Joey Scorza
Head Bartender
InterContinental Miami
Background: Started as a cocktail server at the InterContinental Miami in 1985, then worked as a bartender at the hotel’s pool bar before becoming a bartender, and later head bartender, for the property’s Indigo Bar. Well-known locally for her creative specialty drinks, including the hotel’s signature City Cocktail, the Miami Mystique.
For centuries tending bar was a male-dominated occupation. By the 1970s, however, female bartenders had come to be both accepted and expected at restaurants and bars in the United States. Today, more than half the bartenders in this country are female. Here we introduce you to some of IHG’s outstanding Americas bartenders—who also happen to be women.
Philosophy: “I’m sort of old school, but I also enjoy learning from other bartenders and servers, to get new ideas for creating a ‘wow’ effect that adds to the customer’s whole experience. I have been doing this for quite some time, so I think it is important to keep fresh and to recreate yourself. The most important thing is to have a passion for the job, to love people and be good at listening to what they want. You can’t teach that—it’s something you have or you don’t. And, we always want our guests to feel that it’s their bar—that they own it, not us.” Favorite Part of the Job: “I love connecting with guests—I get my energy from them. We have customers who come back year after year, and I know that’s because of the experience and the people they interact with at our bar, not for the drinks. When I see the look on their faces, I can feel the love. Once I go to work every day, I’m on stage, and it never gets old.” Favorite Drinks: “I like to give my cocktails quirky and memorable names. Two of my favorites are the Don’t Take Me for Granate pomegranate martini and The Mark Avenue. I won the World Class Beverage Program’s Maker’s Mark Manhattan recipe contest in 2009 with that one. I love playing with ideas and balancing flavors. My cocktails are more than just a recipe in a glass.” What F&B Director Arminio Rivero says about her: “Joey is the perfect blend of what it takes to be a great bartender: she has passion for what she does, a great work ethic and a wonderful sense of humor, and she adds her personal flair to every drink she mixes. She also remembers names, and guests remember hers—customers continuously write notes to us about how great she is. We are proud to have her on our team and want her with us for many years to come.” >> Continued on Page 14
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