Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/53193
Inviting An THROUGH HER NEW SERIES, HOSPITALITY & THE DRINK, BRIDGET ALBERT WILL TAKE YOU ON A JOURNEY EACH MONTH TALKING WITH FRIENDLY BARTENDERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO ARE TURNING THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THEMSELVES AND BACK ONTO THE CUSTOMER N ow that the cocktail has resurged and freshness is back, it's time to return to the basic core of the bartender's craft—back to making a stranger a guest. Natalia Cardenas of Chicago's Purple Pig is doing just that with a special passion that's contagious. Grab yourself a stool and let's celebrate hospitality! Bridget Albert: What does hospitality mean to you as a bartender? Natalia Cardenas: Our guests are our top priority, so we make sure guests not only feel recognized, but are also heard. I've been to places where the bartender or server walks away before I even fi nish my sentence. I never want to be that person. I want to be the bartender that makes eye contact with you and knows your name. I think hospitality means being able to say: "Hey Sally, time for another drink?" BA: Who is your favorite regular, and why do they keep coming back? Natalia: A lovely lady named Michelle. She's a young professional and always comes in with a big smile and a friend or two. She is always open to my dinner and drink recommendations and she's always so happy to see me, which makes me feel incredibly special! Guests like her remind me that I have the power to positively infl uence someone's day. And she makes my job easy. I always end up mirroring her posi- tive attitude and spirit, which inevitably makes her feel special. It's a nice cycle of positivity, which is what I think keeps bringing her back. 102 / the tasting panel / january/february 2012 Natalia Cardenas of Chicago's Purple Pig. HOSPITALITY & the drink Atmosphere photos by Tori Soper