The Industry

The Industry
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A discussion with people working in the Service Industry - Bar, Restaurant, Hospitality - Front of House, Back of House, all aspects of what is commonly referred to as The Industry.

  1. 2d ago

    Patrick McMurray

    A conversation with Guinness World Record holder Patrick McMurray on merroir, the art of the perfect shuck, and building a career around one ingredient.* In this episode of The Industry Podcast, we sit down with Patrick McMurray, a Toronto-based oyster sommelier, restaurateur, and two-time record holder — 2002 World Oyster Shucking Champion and current Guinness World Record holder at 39 oysters shucked in a minute. Patrick got his start as a teenage butcher's apprentice before working the front and back of house at some of Toronto's top restaurants in the late '80s and '90s, eventually opening his own spots, Starfish and Ceili Cottage. Patrick walks through the concept of merroir — how oyster flavour shifts based on species, region, and season, in a direct parallel to terroir in wine — and breaks down North America's five oyster species along with French affinage, the process of "finishing" oysters in high-tide clear pools. He also shares the story behind his namesake oyster knife, now carried by Zyliss and *The Oyster Companion*, his book on oyster tasting and technique. The conversation covers his Guinness World Record training, including the head-to-head challenge against Gordon Ramsay on Ramsay's show, and the proper technique for eating an oyster — no sauce, a two-bite chew, and retronasal breathing to pull out the full range of flavour. Patrick also discusses: - The Oyster Master Guild, the sommelier-style learning platform he co-founded with Julie Chu - Toronto's lack of local oysters, and how that pushed him to become an expert in importing and logistics - Growing regions in Baja Mexico and Dubai, and how climate and depth change flavor - Pairing oysters with wine, beer, and whiskey — including his oyster shell whiskey pairing method - Finding "your ingredient" — the mindset he teaches his students at Centennial College Notable Quote "It's the first 50,000 oysters that are tough — after that you either get good or you become a pillow stuffer." — Patrick McMurray Connect with Patrick McMurray Website: shuckerpaddy.ca Instagram: @shuckerpatty ShuckerPaddy Oyster Shucking knife: zyliss.com/products/oyster-knife-shucker-paddy Book: The Oyster Companion A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Noble Estates. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Patrick McMurray

  2. Jul 20

    Nicole White

    In this episode of The Industry Podcast, we sit down with Nicole White, a bartender currently working at OPA, a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in Waterville, Maine. Nicole traces her path through the hospitality industry — from her first job at Panera Bread and serving at Ruby Tuesday, to learning the craft behind the bar at The Speakeasy in Waterville, to becoming a full-time bartender in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Nicole's career eventually took her to San Diego, where she spent six years working at spots including Urban North Park (a New Haven-style pizza bar) and the now-closed Magic Dinner Theater in the Gaslamp Quarter, a speakeasy-style venue accessed through an escape room, known for elaborate, intentional cocktails like the smoked "Smoking Elephant" and a Manhattan served through a bullet-pierced glass. She also worked at a comedy club, giving her a unique window into hospitality under very different crowd dynamics. A pivotal early moment in her career was attending Gaz Regan's Cocktails in the Country in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, in 2016 — a four-day intensive she credits with shaping her approach to mindful, service-first bartending. The conversation also covers Nicole's deep involvement with Camp Runamok (Lush Life Production), where she's participated three times — first in the low-ABV Pathfinder cabin during her sobriety journey, then running the Suze-themed cabin, and most recently joining the beverage team, which included an R\&D trip to the Monin facility in Nevada and a seven-day stretch making over 10,000 cocktails for 150 bartenders at camp. Nicole also discusses: - Moving back to Central Maine after her mother's stroke, and rebuilding her career and creative outlet from the ground up - Her certifications, including the ABCs of Canadian Whiskey and the Executive Bourbon Steward program through the Stave & Thief Society - Attending Behind the Barrel distillery experiences at Wilderness Trail and Wild Turkey - Her honest reflection on her relationship with alcohol and sobriety, and how that shaped the direction of her career - Her favorite bars and restaurants across Maine (Portland, Bangor, Rockport) and San Diego (North Park, Little Italy, Gaslamp) - Why she loves doing thoughtful riffs on classic cocktails as a way to make craft drinks approachable to guests Connect with Nicole White - Instagram / all platforms: @NicoleXTayl0r https://www.instagram.com/NicoleXTayl0r A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Noble Estates. https://malivoire.com/ Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Nicole White

