We head to one of my favorite Chicago cocktail spots, The Press Room to hang with Jorge Vallejo, Beverage Director/Managing Partner. Jorge shares his journey of moving from Ecuador to New York—where he began his hospitality career. After a decade in New York, Jorge moved to Chicago and he’s now recognized as one of the city’s best bartenders.

From lying about his resume to get his first bar job to now operating one of the best whiskey bars in America, John Chesney of Slightly Toasted shares his story of bartending. John stirs a delicious barrel-aged old-fashioned for this episode and highlights his curiosity for barrel-aging cocktails and blending whiskey.

Antonio and I get right into shaking up a cocktail with Song Cai Roselle Gin. Antonio runs the bar at Cultivate by Forbidden Root. His bar program and the restaurant are a couple of the best on the North Side of the city, but the Cultivate remains one of the hidden gems of Chicago’s food scene. Antonio shares his 17 years of experience in the restaurant industry and how he’s curated his bar program based on his culinary background.