Meet Kiki Avalos of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiki Avalos.

Hi Kiki, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Working in my dad’s restaurant was my very first job, so you could say that I’ve grown up in the hospitality industry. It wasn’t until I was pursuing my BFA that I began bartending but I’ve continued to do so for the past fourteen years. My service experience is varied and well balanced, ranging from fine dining restaurants to a karaoke night club. The past five years have seen the most professional growth as I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in cocktail competitions and be featured in PUNCH and Imbibe. As of 2024 I am nationally recognized bartender and was awarded Tastemaker of the Year. I have also hosted two high concept omakase events where I designed and executed the food and beverage pairings.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d say that one of the main struggles I’ve faced in roughly a decade and a half of working in service would be that I haven’t always had a spacious creative outlet. When I was attending art school I don’t think I ever really expected to be where I am now. Even when I first started bartending it was honestly because some of my classmates worked at the beer-tending bar on campus and they recommended me for the job. Each restaurant or bar with a cocktail menu leading up to my current position at Fifty Fifty Gin Club allowed for glimpses of creativity but it was never as fulfilling as I craved. Being afforded the opportunity to explore as many new flavors and techniques as I desire is already such a boon. The fact that I am also able to curate immersive cocktail events is a dream come true.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in cocktails that are driven by culinary techniques as well as interesting and complex non-alcoholic serves. I am known for my imaginative and boundary pushing approach to modern cocktails, with an insatiable desire to expand my knowledge of techniques, flavor pairings, and food mythology. Enjoying a drink is an inherently ephemeral experience and I aim to tell a memorable story in that short span of time if I am able to do so. It is perhaps this romanticization that sets me apart from others in my industry as well as my genuine care for the guests that choose to have their drinks at my bar. I am proud of how much I’ve grown as both an artist and a bartender ever since that first gig in 2012.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Being genuine and intentional. These traits foster lasting connections with both your guests and your loved ones.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @chaoticfemme.cocktails