  3. Jul 6

    Marina Ferreira

    Inside the remote desert resort redefining hospitality, one cocktail at a time Guest Bio Raised between Brazil and New York, Marina Ferreira developed a deep appreciation for how food, drink, and hospitality bring people together. With more than 12 years in the industry, she's built a career rooted in creativity, connection, and guest experience — growing from host to beverage director along the way. She currently leads the bar team at Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel in California's high desert, where she builds intimate hospitality experiences and thoughtful cocktail programs. Known for mentoring her bar teams and for believing that any great conversation can be elevated by a well-made martini, Marina blends operational know-how with an artistic approach to beverage development. Episode Summary Marina joins the show to talk about her unconventional path into the industry and her current chapter running the beverage program at one of the most remote hotels in Southern California. She digs into what it's like building a cocktail program in a town with no grocery store, why she came in as an SOP-and-systems consultant before stepping into the beverage manager role, and how a dive bar bartending job taught her more about hospitality than any craft cocktail bar ever did. The conversation covers her early restaurant-industry upbringing, her time in New York City bars, opening Botanica, running community events in San Diego, and what she's building next at Jacumba — including a new mocktail program and an upcoming cocktail menu overhaul. Key Topics - Life in the middle of nowhere: Living and working in Jacumba Hot Springs, where groceries require a 45-minute to hour-long drive and deliveries only come twice a week - The history of Jacumba Hot Springs: From a railroad boomtown to natural mineral springs to the hotel and bathhouse standing today - Consultant to beverage manager: How a three-month SOP-focused consulting contract turned into a full-time role - Building for a destination, not a neighborhood bar: Designing a beverage program around hotel guests, pool bars, weddings, and cabana service rather than walk-in traffic - Launching a mocktail program: Using adaptogens (Aplos, lion's mane, African black pepper) to build a non-alcoholic menu that doesn't feel like an afterthought - Growing up in restaurants: Marina's parents' own service-industry and entrepreneurial backgrounds, and how that shaped her path - Brazilian heritage and flavor: How growing up identifying plants, herbs, and berries in Brazil shows up in her cocktail-building today - From hosting to bartending in NYC: Her early days on the Upper West Side and how watching a bartender work pulled her behind the bar - The dive bar lesson: Why working at a no-frills dive bar taught her more about real hospitality and conversation than any cocktail bar did - Building Botanica: Opening a genever-focused bar from scratch, learning to manage and hire for the first time, and the toll — and growth — that came with it - Running industry events in San Diego: Building a 250-person industry group chat to coordinate events and avoid oversaturating the same night - Letting go of ego: Why she now actively seeks out feedback from people earlier in their careers and treats every conversation as a chance to learn something - What's next at Jacumba: Plans for a new cocktail menu, more community takeover events, and growing programming to bring people back to the property Guest Links - Marina Ferreira (Instagram): @marinimartinisd - Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel (Instagram): @jacumbahotspringshotel - Jacumba Hot Springs Presents (events/concerts/pop-ups): @jacumbapresents A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Noble Estates. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Marina Ferreira

