We've heard #MeToo stories from Hollywood to Springfield, but some of the most abusive and toxic behavior at the center of these stories is still experienced every day by women in the bar and restaurant industries.

Our guests this month are legends in Chicago and beyond, not only for their abilities behind the bar, but for creating networks of talented, fierce women who mentor younger servers and focus on giving back to their communities.

SHELBY ALLISON
Shelby Allison co-owns Lost Lake, a tropical cocktail bar in Chicago that opened in 2015 and was named Best American Cocktail Bar at Tales of the Cocktail’s 2018 Spirited Awards, is a three-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program (2016, 2017, 2018) and a finalist in 2019, and earned a spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (2018). Shelby is a co-founder of Chicago Style, a yearly conference focused on increasing inclusivity, safety, and sustainability within the cocktail community, and was featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and Food and Wine. She also co-founded Shift-Ease, a monthly charitable party at Lost Lake that supports local Chicago organizations working for progressive racial, economic and gender justice, and is a founding board member of the Chicago Period Project, an aspiring non-profit that helps Chicago’s homeless and in-need people experience their periods with dignity. Shelby was one of Chicago Woman’s 10 Most Influential Women in Chicago’s food and beverage community (2018), and one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40 Tastemakers (2018).

NANDINI KHAUND
Nandini Khaund was part of the opening team at one of the city’s most groundbreaking cocktail bars, the Violet Hour, which has had a tremendous impact on the industry in Chicago and beyond for more than a decade. Since then, Nandini has done everything from tend bar at Big Star to create an independent cocktail app to open and operate Cindy’s, the beautiful rooftop bar you definitely know if you’ve ever visited the Chicago Athletic Association hotel. She’s now the founder of Grimoire, a consulting company that works with hospitality groups, bars, and restaurants to facilitate positive work environments, and sits on the grants committee for the nonprofit Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.


ALEXIS BROWN
Multi-certified mixologist, philanthropist and industry educator Alexis Brown, is the founder and executive director of Causing A Stir, an organization dedicated to educating and empowering underrepresented individuals in the bar and beverage industry.
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Alexis worked her way up in the hospitality industry from a coat-check and nightclub “shot girl” to a skilled beverage consultant and cocktail connoisseur. In her nearly 10 years of experience in the field, Alexis honed her skills at some of Chicago’s most renowned bars and restaurants including The Drifter, The Dearborn and The Aviary.
Throughout her bartending career Alexis witnessed the disparaging way underrepresented individuals were treated in the beverage industry and decided to create a safe space where they could develop the skills to thrive among their peers. In 2016, she developed Causing A Stir to uplift and empower marginalized individuals in the hospitality industry. Since its inception the group has gained nearly 3,000 members worldwide and hosts monthly events to educate individuals from underserved communities.
Since 2011 Alexis has also served as the chief curator of her personal brand, Serving Life Behind Bars, where she develops custom cocktail creations for private events. She has received several accolades in the beverage industry including Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 40 Under 40 (2019), Drinks International Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Figures (2019), World Class Competition Top 100 Bartenders (2019), Old Forester Old Fashioned Competition Winner (2018), Most Imaginative Bartender Regional Finalist Award (2017) and Semi-Finalist of the Bacardi Legacy Competition (2017 & 2018).
Alexis has spread her mission of educating minorities in the beverage industry across the country. She has been featured on The Chicago Tribune, Food & Wine and Eater.

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