Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
It's all part of the job. Milagro Tequila Brand Ambassador Gaston Martinez leads the crowd in a tequila toast at Nora's Italian Cuisine in Las Vegas. "I'm one of the most social people you'll ever meet. The fact that I can be out there as an Ambassador and showing people this amaz- ing brand utilizes my social skills to get them to love Milagro. It pays off." Pay it forward. Having flourished under the tutelage of some of the biggest names in the mixi-world, Gaston has assembled his own team of top-notch mentees, includ- ing the likes of rising star Matthew Biancaniello of L.A.'s hip drinkery, Library Bar. "It is part of my job to guide bartenders when I visit an account," admits Gaston. "I'm able to touch a lot more people with this job, and I love to teach, love to mentor people. I'm in it to raise the bar." Here, he takes Nora's Italian Cuisine bartenders Daniel Jones and Matt Krysztof under his wing. 68 / the tasting panel / march 2012