John and Kevin have a combined 20 fantastic years working with the Sharkeez restaurant group. John began his journey at Sharkeez Hermosa Beach and received the tremendous honor of becoming the GM/ partner of Palmilla Cocina y Tequila in 2011. Kevin was brought into Palmilla shortly after opening and quickly proved himself as a skilled bartender. The two spent the next 10 years learning from renowned mixologists, tasting, and expanding their palates to unique and bold flavor profiles.
For Esperanza, the two really dove deep into the cocktail creating process and “geeked out” over the vast possibilities available once one can understand the balance between sweet, sour, bitter, and booze. The two scoured all regions of Mexico from Baja to the Yucatán Peninsula and, of course, Oaxaca to study the subtle nuances of Mezcal. This research, in addition to the tutelage of master cocktail creators, gave the gentleman the tools to map out the bright, loud, and vibrant flavors for the Esperanza cocktail menu. They hand-made shrubs,
foams, mists, and mixers all of which are traditionally Mexican and 100% authentic. John and Kevin are overwhelmingly eager to present the finished product to the South Bay hope it’s received with the same excitement and passion the boys put into it.
