Corny Sh*t
What started as a blog in 2021 has become something I never expected— but isn't life just like that?
I was fresh behind the bar, still figuring out the rhythm of service, when I launched Shaken-Stirred. The idea was straightforward: share what I was learning, connect with others in the industry, and build something real. But hospitality has a way of teaching you that the best things happen when you step outside your comfort zone and experiment.
Before I ever touched a cocktail shaker, I spent years grinding it out on the line in some of North America's top restaurants and hotels. Those kitchens didn't just teach me about hustle and precision—they broke me down and built me back up many times. They showed me what it means to bleed for your craft, to be part of a team that moves as one organism, where failure isn't just personal—it affects everyone around you. When I transitioned to bartending, I brought that fire with me, but I also brought something else: a bone-deep understanding of how hard this industry can be, and how desperately we all need each other to survive it.
Shaken-Stirred evolved because I see the people who raised me in restaurants, I see the fallout, and I want to be a bigger part of the change. What began as a blog grew into a platform for booking private gigs, then expanded into a shop and resource hub. But every step of this journey has been driven by love—love for the late-night conversations with fellow restaurant people about dreams bigger than the next paycheck, love for the line cooks who pour their souls into every plate, love for everyone who chooses this life despite knowing how hard it can be.
I'm not just building a brand; I'm building toward something bigger. My goal is to open restaurants that serve as community anchors, places where great food and hospitality create real connection. I want to launch a podcast that digs deep with industry professionals at every level—line cooks, bartenders, GMs, investors—exploring what drives us, what breaks us, and how we keep pushing forward together. And I want to fund it with the help of Shaken-Stirred and whatever means necessary, because when you care about something this much, you fucking find a way.
This industry runs on passion, and the people in it inspire me every single day. If you're reading this, you're part of this story now. Whether you're just starting out, running your own operation, or somewhere in between, you belong here.
O.T.O.D. Can't stop. Won't stop.
Hello, my name's Alex and I originally created this site as a means to share my experiences in the industry as well as learn a thing or two in researching. I've been working in the restaurant industry since I was 15, after putting in about a decade in the back of house working every station from dishwasher to chef, and with a little nudge from a pandemic I decided to finally take the icy plunge and start facing the people i've been cooking for all these years.
Discovering my place behind the bar has made the transition so fulfilling, it's all the creativity of being a chef but with the fulfillment of meeting the guests you're serving. This can have its ups and downs and sometimes I miss my station in the back, but the biggest thing it taught me was that I love this industry, all of it.
On this site you will find recipes, methods, merch, and some unsolicited opinions. I love hearing from people who are passionate about the craft, so if you want me to write about a particular topic, are looking to book services, or want to contribute to the page please feel free to reach out.
- Cheers, Alex.