  4. Jun 22

    Manny Hernandez

    In this episode of The Industry Podcast, we sit down with Emmanuel "Manny" Hernandez, lead bartender at Stokes Adobe in Monterey, California, and a 2024 Punch Magazine Top 10 honoree. Manny shares his journey from dishwasher to one of the most respected bartenders in the Monterey Bay area — including the bar-back humility that shaped his career, the physicality and "choreography" of working behind the wood, his grueling Bar5 spirits certification experience, and a harrowing, deeply personal story of surviving a shooting at the restaurant where he worked. Guest Bio Emmanuel "Manny" Hernandez was born and raised in Mexico City and moved to California at 18. He got his start in hospitality as a dishwasher before unexpectedly being thrown behind the bar one night — and never looked back. After working his way up through restaurants in Watsonville, Los Gatos, and Santa Cruz Manny completed the demanding Bar5 spirits certification and was named to Punch Magazine's Top 10 Bartenders in 2024. He currently runs the bar program at Stokes Adobe in Monterey, California. Find Manny on Instagram: @mezcalito_manny Key Topics Discussed From dishwasher to bartender — Manny's path through prep cook, barback, and an unplanned first shift slinging beer and piña coladas Bartending school and early classics — margaritas, Long Islands, and the documentary that sparked his love for the craft Taking a step back to move forward — choosing to work as a barback again at a more advanced bar in order to learn from top-tier mentors The physicality of bartending — reading your bar partner, "dancing" behind the bar, and moving efficiently in tight spaces Competition cocktails — early competition mishaps (almost forgetting the mezcal), egg-white cocktails, and lessons learned the hard way Mentorship — the influence of Kate Goodwin, Blaise Montana, and best friend/mentor Jorge Vargas on his technique and classics knowledge Bar5 certification — what the legendary, high-pressure spirits program actually involves, from memorizing 100 classic recipes to building cocktail stations from scratch Punch Magazine Top 10 (2024) — how the recognition came together and what it means for someone who started as a dishwasher Surviving gun violence at work — Manny's account of a shooting at a former restaurant, the aftermath, and how bartending helped him recover Respect for bar-backs — Manny's message to the industry about valuing the people who keep the bar running A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Noble Estates. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Manny Hernandez

  5. Jun 8

    Matthew Rangel

    What happens when a lifelong actor ends up behind a bar — and realizes the two aren't all that different? That's the story of Matthew "Matty" Rangel, a born-and-raised Wisconsin bartender who stumbled into social media content creation at 5:00 AM in a pub basement, and now has nearly half a million followers across platforms. In this episode, we sit down with Matty for a candid conversation about his dual life as a bartender and actor, the raw and real content that built his audience, and why talking about mental health in the hospitality industry isn't optional — it's essential. What We Cover From the stage to the bar — and back again Matty's love of acting started at age seven, watching his dad perform. When the pandemic killed a signed contract to join a New York theater company, bartending kept the bills paid. Then some drunk friends in a bar basement told him to just start making videos — and everything changed. Nearly half a million followers, no flair required Matty's content is unapologetically dive bar. No bottle flipping, no craft cocktail tutorials — just the real, raw day-to-day life of a neighborhood bartender. His 70-page notes document of stories and observations has become the foundation of a highly relatable and growing following. Bartending as performance Matty draws direct parallels between acting and working behind the bar — putting on a face when your grandparents are in the hospital, talking a stranger through the death of their son, then driving home and sitting in your driveway in silence for 20 minutes. It's a performance job, but the emotional weight is very real. Mental Health Mondays Matty runs a recurring content series dedicated to mental health in the industry. He talks about why bartenders need to let it out — and why the emotional labor of the job deserves to be taken seriously, regardless of how it compares to other professions. Auditions, COVID, and the silver lining Pre-pandemic, pursuing acting from Wisconsin meant moving to Chicago or New York. Now, virtual auditions mean Matty can stay rooted in Racine while still working with his Chicago-based agent. An unexpected upside of a difficult era. Just start Whether it's content creation or anything else — Matty's biggest piece of advice is to stop waiting for perfect and just go. He stumbled and bumbled his way to half a million followers. The only way to learn is to do. Connect with Matty Rangel LinkTree - Matty Rangel Instagram / TikTok / Facebook / YouTube: @TheRealMattyRangel A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Malivoire Winery. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Matthew Rangel

