Discover the inspiring stories of Angela Leverman and Jennifer Garbarini, the female bartenders shaking up cocktail scene at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
I’m a journalist, content creator, and speaker living in California.Discover the inspiring stories of Angela Leverman and Jennifer Garbarini , the female bartenders shaking up cocktail scene at The Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, San FranciscoAs Women’s History Month comes to a close, let's review a few key numbers.
In the United States, women are the backbone of the hospitality industry, but in the world of bartending, the playing field isn't always level. Women earn 81 cents for every dollar their male counterparts make, and only 62% feel they have. Despite these challenges, a new wave of female bartenders is not just showing up—they're shaking up the entire industry. At The Lounge inside The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, drink professionals like Angela Leverman and Jennifer Garbarini are turning obstacles into opportunities, redefining hospitality one cocktail at a time. Today’s bar culture is undergoing a massive transformation, driven by Gen Z and Millennials. These younger generations are drinking less, but when they do, they demand quality, creativity, and mindful choices.Quality Over Quantity: Over half of Americans prefer cocktails with local or small-batch spirits.Mindful Drinking: Non-alcoholic options are booming, with sales jumping 35% in 2023. Creative Twists: Patrons crave bold "riffs" on classic recipes with inventive, Instagram-worthy presentations. This shift is where women bartenders shine. Celebrated for their creativity and personalized approach, they are perfectly positioned to meet this demand head-on. At The Lounge, this new cocktail magic is curated by two exceptional women who have spent years mastering the art of the perfect pour: Angela Leverman and Jennifer Garbarini. Angela Leverman, a Bay Area native with over a decade in hospitality, discovered her passion for mixology after starting as a server. Known for her handcrafted cocktails and ability to connect with guests, she joined The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco in 2023. "The best part of bartending is getting to know guests and tailoring a drink to what they enjoy,” Angela says. “It turns a simple cocktail into a memorable experience.” Jennifer Garbarini, from Berkeley, has been crafting exquisite cocktails since 2001. After making her mark at several prestigious San Francisco establishments, she brought her talent to The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco in 2016. She thrives on creating custom drinks that delight her guests. "There is nothing like seeing a guest beam with joy after tasting a cocktail I have created for them,” Jennifer shares. As cocktail culture grows bolder, women are leading the creative charge. An impressive 87% of bartenders agree thatI sat down with Angela and Jennifer to talk about their journeys, their signature creations, and why The Lounge has become a destination for cocktail lovers in San Francisco.Noel Burgess: What inspired each of you to become bartenders, and how did your journey lead you to The Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton?Angela Leverman: I started as a server at a very high-volume happy hour restaurant. The bar staff was an all-male team, which one of the female managers wanted to change. She approached me several times about cross-training, but I did not feel ready due to the high volume for making drinks and just having zero experience with recipes. One day I stood on the side and really watched, and I saw how much fun they were having. It was like cooking, but in liquid form. I started training the following day. After several years of experience in other bars, I got the amazing opportunity to apply for a bartender position here at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. I once again didn’t feel ready and felt intimidated since I had never worked at a hotel. It was a new world—a world I thought I already knew. But with great training from an old colleague, I was able to master it.Jennifer Garbarini: Dental hygiene actually led me to hospitality! I had just been accepted to a dental hygiene program, and I went to my first day of an internship with a periodontist. I quickly realized that not all my patients were going to have perfect teeth. My dad suggested I try working in the restaurant up the street while I figured things out, and the rest is history.If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger selves starting out in the industry?If I could go back in time, my advice would be to take better notes!How has working at The Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton SF shaped your approach to bartending and hospitality?Working at The Lounge has definitely allowed me to express true hospitality to my guests, and I’m truly grateful. The Ritz-Carlton empowerment gives us the ability to create genuine connections, go above and beyond, and create solutions to any needs or unexpressed