Spirited Awards 2025 Winners at Tales of the Cocktail

The 19th Annual Spirited Awards did not disappoint! Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) honored the Global Industry's best and brightest on July 24th, 2025 at The Fillmore in New Orleans. Dressed to impress, the red carpet energy was electric. Cameras were flashing and everyone was looking fly and fresh sporting megawatt smiles from wall to wall. What is called "The Oscars" of the Bar Industry, there certainly were nonstop Hollywood moments.

The Spirited Awards encompass a broad range of honors, spanning domestic and international categories, writing and media awards, and global recognitions that transcend regional boundaries — including prestigious titles such as Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award which was awarded to Ian Burrell and World’s Best Bar. Today, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation proudly announces the winners across International, U.S., and Global categories. Each recipient was carefully selected by a panel of over 250 industry experts, led by Tiffanie Barriere and Ryan Chetiyawardana, the U.S. & International Spirited Awards Chairs.

Lynnette Marrero - Visionary Award Honoree 2025 (Imagery provided by BMF Media)

Kicking off the Awards was Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Her speech toasted to all the acheivements, successes and progress we have made in the industry. Then, she took a turn. Continuing the energy of the Address she made on behalf of TOTCF ahead of the festival, Charlotte acknowledged that there are many people in our industry, country and world are struggling, hurting and afraid right now. Admirably, she did not attempt to "good vibes only" the crowd the cameras were rolling on, arguably, the biggest stage of our industry, but bravely showed humanity for those hurting, those who cannot be with us and in solidarity as the hospitality industry had been struggling disproportionately from a for the past several years.

Then it was time to give away some PLATES! And what a night of celebrations it was with cheers, laughs, tears and more than a few expletives, we're Bar people folks. Throughout the night, many of the honorees took moments in their speeches on stage to speak up and call the industry to stand together in this moment and care for each other. Some of the most emotional moments were moments when we reflected on all those who were not able to be with us on this special night; those not with us because they were unwilling or unable to take the risk of traveling to the U.S. right now. With so many calling upon leaders in our industry to speak up and use their platforms, so many did just that and used their moments in the spotlight not only to thank their family, teams and supporters, but also to advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion while DEI has been under threat, but also to demand the safety, dignity and protection of human rights for those in the hospitality industry and beyond.

WORDS FROM CHARLOTTE VOISEY

"It's a real delight to celebrate the winners of the 2025 Spirited Awards," said Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation."Each winner represents the spirit of evolution, pushing boundaries, embracing change, and moving this industry forward. Congratulations to everyone recognized - your work inspires all of us! Thank you also to the SpiritedAwards Committee and the global community for making this such a remarkable year.”

In alignment with the 2025 conference theme, ‘Evolve,’ this year’s winners exemplify those who embrace change, foster progress, and drive the continuous evolution of the global cocktail community. Their work reflects the spirit of growth and transformation that defines this industry.