  6. May 25

    Karolina Sliwinska

    In this episode, we sit down with Karolina Sliwinska — bartender, mixologist, bar program consultant, and founder of Elite Bartender — to talk about what it really takes to build a career in hospitality. From Toronto nightclubs to luxury Marriott and Hyatt properties across Canada, Karolina's path is a masterclass in versatility and knowing your craft inside and out. **From Poland to the KW bar scene** — Karolina moved to Canada at 18 and worked her way from wedding catering in Guelph to some of Toronto's most iconic venues, including the Government Nightclub. **Why nightclubs and chain restaurants matter** — Karolina makes a strong case that high-volume environments like Jack Astor's, Moxie's, and nightclubs teach speed, spill control, and accountability that craft-focused bars often skip entirely. **Hotel bartending and slowing down** — She breaks down how Marriott and Hyatt properties reward personality and genuine connection over volume — and what bartenders should know about unionized vs. non-unionized hotel gigs before signing on. **Spirit-free cocktails are here to stay** — Karolina has priced mocktails at $10–12 across menus she's designed for Hyatt, Marriott, the Gaslight District in Cambridge, and Mediterraneo in Waterloo — and they sell just as well as the boozy ones. **The business side of bartending** — Understanding cost, margins, and how to get your front-of-house staff actually selling the menu is what separates a good mixologist from a truly elite one. **Elite Bartender** — Karolina's KW-based brand offers bar program design, staff training, menu consulting, and private event bartending from house parties to 200-person weddings. Find Karolina at the following: @elite.bartender LinkedIn - Karolina Sliwinska A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling and Malivoire Winery. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Karolina Sliwinska

  7. May 11

    Dan Angus

    In our latest episode we sit down with Dan Angus, co-owner of Terroir Bakery in Cambridge, Ontario — an artisan bakery built around a simple but demanding philosophy: only local ingredients, sourced from Ontario farmers. Dan spent years working his way through some of Canada's top fine dining kitchens, including a long stint at the acclaimed Langdon Hall, before an unexpected detour into baking during the COVID pandemic changed everything. What started as sourdough loaves given away to friends and neighbours slowly grew into a farmer's market business, wholesale partnerships, and ultimately a brick-and-mortar bakery housed in a century-old former textile factory. We talk about: Why Terroir doesn't use chocolate, vanilla, or citrus — and what that means for how they bake The jump from fine dining cooking to artisan baking with no formal pastry training The real cost of opening a bakery — equipment, buildouts, and going three times over budget Navigating tariffs and economic uncertainty while importing commercial equipment What it's like to build a business with your spouse from the ground up A great listen for anyone interested in the food industry, small business ownership, or what it really takes to bring an independent bakery to life. @terroirbakery terroirartisanbakery.ca A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste, using flavour profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more......Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Dan Angus

  8. Apr 27

    Jess Long

    In Episode 267 of The Industry Podcast, we sit down with Jess Long, bartender at the acclaimed Atwater Cocktail Club in Montreal, to trace her journey from hostessing at a busy Toronto restaurant, to pulling shots at Starbucks, to bartending her way through Australia and Southeast Asia — and ultimately landing in one of Canada's most celebrated cocktail scenes. Jess opens up about how Starbucks secretly made her a better bartender, why tiki bars are the ultimate creative training ground, and how a zero-waste philosophy at Le Mal Necessaire completely changed the way she builds cocktails. She also talks mentorship, the pre- and post-COVID shift in bar culture, her cocktail-to-go business during the pandemic, and the moment a milk-punch Mai Tai that looked like a glass of water earned her first menu placement. Whether you're behind the bar or dreaming about it, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and more than a few surprising twists — including a 24/7 Australian nightclub, a blue cheese vodka cocktail, and a Waldorf salad that somehow became a drink. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen — and if you're in Montreal, go find Jess at Atwater Cocktail Club. @atwatercocktailclub atwatercocktailclub.com A big thank you to Jean-Marc Dykes of Imbiblia. Imbiblia is a cocktail app for bartenders, restaurants and cocktail lovers alike and built by a bartender with more than a decade of experience behind the bar. Several of the features includes the ability to create your own Imbiblia Recipe Cards with the Imbiblia Cocktail Builder, rapidly select ingredients, garnishes, methods and workshop recipes with a unique visual format, search by taste using flavor profiles unique to Imbiblia, share recipes publicly plus many more……Imbiblia - check it out! Contact the host Kypp Saunders by email at kyppsaunders@gmail.com for products from Elora Distilling, Malivoire Winery and Terroir Wine Imports. Links kyppsaunders@gmail.com @sugarrunbar @the_industry_podcast email us: info@theindustrypodcast.club

    Jess Long
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5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

A discussion with people working in the Service Industry - Bar, Restaurant, Hospitality - Front of House, Back of House, all aspects of what is commonly referred to as The Industry.

Information

  • Creator
    The Industry
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    273
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026
  • Show Website
    The Industry

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