High spirits

MITCHELL MEREDITH • Bacardi Center of Excellence at FIU

WORK • Thursday Routine

MITCHELL MEREDITH • beverage program manager • Bacardi Center of Excellence at FIU
Neighborhood you live in: Normandy Isle

It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Through my role at the Bacardi Center of Excellence, I work in North Miami at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus in the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. This is a first-of-its-kind partnership between a spirits company and an institution of higher education focusing on beverage management in the hospitality industry through practical experiential learning.

My day-to-day centers on guiding the learning process of the future leaders of hospitality, working specifically with four interns to build educational programming, facilitate events, and engage with the Miami beverage industry. Thursday is a full day for class scheduling on campus, meaning the building will be alive and full of students, faculty, and staff milling about.

What’s on the agenda for today?
Morning usually starts with a café con leche con leche evaporada y azúcar, Cuban toast, and a tequeño from Tinta y Cafe in Miami Shores.

I’ve scheduled a research and development session with the students today. We have the opportunity to work with innovative equipment, including the Hard Tank, a rapid infusion machine created for cold brewed coffee. Our team uses it to create rapid infusions of spirits; specifically infusing herbs or botanicals into gin, vodka, or tequila.

Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
This weekend, for my girlfriend's birthday, we’ll be going to a trusted source for curated ambiance, intentional service, and downright incredible Italian, not to mention the delicious wines, Macchialina in South Beach. To start the evening, we’ll choose between visiting Derek and Victor at Bar Kaiju for a pre-dinner cocktail (the clarified and carbonated chukwa is my favorite) or Magie for a bottle of bubbles. Speaking of birthday planning, I’ll be stopping by Cindy Lou's Cookies to stock up. Although I love their triple almond threat, the birthday queen prefers the guava and cheese.

How about a little leisure or culture?
The beauty of Normandy Isle isn’t just its quiet streets, but the short distance to the beach. I’ll likely take the North Beach Loop trolley to soak up the sun and enjoy some time on the sand. This calls for snacks, a good book, and Cazadores Paloma RTDs, the trio of a successful beach day.

Any weekend getaways?
Our favorite weekend getaway from Miami is the St. Pete area, as it combines your standard Florida beach town with incredible sunsets and great food. A four-hour drive is well worth it to get away from Miami’s hustle and bustle, and after the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, they can use the support. The Sunken Gardens aren’t only a St. Pete staple, but a beautiful way to spend the afternoon, followed by a walk on the pier. And for a casual dinner, Trophy Fish (don't sleep on the jalapeno hush puppies).

What was your last great vacation?
Spain, last fall, starting my journey in Barcelona, exploring the coastal cities of Tarragona and Valencia. Highlights include exploring the incredible tapas bars of Barcelona (Bar Cañete is a must), the Santa Tecla Festival in Tarragona (for its frozen yellow Chartreuse cocktails, street procession with fireworks, and incredible coastal views), and traveling through the historical Priorat wine region, specifically Scala Dei, where Chartreuse was once made. In Barcelona, beyond Castle Montjuic, Sagrada Familia, and Park Guell, we also made sure to find a cafe for a tinto de verano every day; some things in life just shouldn't be missed.