Bartender Submission - Alli Torres, Miami, Florida

from Chilled Magazine - Volume 15 Issue 3

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ALLI TORRES BECAME A BARTENDER out of necessity. She remains a bartender because of her passion and love of hospitality. “I was always told to find a ‘real’ job—as most of us understand—until I grew my expertise, began working for respected venues and winning awards,” says Torres.

As the general manager and managing partner for Freehold in Miami, she oversees the beverage program. While she doesn’t get behind the bar as often as she’d like, she is still very much involved in crafting cocktails and creating recipes.

Torres says she will forever attribute her success to her mentor in San Diego, Juan Sanchez. He was the first to teach her the mechanics of properly dry shaking an egg. “He always told me he could teach me to do anything as far as technique goes, but you can’t teach personality,” she says. Good thing for Torres, she shines in that department.

Her advice for new bartenders is to treat cocktail creation like cooking. “They’re more synonymous than people think. Pair citrus with herbs, freeze fruit— try it all! Vodka is your easiest base, and rum does more work than you think with its sugar content.”

Torres’ favorite ingredient to work with right now is tea. She’s been on the tea kick since her interest in offering non-alcoholic options piqued. “I love making syrups that I can blend—like a high rye Old Fashioned with an Earl Grey tea syrup, twist of lemon, and orange. Gorgeous!”

When Torres is creating a new cocktail, she says it always comes back to food for her. “I love Martinis but have an aversion to olives. So I once made a salted heirloom tomato Martini to satisfy my salty and seasonal moment,” shares Torres.