wishes for our guests.I have grown and changed since working at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Our employee culture, the personal attention we provide, and the relationships we build with each guest are unmatched. Making every guest feel special, seen, heard, and valued has left me changed not just at work but in my personal life as well. I also love how it has expanded my vocabulary and educated me in luxury hospitality. National research shows 72% of adults will pay more for premium, personalized cocktail experiences. The Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco is at the forefront of this trend, offering custom creations that blend skill, artistry, and attentive service.Why should non-guests visit The Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco?Non-hotel guests should visit The Lounge because of our distinguished hospitality. From a warm greeting by our doormen upon arrival to our acclaimed menu of seasonal and creative cocktails, we engage and make our non-hotel guests feel like they are on a staycation.The biggest thing that I have learned behind the bar is to always be aware of your surroundings and remember that every day is a new day!What’s the most memorable cocktail you’ve ever created, and what’s the story behind it?The best cocktail I have created was the “La Reina,” which is a mezcal margarita served in a Nick and Nora glass. I love making my own syrups and created an orange cinnamon one for this cocktail. I dehydrated edible petals and mixed them with sea salt to give it a crystallized look. This was truly a beautiful and delicious cocktail I am proud of that was quite popular with our guests.The most memorable cocktail I created was the “Fuga.” It represented Japan Town on our menu and translates to elegance in Japanese. It is a bourbon matcha cocktail that I created with my manager at the time, and to this day I still have to keep matcha on standby for it. The appetite for cocktail innovation is surging. National research shows 72% of adults will pay more for premium, personalized cocktail experiences. According to, nearly half of U.S. consumers now seek flavor twists on classic cocktails, and over a third crave venue-specific drinks. With 68% stating that presentation affects their choice and 54% likely to reorder if garnishes are especially creative, modern bartending is as much about artistry as it is about mixology.” movement—reimagining timeless classics with a bespoke touch—now drives nearly a third of trending cocktails, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.What’s your favorite cocktail to make from The Lounge’s menu, and can you walk us through the steps to create it?I love making my “Sage Blossom.” It is my own take on a whiskey sour with Japanese whiskey Toki and my house-made ginger sage syrup. This is created with 2 oz of the Toki, 1 oz ginger sage syrup, 1 oz lemon juice, and 1 oz fee foam . I shake all those ingredients and double strain them onto a big ice cube in a rocks glass. I garnish with a couple of dots around the glass of angostura bitters and a sage leaf. Simple, clean, but very delicious.Honestly, I truly love making all the lounge cocktails. My favorite thing is to see the smile on the guests’ faces after they taste our drinks. It is like watching your loved ones eat all their dinner because it was that delicious!If you could create a cocktail inspired by San Francisco, what would it be called, and what ingredients would it feature?The Karl cocktail on The Lounge menu is a gorgeous inspiration of the city! However, I have always loved a good Cable Car cocktail and would love to make my own variation.What’s the most unusual ingredient you’ve ever used in a cocktail, and how did it turn out?The most unusual ingredient I have used was tomatillos! We featured it in a cocktail called The Mid Hill Delight. The tomatillos gave the cocktail a refreshing taste of cucumber but also offered just the right acidity to balance the drink.I am working on a cocktail right now using carrots in mezcal. My colleagues looked at me like I was crazy at first, but after they tried it, they could not stop tasting it. I think it is going to be a popular cocktail this summer!The classic techniques are the fundamentals I use daily, and my creativity is my personal signature. They go hand in hand.They go hand in hand for me, too. Every drink we create is a twist on a classic, I believe. Either in a big way or a small way. Sometimes even two combined into one.revealed that 57% of Americans prefer cocktails made with craft or local spirits, and a majority now seek out creative, customized, and inclusive drink experiences. This is a space where women have always excelled—research shows diverse teams deliver better service, greater creativity, and stronger bonds with guests. And as Gen Z and Millennials become the biggest patrons of on-premise beverage experiences, their values—mindful drinking, authenticity, and celebration of difference—are reshaping the bar from the ground up.Leverman: In such a male-dominated industry, I have had a lot of challenges. My