30 mins)
11:45 AM — Taurell · Definition Overview (15 mins)
12:00 PM — Break · bathroom break, leg stretch (15 mins)
12:15 PM — Chris Dehlavi · Steps of Service — speaker to develop the points of focus (30 mins)
12:45 PM — MJ · How To Be a Good Partner (30 mins)
1:15 PM — Speakers from first half · Q&A (15 mins)

Afternoon

1:30 PM — Lunch (1 hr)

2:30 PM — Michelle · Intro to Bacardi Portfolio — ambassador role, portfolio brands, intro to keynote (15 mins)
2:45 PM — Roberto Nuñez · Keynote — background with Bacardi, early career, advice for young bartenders (30 mins)
3:15 PM — Sarah · Agave (Ilegal, Patrón, Cazadores) — history & regulations, mixto vs 100% tequila, Patrón production/Hacienda, Cazadores production, 4-SKU tasting, spicy Margarita demo (45 mins)
4:00 PM — Rich M. · Rums (Bacardí / Havana Club / Santa Teresa) — Bacardí history, styles of rum, yeast/aging/charcoal filtration, Santa Teresa solera, the REAL Havana Club, 4-SKU tasting, Classic Daiquiri demo (45 mins)
4:45 PM — Michelle · Session Review & Questions (15 mins)

Registration