toughest challenge was during my previous job as I was hired as the first female bartender in an all-male bartending team. I was determined to show the bar lead I was not simply good, but perhaps better than some of the male bartenders he always had. And I did just that. In just a few weeks, he told me how much he respected me and how excited he was to have me on his team.Garbarini: After working in the industry for more than 24 years, it is so wonderful to see more women taking bar roles. Hashtag ‘As women, we are naturally more mothering and almost have an urge to take care of those around us, and to me, that is what hospitality is all about. Making sure your guest has everything they need, and more. I see more women bartenders when I go out. I believe it is because we are very creative, and the bartending world has evolved into an art form. We also love everything to look aesthetically pleasing, so garnishing a drink to perfection is like a hobby, not work.Dominique Crenn is a woman who has always inspired me through the years. Her resilience to overcome obstacles is a reminder to stay focused on your goals!I have honestly learned a lot from my colleague Jennifer Garbarini. She is very talented and is really skilled at working with different bitters and liqueurs, which is a skill I look forward to honing. Watching her create is amazing and inspiring!What advice would you give to young women aspiring to become bartenders or enter the hospitality world?Garbarini:How do you celebrate and support other women in the industry?I celebrate other women colleagues by letting them shine and replicating their creations with love and appreciation.I always choose the women bartenders over the male ones when I go out. I uplift them by complimenting their work and always leaving a nice tip.I love making whiskey sours. I come from Peruvian restaurants where I made thousands of pisco sours. I have perfected my foam, and creating a beautiful design on top with the bitters is always fun.I usually impress the guest by listening to what they like or what they are in the mood for; that way it is personalized and special.My favorite is a Ketel One lemon drop, no triple sec, more on the citrusy side, and of course with a Tajin rim. Extra cold.My favorite off-the-clock cocktail is some variation of gin, shaken vigorously , extra dry with an orange twist. That equals perfection.Leverman: I would have a classic margarita, less agave, and a Tajin rim. I think it is easy, you can’t mess it up, and as a Latina, I love Tajin.What’s the most underrated cocktail, in your opinion, and why should people give it a try?I would not consider this cocktail underrated but slightly forgotten: The Last Word. It is such an amazing mixture of spice, acidity, and just the right amount of sweetness. For bourbon lovers, you can swap the gin for bourbon, and you now have The Final Word.What’s your favorite part of the bartending process—mixing, garnishing, or seeing the guest’s reaction?The whole bartending process is so satisfying! That is why I have been in the game so long, but the highlight is seeing the guest’s reaction and making the connection that brings the guest back again and again!My favorite part of the bartending process is seeing the guests' reactions. Making one of your very own creations and seeing a guest enjoy it is the best feeling! I tend to not tell them they are my very own creations to get an honest opinion.I had a guest request that I put the ring he was using to propose to his girlfriend into a cocktail. It was super special as they were our regular guests and so much fun. A touching moment I will never forget.The quirkiest request I have received from a guest is a Shaken Manhattan with a garnish of blue cheese olives.Hospitality is in my spirit. I will continue elevating my craft and making connections. One day I would like to open something on the beachfront.I hope to one day open a bar of my own. Also, create bar menus for new restaurants and bars in the future professionally.My dream job was always a veterinarian. I love animals. Or I would be a personal stylist. I love fashion.Burgess:First and foremost, I’d like to thank God, my parents, and my sisters who always believed in me, supported me, and uplifted me. Thank you to my former manager and friend Laura who convinced me to start bartending when I was in my twenties. My friend Stephanie who told me to apply for The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. My first Food & Beverage Assistant Director here at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, Carlos Gomez, who always pushed me to be better. And all my beautiful guests that keep me going! Thank you!I would like to thank The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to express myself through the art of bartending. I also would like to thank Forbes for awarding us the
Women Bartenders Cocktail Creativity Luxury Bartending Angela Leverman Jennifer Garbarini Women In Hospitality Craft Cocktails Bartending Industry Trends Personalized Drink Experiences
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